At Paleokastritsa, towering mountains give way reluctantly to the sea, their tree-clad slopes mottled with great cliffs. Here, the landscape has overwhelmed the human element, instead of the other way round, although in high summer the resort itself is very busy. Roads end at Paleokastritsa, giving a real sense of arrival. Long before the British holidaymaker first picnicked at `Paleo', the western headland was home to a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary
The original foundation was 13th-century, but the present complex is mainly 18th-century. A small church lies at the bone-white heart of the monastery, its walls laden with icons in chunky rococo frames; a fine painting of the Last Judgement hangs above the south doorway. Lemon trees and bougainvillaea soften the hard brilliance outside, and from the garden terrace there is a breathtaking view across the Bay of Liapades to Cape Agios Iliodoros and on to distant Cape Plaka.
Within the monastery complex is a preserved oil mill, a small icon museum, and a collection of shells and bones.
The less spiritual delights of Paleokastritsa include the rather cramped, sun-trap beaches of Agios Spyridon, which lie to either side of the main car park. The harbour and beaches at Alipo Bay lie beyond the easterly headland of St Nicholas. There are sun-loungers and watersports equipment, and boats can be hired from the harbour. Organised boat trips visit nearby cliff grottoes and caves, and the crystal-clear seas round `Paleo' are especially good for scuba diving.
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