Agios Georgios

SOME LOCAL WALKS

Circular walk using both surfaced roads and unsurfaced tracks via the village of Pagi and returning via a spectacular little used pass with superb views of the cliffs and sea. The first part of this walk involves a large amount of steady uphill walking but the 2nd half is mostly downhill or level. This walk includes an optional detour up one of the most stunning kalderimis in Corfu. Take the opportunity !

Time needed: 3 hours to 5 hours depending on stops.

A few photographs taken on this walk

(Suggestion for the less fit walkers: Catch the local bus at 10.15 a.m. in Agios Georgios and book as far as Pagi village to cut out some of the uphill walking !!)

OUTWARD: Leave Agios Georgios from the Alkyon Beach Hotel walking inland along the main road to Pagi.
The road to Pagi is all uphill and fully surfaced. It is a pleasant walk quite sheltered from the hot sun by the olive trees, but beware of traffic.

You will pass several houses and apartments until eventually the road swings right to reveal a huge chasm on your left (used as a rubbish tip) (Position 1 on map.)

Passing this and an olive press you then enter the hill village of Pagi.

At the first junction you can either go straight on then right, or turn right and then left. Both bring you to the centre where you will find some welcoming refreshments at the cafes (Position 2 on map).
Suggestion : Pick up a snack and drink to take with you at either Spiros Bar or Romeos Cafe.

Leave Pagi village centre by walking towards Corfu town for 50 metres then turn RIGHT alongside the bell-tower and churchyard. Where this road goes to the right at the rear of the churchyard TURN OFF this road by keeping straight ahead onto a narrow uphill road and almost immediately RIGHT so leaving the village. This concrete track to Prinilas soon becomes very rough and quite steep in places.

However it is a lovely route through open olive groves with great views of the towering limestone cliffs, especially in the mornings with the sun creating sun-traps to the delight of numerous butterflies and bees. Take care on the rough steep surface and TAKE YOUR TIME !

Stay on the track until you meet a tarmac road alongside Prinilas cemetary where you turn LEFT (what a lovely place to be buried !!).

Walk through Prinilas village (Position 3 on map) staying straight ahead in the village centre . Follow the road uphill for about 1 km. On a sharp left 'hairpin' corner (Position 4 on map) look for a junction on your right. (The main road, sign-posted 'Paleokastritsa' goes left). You must TAKE THE ROAD on the RIGHT which is downhill and soon becomes very rough where subsidence and subsequent amateurish repairs have taken place.

You will soon have a glorious view over Agios Georgios bay (if you can ignore the piles of rubbish tipped at the side of the road).

You now begin a quite enchanting winding downhill walk through ancient olive groves sheltering beneath towering white limestone cliffs. The roadside verges are full of wild flowers which are visited by numerous butterflies in this south facing suntrap. The calls of numerous birds echo back from the bare rocks, and small lizards rustle in the roadside grasses.

The road is steep in places but we are going in the right direction on a hot summer day (downhill), as the heat gets trapped against the cliffs. Ahead of us, framed by the lush vegetation, we can see the beckoning turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea.

At an open part of the track we can see the distant zig-zag ascent of the kalderimi to Makrades which we get the chance of venturing up later in this walk, but is also on the route of Walk 3 to Makrades.

Now proceed down the steep track. After descending the rough concrete road for a few hundred metres look out for a junction, see photo below, (6 on map), where you TURN RIGHT as you enter the olive groves.

For a while the twisty wide track now descends gradually until it reaches the hidden Fisherman's Cabin (7 on map) down on your left. Be careful to stay parallel to the sea and not to take any of the side tracks. (These do not go through so you would have to return, but whatever happens you should not get lost, only a bit more tired.)

The track passes the Akrogiali fish restaurant ('Bennies') (8 on map) as the long beach of Agios Georgios comes into view, and continues the rest of the way along the edge of the sea.

To Print off a simpler version of the walk on a white background with the map but with less photographs
Click Here