Our Winter Newsletter: All things new…

We hope that you have enjoyed a relaxed and “forget all the doom & gloom” Christmas and that you are looking forward to a positive new year. Difficult when there is so much uncertainty and grief in the world but important to face 2023 with a determined spirit. In the hope that thoughts of holidays in the sun can bring some colour to your mid-winter, we’d like to tell you about what is new for Ionian Villas in 2023.
Within the next few weeks we will be announcing our new villa programme in Epirus, on the Ionian coastline of the Greek mainland.


Sivota and Paleros are small ports on the mainland. Sivota is opposite the south-eastern tip of Corfu and Paleros is opposite the north-east coast of Lefkas. Both seaside villages are excellent locations for those who look for more exploration and choice of activities than offered on the islands. Wild and untouched inland and a coastline of deserted beaches, only reachable by boat.


Paleros is a 30 minute drive from Lefkas and Sivota is a 1-hour drive from Lefkas. Good choices for a 2-centre holiday combining Lefkas with the mainland.

On a hillside above Sivota, Villa Infinity looks out across the sea to Paxos and Corfu.

Our Touch of Luxury programme now includes some stunning villas on Corfu. Villa Callisto sleeps up to 12 and is just a few steps away from Agia Triada beach, near Paliokastritsa.

A new Greek TV series, called “Maestro in Blue”, will appear on Netflix in the new year (dates to be confirmed). The series was filmed on Paxos in 2022 and tells the story of a music festival being organised during the Covid-19 pandemic.  “In the nine episodes, director Christoforos Papakaliatis narrates a story of passion and conflict.”

Our Paxos manager, Dimitris, and his parents (who had walk-on roles) and actress Kleilia Andriolatou.
Dimitris, his dogs and actor Christoforos Papakaliatis

Filming on Paxos’ west coast

In the Spring 2023 we will be introducing our new website – bigger pictures and more user-friendly.
For 2023 we have added new villas on each island. Here is a selection according to villa size:

  • Chiara on Lefkas is a spacious retreat for up to 20 people with a special west coast location for sunsets and sandy beaches.
  • Contessa Sara on Corfu sleeps up to 12 and is a perfect spot for those wanting to be within close distance of beaches, watersports, tavernas and shops.
  • Yannisatika House on Paxos, sleeping up to 10, is a well kept secret – one of the most beautiful properties on the island
  • Fortouna on Corfu, sleeps up to 8 and is just 35 steps away from the sea.
  • Salto on Kefalonia is a sumptuous villa just above the sea for up to 6 people.
  • Lucie, sleeping up to 4, is a 10 minute walk through olive groves to Lakka port on Paxos.
  • Apaggio on Ithaca is a one-bedroom cottage with panoramic views over Vathy Bay and across the sea to Atokos island and the Greek mainland.

New to our West Sussex team is Natalie Verrall. Natalie wears an Administration and Social Media Manager cap.

Finally, we have joined forces with the Ionian Environment Foundation in a venture to support various projects to protect the Ionian’s environment. Watch this space!



We hope to see you in the Ionian in 2023.

Our best wishes,

An Ancient Footpath to Erimitis Spring

Paxos has three ports and the central village of Magazia. Magazia means “shops” and was once the main shopping centre of the island (it even had a ginger beer maker!). In surrounding valleys and on olive-clad hilltops are family hamlets consisting of a cluster of houses and a family church or two.

When the island was more self-sufficient (important when winter bad weather could prevent any supplies reaching Paxos for weeks on end) and the olive was king, a well-trodden network of pathways connected villages and hamlets with olive groves, vineyards, pasture land, terraces of wheat, schools, shops, friends and a supply of water.    

During the British occupation of the Ionian islands in the early 19th Century, tracks (wider than the goat paths) connecting the three island ports were turned into a central road – donkey tracks became a donkey road!

During the earlier, four centuries of Venetian rule, cisterns to collect rainwater were introduced to island house building. River and stream beds still traverse the island with fast flowing waters in the winter but the only source of natural spring water was and still is just above Erimitis beach on the west coast.

A series of stone-floored pathways, bordered by dry stone walls, lead from the hamlet of Boikatika (the hamlet of the Boikos family) down a wild valley of untended olive groves to a point above Erimitis Bay where soaring limestone cliffs look down onto a chalky turquoise sea.

A steep, stepped path winds down to the spring’s source and a well, enclosed by stone. Even in the heat of summer, water oozes and seeps through the rock face to give life to a variety of small wild plants, just above the sea.

In 2008 a large chunk of limestone cliff broke away and slid into the sea. What was a rocky inlet beneath the cliffs suddenly became a beautiful beach of limestone and pulverized stone – now turning into golden sand.

Look carefully at the surrounding hillsides of maquis and myrtle and you will see the remains of stone houses and overgrown terraces, which were once cultivated – a perfect place to live with fresh water on your doorstep. Prime position is now given to two modern villas at the top of the last flight of steps to the beach but there is still a dominant feeling of a rich, green wilderness, framed by the Erimitis cliffs.    

First glimpse of Erimitis cliffs

There is now a road down to the last flight of steps but parking is nigh impossible so choosing one of the ancient footpaths is the advisable (and more interesting) alternative. Tall olive and cypress trees provide a canopy of shade and the first views of the cliffs and blue sea are breathtaking. A good path to choose starts close to the cat feeding station on the track leading from Magazia to Erimitis Sunset Bar.

Old untended olives
Start of the last section
Final flight of steps to the spring

Take a stick to carefully detach spider webs and a non-plastic container to drink from the Erimitis well (you will find a bucket & rope attached to the well’s lid). On my last visit I saw “I was here” styled graffiti on the rock face close to the well – resist the urge to leave any mark of having been there and enjoy its natural beauty – one of Paxos’ many treasures.

Remember to take a spider stick
Descent to the beach
Erimitis Spring

On Paxos there are 2 organisations dedicated to the preservation of the island’s heritage and culture Volunteers of Paxos and Friends of Paxos – they work with the Paxos Municipality to open, clear and maintain the network of ancient footpaths on the island.

© 2018 Ionian Villas Limited

Call us on: +44 (0) 1243 820928    ..or email enquiries@ionian-villas.co.uk

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