As this is my first post, I thought I would write about something fun and exciting that is fresh in my mind. Two days ago I arrived home from a lovely 11 day break on the beautiful Greek Island of Corfu.
It was my third visit to Paleokastritsa and it certainly did not disappoint, yet again. This area of Corfu has been long known to be one of the most beautiful places on the island, and I completely agree! During my past two visits however, I did not fully appreciate the beauty that the village holds so it was a pleasant realisation for me this time round.
Paleokastritsa is about forty minutes away from the airport which is located in Corfu Town where the main shopping amenities, small bars and restaurants can also be found. Away from the hustle and bustle of town, little old Paleo holds several hidden gems of restaurants, beaches and beautiful sights to visit.
As already mentioned, I have been to Paleo twice before so I went there this time with the intention to lay in the sun for the majority of the time, only to go to the bar every now and again for another cocktail. I visited a few beautiful beaches including Agia Triada beach, Paradise beach and La Grotta, just to name a few.
My friend and I were invited to a night time BBQ on Paradise beach which is a beautiful little cove which can only be reached by boat. We journeyed across the sea at about 10.30pm in the darkness, in a little boat full of Greek people happily chatting away whilst us little blonde English girls sat in the corner. We arrived at a little beach where only the flames of the BBQ and the odd little flickering lantern illuminated the happy faces of our company for the evening. We ate pork chops and sausages with our hands in the dark; it was phenomenal food. Our new Greek friends (who were all double our age or more) were extremely welcoming and couldn't be more accommodating, seeing as though we pretty much crashed their annual work party! After dinner we all chilled out and watched the stars for hours. We saw two or three shooting stars and we attempted to find some of the constellations and failed miserably! After a happy and relaxed evening, we all piled back into the boats and sang Adele songs at the top of our voices underneath the orange moon.
La Grotta
La Grotta is a beautiful little area in the rocky edge of the cliff that surrounds crystal clear waters. There is a bar there serving cocktails and snacks all day and night that pumps out music for the visitors. There are ledges in the rocks and sun beds dotted around for those wanting a break from diving off the rocks or simply to bask in the glorious Greek sun. If people-watching is your thing, then be sure to visit this place! There are ropes trailing up the rocks to aid those daredevils who want to make a big splash, and a diving board for somersault show-offs. One day that I was there, a group of olive skinned, beautiful Italian men gave us a little show on the diving board; lets just say I was thankful to the gods that day! The friendly, family-run Michalas Boat Rentals company wait at the bottom for anyone wanting to travel to any of the other beaches or caves (trust me, walking back up La Grotta steps are a killer. Use the boat!).
Pergola bar
There are many bars in the area offering local dishes and drinks, however there is one bar which I would love to tell you about. It is called Pergola and is a little family-run bar that sells an array of tasty drinks and snacks. All the furniture is beautifully hand-made by the owners and the decoration is lovely, however the best bit (for me) about this bar is the family who dedicate their days and nights to the place. They are half English/Greek and so when feeling a little homesick or if you've gone in for your morning coffee and cake (1.50€!!) alone, you know you won't actually be alone and a welcoming smile and friendly chat awaits you. In the evenings, the chilled out daytime vibe meets swanky yet up-beat vibes. The bar stays open until you you want it to: awesome. Visiting Pergola each day, whether it was just for an espresso and freshly baked cake or a full blown night of cocktails or very reasonably priced wine, this place and the people made me happy.
| Ok, so now I have told you some of my favourite places in Paleo, I will leave you to figure out the rest yourselves. I would recommend Paleo mostly to couples and any others who simply want to chill out and enjoy the sights, the sun, the sea and the food. |
I will finish here with a happy photo from our trip to Paradise beach. Please let me know what you think of my first post: any comments will be appreciated! Tell me what you think.
Tara (left) Me (right)
A presto!
Olivia x
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