Lying to the west of mainland Greece, in the Ionian Sea, the island has no airport, so has avoided the kind of mass tourism that has blighted neighbouring Corfu. No nightlife, no high-rise developments and no resorts: perfect for a back-to-basics family holiday.
The old-fashioned charm of Paxos was immediately apparent when we found our rental car had been left at the harbour with keys in the ignition, ready for us to drive away. 'They're not big on paperwork here," as our rep, Sam, explained. Our villa, a recently and tastefully modernised farmhouse, was in the centre of the island, near Magazia, a 20-minute drive away. Standing among olive groves, it had ocean views from its pool-side terrace, and a walk-cum-scramble down an overgrown track took us to the edge of the epic Erimitis cliffs.
It's very relaxing, being on holiday somewhere there isn't much to do. Our beach of choice was Mongonissi, a small, sandy strip that offered shade and a couple of good tavernas. Among the many facts about Paxos that Harry had forgotten is that the island's beaches aren't sandy (Mongonissi is man-made). They're mainly composed of flat, white stones, which look stunning, and give the ocean that azure clarity you normally only see in brochures, but can be hard going for small feet.
The fantasy Greek island beach – of virgin white sand stretching down to aquamarine water – did lie within reach, however; on the tiny island of Anti Paxos, a short boat trip away. Screwing up our courage, we rented a motor-boat in Loggos. We moored at a jetty at the first beach we came to, Vrika. Here was the dream – the white sand beach, the turquoise water so clear you could practically snorkel without a mask, and the Taverna Vrika, where we feasted on barbecued rockfish.
