You might feel hesitant about an Ionian holiday in October. Will the weather be ok? Will sufficient ferries be operating? Will tavernas and shops be open?
A few of us from the office travel to the Ionian in October in order to see property owners, take new photos, find out what changes are planned for the following year and then to check the local cuisine, sample new wines and gauge sea temperatures!
This year we spent the second week of October on Paxos.
A few wispy clouds on the last day but otherwise clear blue skies and temperatures in the late 20’s. We stayed on the west coast – hypnotically vibrant sunsets.
West coast sunset
With the good weather, nearly all of Paxos’ tavernas and café bars planned to stay open until the end of October. Supermarkets and shops were well stocked. Fruit aplenty: fresh canary melons, peaches, nectarines, grapes, pineapples, kiwi fruits, bananas – to name a few.
Sea temperature seemed warmer than August and we tested it every day – such is our dedication to getting our facts right!
Marmari beach
Morning temperatures of early 20’s make for perfect walking conditions. The sides of roads and donkey paths bordered by swathes of wild cyclamen and crocus. Branches of olive trees starting to droop with the weight of ripening olives. Black olive nets ready to catch the winter crop.
Roadside cyclamen
Paxos Cats
Village cats basking in the afternoon sun. Local islanders enjoying the peace and quiet of a waterfront cafenion. Hire boats being taken out of the water to leave village waterfronts with colourful wooden fishing boats. Gaios fish market selling an abundance of freshly caught fish. The opportunity to commandeer deserted beaches. The beautiful blues of the sea within sheltered coves below hillsides of olive and cypress trees.
And then, all too soon, the wake-up call to leave and return to colder, greyer shores.
Departing Paxos at sunrise
Corfu airport comparatively busy but a recently opened airside lounge offers a peaceful escape with comfy seating, complimentary snacks and drinks and even a porter to escort you to the lounge via a fast track security check. Ask us for details!
New Corfu Airport Lounge
Try an October break to the Ionian – the perfect tonic to prepare for winter back home.
(A glimpse into the traditional festivities of a Greek Orthodox Easter)
Over 90% of Greeks identify with the Greek Orthodox Christian faith. Their church has played a strong part in their history and religious traditions are important to them. One of the most celebrated events of the calendar is the Orthodox Easter and this year their Easter falls on 16th April.
Festivities begin about a month before Lent with Carnival Season (“Apokries”): celebrations of street parties, parades and masquarades – originally pagan rituals worshipping Dionysos, the God of wine, agriculture, fertility, dance and fun.
Easter Fireworks above the ‘Old Fortress of Corfu’
Clean Monday (“Cathara Deftera”) marks the end of Apokries and families mark the start of Lent, when the fasting begins, with picnics of seafood, taramasalata, halva (a corn starch sweet) and unleavened bread (“Lagana”), traditionally accompanied by kite flying.
Those observing the tradition of Lent will abstain from consuming meat, dairy products, alcohol and sugar.
On the eve of Easter Sunday village communities gather with lit candles and wait for the priest to declare that “Christ is Risen”. Church bells and fireworks then celebrate the hour and then “Magiritsa”, a soup made from lamb offal, is served.
Easter Sunday is the day of the greatest feast of all. Lambs are roasted on outdoor spits and the groaning Easter table welcomes family and friends for a day of indulgence.
On the table will be bowls or baskets of bright red eggs. The eggs are dyed red on Holy Thursday, a custom which goes back to the early Christians and symbolises the sacrificial blood of Christ.
A young Alex on Paxos at EasterAlex, Vivienne & family friends enjoying Easter in the early 90’s
The cracking of the red eggs has its own symbolism. The hard shell of the egg symbolizes the sealed tomb of Christ while the cracking means that the tomb has been broken and that Christ has been resurrected from the dead.
Egg cracking (“Tsougrisma”) is a bit like a game of conkers! Each player holds a red egg and one taps the end of their egg against the end of the other player’s egg. The goal is to crack the opponent’s egg without cracking yours. When one end is cracked, the winner uses the same end of their egg to try to crack the other undamaged end of the opponent’s egg. The player who successfully cracks the eggs of the other players is declared the winner and, it is said, will have good luck during the year.
Traditionally, when tapping the egg, the first player would say to his opponent “Christos anesti” (“Christ has risen!”) to which the second person responds “Alithos anesti!” (“He Truly Has”).
Filippos & Alexandros with their painted eggs
Watch out for the occasional cheat, who moves a thumb nail unobtrusively and quickly over their egg tip just as their opponent delivers a tap!
An understanding of simple physics helps: the pointiest egg should perform better.
Hold your egg in a grip as close to the tapping end as possible, so that it can only be hit at the curviest/pointiest spot on the top while the sides are supported.
Have you thought about switching your July and August Summer holiday for a Spring holiday? We like to visit the Ionian every May with our family and here’s why we think it is the perfect time to visit….
In May the islands and mainland Ionian coast are usually less crowded, flights can be cheaper, and villas tend to have good availability.
The islands begin to come to life with tavernas and shops opening after Greek Easter and there is a nice energy in the air for the new season ahead.
Day temperatures sit between 20 – 25 degrees, with evenings slightly cooler and night-time around 14 degrees; perfect for families like ours with young children.
The Ionian is usually a blaze with spring colours and the cooler temperatures can allow for a more active day of walking, running, yoga and cycling.
Sea temperatures are just about warm enough to take a dip and you often find you have the beach all to yourselves!!
If this appeals to you, we still have some fantastic properties available this May half term…
If you are interested in booking any of the villas above or would like to know about other available properties, please contact Alex and Samantha for prices and special offers enquiries@ionian-villas.co.uk
My name is Victoria Turner and I have a home and family on Paxos. As such I care deeply about the people and the environment of this island, and their relationship with each other. I have seen that, despite the spectacular environmental beauty and warmth of the communities here, the island faces many challenges. From improving water, waste and road infrastructure that meets the ever-increasing demands of tourists, to balancing economic development with land/marine conservation, these numerous pressures are shared across much of the Ionian region.
I feel extremely privileged, as the Executive Director of the Ionian Environment Foundation, to be able to work with some incredible NGOs, passionate individuals and determined action groups towards addressing these challenges and activating lasting change in the region.
Local beach clean Paxos
Using the tried and tested, non-bureaucratic approach of the Conservation Collective, the IEF seeks to raise funds from people and businesses who love the Ionian Region and care about its protection and restoration. We distribute those funds predominantly to local communities and environmental initiatives to empower them to promote and support conservation actions that achieve comprehensive results in the fields of nature recovery, environmental protection, sustainable development and the circular economy. My job is to find the people who love and cherish the Ionian Islands and ask them to either support our work with funds – or build an impactful local project that we can support!
The work is not always easy, but I am an optimist who knows that, even with small steps, positive change can happen. One such theory of change is as follows:
If the IEF can support and promote the immediate actions of the best hands-on local projects, then the culture of conservation will evolve. This is because, over time, these activities will serve to inform people’s mindsets and change their attitudes towards the fragile environment around them. For example, we supported an educational project that promoted conservation through awareness raising of the 75 species of Corfu Butterfly. 8000 posters of the butterflies were distributed to the islands’ 54 primary schools and into the hands of every pupil. 897 teachers also received teaching resources to promote respect and intrigue for Corfu’s butterflies. Via the symbolic flagship example of the butterfly, the wonders of biodiversity and the importance of conservation were widely communicated.
Corfu Butterfly Conservation Project
Many of the projects we support are excellent showcasing examples for how people can be actively engaged with protecting the local environment and tackle the issues head on. For example, any observant visitor to the islands could not fail to notice that waste management is a pressing issue that needs addressing. We are working with small and large action groups to fuel a change both in how waste is managed effectively, as well as how waste can be reduced at source. The Social Enterprise group SinPraxi works together with over 25 local businesses to see recyclables separated and delivered to a sorting unit where the items are sent back into the circular economy via effective recycling plants on the mainland. In this way SinPraxi have successfully diverted over 600 tonnes of materials away from Corfu’s overflowing landfill where it would inevitably end up severely polluting the surrounding ecosystem. By supporting and celebrating their successful operation, we hope that their showcasing actions will fuel awareness and inspire similar actions that directly tackle the waste crisis.
Clearing abandoned fish farm waste- IthacaWaste management Recycling Unit- Corfu
I am thrilled to have gained the support of Ionian Villas. As a significant sector of Greece’s tourist industry, villas, with their owners, guests, managers, gardeners and chefs, can all play an influential role in making waves for change though their efforts to tread more lightly on the environment. Together we are working towards making such changes through the IEF Villa Alliance.
For more information on our work and projects for 2023, please see our latest NEWSLETTERand visit our website. To donate directly, please do so HERE. Your support would be greatly appreciated – where even small amounts will help fuel a positive and impactful change for the Ionian Islands.
The Ionian Islands have the most wonderful, magnetic energy… warm air, blue skies, turquoise waters, hillsides full of olive and cypress trees, fresh seasonal locally grown food and the sun to nourish the soul. A perfect escape for wellness and yoga practice.
If you are a yoga/pilates teacher looking to host a retreat we believe we have some of the best properties in the Ionian. Our partnerships with the retreat owners will allow you to create the most extraordinary experience for your guests.
How it works…. we can help you decide which island is best suited to you and give you an idea of the cost. We have a selection of properties specifically designed for retreats with a variety of group sizes. We will then put you in touch with the owner of the venue or our island manager so that they can help you plan everything.
There are some incredible yoga and pilates teachers who live on the Ionian islands. If you have booked a property with us and wish to practice whilst on holiday, we can put you in touch with a teacher for a private 1-1 class or small group classes.
Take a look at some of our favourite retreat properties….
Kefalonia
Villa Olivestone is a private, secluded and peaceful hideaway for those wanting a special escape from a busy world outside. The property lies in a 32-acre private estate above the sandy beaches of the south coast, in the foothills of Mount Aenos. The property sleeps up to 12 guests in comfortable accommodation; there are many areas for social gatherings or quiet spots for total relaxation.
The villa comes with a cook, Yolanda who will prepare wonderful fresh dishes for your retreat guests. Other activities such as massage therapies and skippered boat trips can be arranged as part a tailor-made programme.
Paxos is lucky enough to have (in our opinion) one of the best Yoga teachers in Greece. German born Sandra has lived on the island for many years, she speaks a variety of languages including, German, English and Greek. She teaches a mix of Ashtanga, Hatha and Vinyasa flow, inspired by her practice in Berlin and India. Many of the Watrous family have attended her classes and we think she really is a special teacher!
Sandra also offers a range of other activities including dance, meditation, Pilates, body toning, hit, aqua fit and SUP yoga. Sandra does open classes and 1-1 private sessions either at your villa or in her own yoga studio.
Our suggestion would be to rent the fabulous Velianitatika Retreat, as this happens to be next door to Sandra’s studio, in the sleepy village of Velianitatika. Perfect for a group of yoga friends who want something more personalised and bespoke.
Vassiliki: Five spectacular villa; Icarus, Angeliki, Ismini, Grigoria and Villa Of Light sit perched high above the sea on the south coast looking down to the port of Vassiliki. The views across Vassiliki Bay and to the islands of Ithaca and Kefalonia are breathtaking. There are individual swimming pools for each villa, a large yoga studio and a retreat chef. The retreat can accommodate up to 25 guests (including teachers). The villas can be booked individually or all together depending on retreat size. Massage, Mediterranean cooking lessons, sporting activities, walks/hikes and day trips can also be arranged.
Geni: Surrounded by olive and pine trees and wild myrtle bushes, sit three beautifully designed villas; Antonella, Rosetta and Stefania. They have a special hilltop position with dramatic views from the pool terraces across Vlicho Bay. A variety of balconies and terraces cater for both sun and shade and each property has a private infinity pool. Above the villas amongst the olive groves overlooking Dessimi and Vlicho bay is a closed yoga studio surrounded by glass windows. Yoga can also be practiced in the open studio which overlooks the infinity pool and Vlicho bay, It is 70 sqm and crafted to host a group of 24 people.
Each villa sleeps 8 guests, so a retreat capacity of up to 24 (including teachers), the villas can be booked individually or all together. Adonis, a fellow yogi is the retreat chef, he cooks traditional Greek dishes or can cater to a vegan/health menu. Tavernas and Dessimi Beach are also within walking distance.
Ithaca
For a smaller group The Loutsa Retreat is perfect. The villa sleeps up to 8 guests and has total privacy and tranquility. Large terraces open out to beautiful gardens where it is possible to have sun or shade throughout the day. A curving swimming pool sweeps through a small olive grove, bordered by hedges of lavender.
A cook can be arranged for your retreat or if you would prefer to provide your guests with bed and breakfast only, the owner offers a complimentary organic breakfast delivered to your door each morning. The retreat is a 3-minute walk to Loutsa Beach and a 10-minute walk to a waterfront taverna and the port of Vathy.
The five Sunset Cottages are perched up high on Ithaca’s west coast, two kilometres south of Stavros village and just a five minute drive to Polis Bay beach. Each cottage sleeps 2 with a sea-facing terrace and a small garden of citrus and peach trees. The larger terraces are perfect to practice yoga and there is a swimming pool for all to enjoy. The cottages would be perfect for a smaller budget and retreat.
Kalokeri is a beautifully elegant villa set within 4.5 acres of private land. It has dramatic views across the sea to Kefalonia and the Greek mainland. The property sleeps 12 and has an infinity pool, a stone Pool House, beautiful gardens and terraces for relaxing, activities including table tennis and now a fantastic new yoga deck! The deck looks out to sea with a spellbinding panorama. Sunrise meditation or early morning yoga is a truly magical experience at Kalokeri. Further activities including massage therapies and a retreat cook can be arranged.
Corfu
Morning yoga on the sand or amongst the olive trees is on offer at On the beach Alpha, Beta & Gamma. These three villas are less then 80 metres from the beach of Milou Bay. Villa Alpha sleeps 10, Beta and Gamma each sleep 12. All 3 villas have modern comforts inside and outside – the owners describe the overall design and décor as “boho-luxury”. Elements of the natural surroundings have been incorporated to create the feel of a countrified retreat by the sea.
On the Beach, AlphaOn the Beach, Alpha
If you are interested in booking any of the properties above for a future retreat and would like to know more – call or email us.
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!
Our newsletter brings you Warm Wishes and a Few Things New for the New Year.
Our office has some new family faces. Alex’s wife, Catherine, has joined our team. Catherine (Cat) has spent three years on Paxos as a Representative for Ionian Villas and Scott Williams. She has visited the other Ionian islands and will be revisiting in May.
Cat Watrous
Alex and Cat’s son, Archie, was born last September and will be on the May familiarisation trip to the islands!
Archie at the Office
For us, 2017 was the busiest and also the longest season – May and October in the Ionian are becoming more popular for warm weather escapes from more temperamental northern European climates.
May and October are possibly the best months to explore the islands on foot. Sea water and swimming pool water can, however, be bracing in May so a stay in a private apartment (with a good sea view) on the outskirts of a port or village, is fun and economical. For example:
Mermaid Cottage on Paxos has Loggos waterfront as a doorstep and in May is £570 per week.
Mermaid Cottage
Katy’s Apartment on Kefalonia has Fiscardo as a doorstep and is £500 per week in May.
We have added some new Ionian properties to our 2018 programme:
Inter-island communications are improving. For 2018 there is talk of the seaplane returning to link Corfu and Paxos and possibly the other more southern Ionian islands. We have also heard that a new ferry is being operated between Corfu, Lefkas, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. Sky Express already operate a flight linking Corfu, Preveza (for Lefkas), Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Athens. Apart from the regular inter-island hydrofoil and ferry services it is now possible to charter a private speedboat.
Ionian Seaplane
We understand that an island hopping holiday may not appeal to families wanting to limit overall travel but with this new choice of transferring from one island to another it can be seen as an exciting alternative.
And if you are a couple with more flexible time on your hands – let us know if you would like us to tailor-make an Ionian Island Hopping trip for you.
Talking about flights – there’s a new BA flight from Heathrow to Kefalonia starting mid May 2018 – Tuesday and Saturday departures.
For many of us it is difficult to know what wines to sample when on holiday in Greece. The ubiquitous and often bland “house wine” poured from taverna boxes will not show off what Greece is now producing.
On Paxos there is now an opportunity to explore the tastes of the grapes, regions and wineries of Greece from the comfort of your holiday villa. Andreas stocks some excellent wines from wineries he has selected from his annual research trips (someone’s got to do it!). He has his wine shop in Lakka but with a few days notice he can bring a selection of wines to your Paxos villa. He will give you an interesting history to the making of each wine. Best to give him a few likes & dislikes so he can tailor the selection for you. Then – when you return to Paxos for your next holiday you can arrange for Andreas to deliver your favourite wines for your arrival!
We came across an interesting blog about some of the Greek grapes
New hideaway bar in Corfu Town
The Palace and gardens of Mon Repos, surrounded by hillsides of pine forest, stand above the sea on the outskirts of Corfu Town.
Mon Repos Palace was built as a summer residence for the British Lord High Commissioner of the United States of the Ionian Islands in 1828. When the Ionian islands were ceded back to Greece in 1864, the Palace became the residence of Greece’s King George 1. The Greek royal family used it as a summer residence up until King Constantine II fled the country in 1967 and the Palace was repossessed by the Greek State.
Several royal births have taken place at the villa, including those of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on 10 June 1921, and Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark on 10 July 1965.
The Palace and its gardens are now being used as an archaeological museum.
At the foot of the Palace’s forested hillside a sheltered beach, once the bathing spot for the Greek royal family, is now open to the public and has an excellent café bar and restaurant. “The Royal Baths” is close to Garitsa waterfront but its walled gardens (bordered by around 50 old-school, wooden changing huts) are a peaceful escape from the world outside – well worth a visit if you have time on Corfu.
The Royal Baths
Royal Baths’ changing huts
If you feel like a return to the Ionian this year and need some ideas – call us!
If you have time – add us as a friend on Facebook and give us a Like or follow us on Instagram for some Ionian holiday inspiration!
We wish you all the very best for 2018 – may all your dreams come true!
Whether Greece stays in the Euro and/or the European Community or not, she will continue to depend on tourism as one of her most important income opportunities.
Thousands of visitors each year to the smaller Greek islands have a serious impact on local infrastructures. Over time these islands will inevitably lose part of their culture, traditions, lifestyle, character, identity and soul.
Once this has happened it will be hard to recover what has been lost.
On the tiny island of Paxos, a new initiative has been set up by Faye Lychnou and Christos Boicos to initiate, encourage and organise cultural activities of every type on the island to include concerts and festivals, art exhibitions, art residencies and workshops to involve people and culture from Paxos and from outside.
This initiative is called Friends of Paxos. Faye and Christos understand the fragility of Paxos’ heritage and its environment and are keen to encourage projects concerning the island’s preservation.
At a time when public budgets and cultural initiatives in Greece are few, Friends of Paxos will look to private financing of its projects.
Ionian Villas wants to become a Friend of Paxos and once the projects become more concrete, we will announce them on this blog in the hope that we can encourage others to become a Friend.
Ionian Villas is 3 years old. We have so far booked Ionian island properties for just over 1,500 people and we are now arranging villa holidays for their friends and friends of friends.
We wish you a Healthy & Happy New Year and hope to see you again sometime.
BA’s new flight to Corfu from Heathrow departs 4 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) from 2nd May to 20th September.
Whenever we fly to Corfu (and then on to Paxos and the other islands) we spend the first night in Corfu Town and quite often on the way back as well. Apart from being a beautiful town there are now many excellent restaurants and bars so a first night at one of our featured hotels (Cavalieri or Corfu Palace), dinner under grapevines at one of the nearby restaurants and catching the hydrofoil to Paxos the following morning all adds to the holiday tonic to unwind.
Many of the Paxos villa owners ask for a Monday changeover day. Monday is the busiest day for flights to Corfu and as a consequence the prices of Monday flights tend to be higher than on other days of the week. There can therefore be a price incentive to fly to Corfu on a Sunday, overnight at a Corfu hotel and then on to Paxos the following day.
Meet our Island Managers
Alex on Paxos
Alex is our Paxos manager. Alex has been going to Paxos since he was 6 months old.
Karron is our Kefalonia manager. Karron lives with her family on Kefalonia.
Karron on Kefalonia
Susan White is our Ithaca manager. You can find out more about Sue at Ithaca Concierge
Patricia Taylor is our Lefkas and Meganissi manager. Patricia has spent many years on Lefkas and can introduce you to the island’s hidden parts.
Sue on Ithaca
Patricia on Lefkas
One of our managers once told me that when she was a Rep for a package holiday company on the island, she was told that their new policy was to employ the same Rep for a maximum of 2 years. It would seem that in their determination to have a fresh face they would lose the valuable local knowledge of a more experienced person.
Our managers are there to offer you all the help and advice you may need at any time but not to intrude on your holiday. The life of the island is more important to each of them than commissions earned on selling you a coach trip to an unforgettable ouzo-fuelled sunset.
The Seasons of Greece
Those of you with children at school will be restricted by school holiday dates. Good old supply and demand means that holiday prices in the peak summer season are considerably higher than in other months.
Package holiday companies will also apply a high mark-up on their holidays falling within Half Term and Bank Holidays – most of our villa owners have higher peak season prices but their end of May prices (May Bank Holiday) do not always carry this supplement.
For those of you who have more flexible dates, why not visit the Greek islands during the different seasons to vary your experience.
Spring in Greece usually arrives one month before ours. At our house on Paxos we have a 40 foot Mimosa tree and it is ablaze with sherbert-yellow blossom in early March. April normally has clear sunny days with temperatures in the late 50’s but no point in choosing a villa with a pool as the water needs longer to warm up. Greek Orthodox Easter is 12th April – a colourful event which should be experienced once in your life.
Grazing above Assos
In May one can feel the days getting warmer (mid 60’s). The islands are still lush with Spring wildflowers – great for exploring on goat paths through olive groves and valleys of bracken. If you haven’t seen a Greek island valley lit up by the tiny flashing lights of fireflies on a warm May evening – shame on you!
In June the sea has a warmer, more sensuous welcome. There is a greater excuse to escape the midday sun and enjoy an afternoon siesta. Temperatures are mid 70’s. Walkers can still enjoy island exploration – as a legacy of the Venetian occupation of the Ionian islands, olive groves provide shade for many of the island goat paths.
July and August temperatures climb into the 80’s so stay close to water! You have to work a bit harder to find a deserted beach – hire a boat; pack a simple lunch of fresh bread, olive oil & garlic, feta cheese, salami, chilled retsina and baseball-sized peaches; buy more sun umbrellas than are needed – find a small deserted cove and erect all sun umbrellas to give the impression of a crowd to deter any sea invaders.
In September the sea is at its warmest and temperatures start to fall to more comfortable mid 70’s. You notice more local islanders returning to their favourite waterfront cafénions now that the busier months of tourism are over and village lifestyles become less frenetic. On Paxos a Classical Music Festival in early September is another experience not to be missed.
October has temperatures in the mid 60’s so ideal for walkers and for those looking for an escape from the crowds and a burst of sunshine and beautiful natural surroundings before the onslaught of a dank, dark British winter.
Paxos olive groves
Do you like garlic?Have you tried olive oil infused with garlic? Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a small, empty water bottle and add crushed garlic. Leave for as long as possible and take with you on beach picnics to be poured over hunks of fresh bread.
“Pa amb oli” means “bread with olive oil” in Mallorquin, and it is as commonly eaten in the Balearic Islands as pa amb tomàquet is in Catalonia.
Pa ambo li Ingredients:
6 (3/4-inch thick) slices of bread (dark rye is probably best)
1 clove garlic
3 tomatoes, halved crosswise
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Salt
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and immediately rub 1 side of each slice with a cut side of the garlic. Then rub the same side of each slice with the cut side of a tomato half, pressing a little to squeeze some of the pulp and seeds onto the bread. Drizzle olive oil over the tomato and sprinkle with salt. Serve while the bread is still warm and crisp. Yum.
Fireflies
A friend on Paxos once told me that as a young boy he caught fireflies in a jam jar to use as a lantern when walking back home through the olive groves.
Tinkerbell Fireflies
There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies, or lightning bugs, and they are actually winged beetles. Typically only seen in the summertime because they thrive in warm and tropical environments, a firefly’s glowing mechanism serves several purposes.
However, the blinking patterns of the firefly’s abdomen remain a mystery, as scientists are unsure of whether the patterns are controlled by the insect’s nerve cells or oxygen supply.
Adult fireflies shine different intermittent signals to grab the attention of possible future mates. Flash patterns vary from short burst to a long continuous flashing sequence, and different firefly species have their own unique successions of light, making it easier for compatible mates to find each other.
Both male and female fireflies turn on their green lights when choosing a mate, and use their blinking lights as a means to communicate during courtship.
Fireflies appear to light up for a variety of reasons. The larvae produce short glows and are primarily active at night, even though many species are subterranean or semi-aquatic. Fireflies produce defensive steroids in their bodies that make them unpalatable to predators. Larvae use their glow as warning displays to communicate their distastefulness. As adults, many fireflies have flash patterns unique to their species and use them to identify other members of their species as well as to discriminate between members of the opposite sex. Several studies have shown that female fireflies choose mates depending upon specific male flash pattern characteristics. Higher male flash rates, as well as increased flash intensity, have been shown to be more attractive to females in two different firefly species.
Paxos Big Brother
The Genesis Taverna on Gaios waterfront have set up a live webcam – have a look to check out the weather: Paxoswebcam
Return of the Ionian Seaplane?
The hydrofoil between Corfu and Paxos takes 1 hour. I can remember when the only connection between the islands was by caique and it took up to 5 hours.
Eight years ago a Canadian company set up a seaplane service connecting Corfu, Paxos and Ithaca – the flight time between Corfu and Paxos was just 10 minutes (plus around 20 minutes to get out of the port to reach the “strip”).
It is reported that the Greek Merchant Marine Minister Miltiades Varvitsiotis (try saying that after a few drinks) and Deputy Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michalis Papadopoulos recently signed a decision “paving the way for the country’s first official hydroplane on the Corfu coastline”.
The strip, which is to be operated by the island’s port authority, will be able to serve Greece’s first fleet of hydroplanes and improve connections between the islands and mainland Greece. Watch This Space.
When my father and I started up Greek Islands Club on Paxos in the late 1960’s we arranged holidays from the beginning of April until the end of October.
In more recent years the islands, including Paxos, have experienced a shortening of the summer season. Both tour operators and charter flight airlines are not able to risk a poor uptake on holiday bookings during May and October.
As a general rule the colours and warmth of Spring in the Ionian arrive up to a month earlier than in northern Europe. As I write this I have just been emailed a photo of our Paxos mimosa tree exploding with fuzzy yellow blossom. Friends spent this last Christmas on Paxos and swam in the sea every day.
A small group of Paxiots have put together the beginnings of a programme called Off Season Paxos. Local islanders and specially invited guests will introduce whoever is interested to the island’s many attributes in a personalised way, which is not possible in the hotter and busier summer months.
From 11th March to 26th March 2013 a group of locals are offering to share their beautiful island with a more intrepid visitor. Everyone involved is doing so on a voluntary basis and visitors will only have to pay for board and keep.
There will be guided walks, yoga sessions, cookery lessons, theatre and dance, Greek language lessons, traditional songs from local musicians and impromptu activities involving most of the island’s villages.
Tavernas, normally only open during the May to October season, will offer specially prepared dishes during the two weeks.
