Around and about Pension Paradise - friendly, reasonably priced holiday accommodation in Pelekas, Corfu.

Pelekas has a unique combination of good visitor facilities with the genuine, friendly atmosphere of a real Greek village. There is already a detailed and informative website, with links to pages for many of the restaurants and tavernas, and general information about the area and the island of Corfu. Instead of going over this information, let's take a short tour of the village, starting at Pension Paradise...

Just next door is the 'Pink Panther' restaurant (you can just see the sign at the bottom of the picture on the left) specializing in Greek and Italian dishes, with great views over the sea and Pelekas Beach. Walking further towards the main village, Sophia's Market is an excellent little shop with a wide selection. If you're exhausted from a hard day on the beach, there's no need to go further!

Carrying on up the road, you come to the main village - check out the 'Hawaii Bar', a cosy little bar/cafe, with an amazing view of the sea and coast from its balcony (see bottom picture, also shows international football when there's a big match on). Next door is 'Bar In', and beside that, 'Antoni's Taverna' where you can sit at one of the many tables outside and watch village life go by.

Beside the church to the left is the road that runs up to the top of the hill; on the corner is 'Jimmy's', serving imaginatively prepared, tasty, and very reasonably priced taverna favourites and chef's specialities. Next door is 'Alexandros' Taverna' (since 1960!) - the leafy terrace on the opposite side of the road has a wonderful panoramic view, and as well as the usual fare, you can choose from their excellent pizza menu and wide selection of ice-creams. Carry on up the hairpin bends to get to the viewpoint, and the Levant Hotel with its cafe/restaurant.

For the rest of the village, go straight down instead, past several shops selling groceries and souvenirs. A steep turn brings you out into the main square. To the left is the main village church, and the Pelekas Cafe is straight ahead - again, a cafe by day, with little tables outside, and a cosy bar by night (the view across the island to Corfu Town and the mainland from the wee balcony out back is stunning at night; all the villages of the interior are visible, their lights twinkling through the olive groves). Next door is 'Agnes' Restaurant', serving tasty home-cooked food. Opposite is 'Zanzibar', which has an amazing selection of music and drink - including Guinness, a rarity on Corfu! Next door is the 'Foros Cafe', with reliable and reasonably priced internet access, and Pelekas' only pool tables.

Leaving the square, which is also the bus stop for Corfu Town, you'll find the Supermarket on your right. This has a good selection of toiletries and other necessaries, and sells bus tickets (which you need to buy before boarding the bus, and punch on board) and phone cards for the public telephones near the churches (a 4 Euro card gets you around 10 minutes of international call - much cheaper than a mobile!) Next door is the village souvlaki shop - try a pitta souvlaki, a complete meal for just a couple of Euros, at a little tables in the street. Carrying on down, we come to 'Roula's Taverna', which specialises in grilled meat and fish, then 'Papanagiotou Travel' about 75m on the right, which can organise various excursions. After that, the village thins out, but it is still a nice wander down past the cemetery and new sports ground, to the big corner, where another road turns off for Pelekas Beach and Hotel - go any further down, and you'll quickly appreciate the scale of the hill!

Pelekas has something for everyone, day and night. One great advantage of the hilltop setting is that sound doesn't carry: Paradise always peaceful, but it can be quite a surprise to walk down through the quiet village, turn the corner, and find that the square is lively, and the bars are still playing music! Although it's not a frantic night-spot, you can still drink and listen to great music until the early hours, or plan your visit to coincide with one of the festivals. There's always somewhere for a quiet soft drink or coffee, the restaurants are excellent, with something to suit any budget, and there are plenty of supplies if you prefer to take advantage of our self-catering facilities and relax on your balcony or terrace. During the day, you have easy access to some of the very best beaches on the island, each with its own different charm. Corfu Town is just a short trip away, offering the whole variety of excursions, attractions and activities, and everything from food to luxury goods. Whether you're staying for weeks, or just stopping off in Corfu while travelling, Pelekas makes a great base. We hope you'll keep coming back again and again.