Paxos has been ruled by various conquerors, including the Romans in the 2nd century BC, pirates during the Byzantine era and Middle Ages, and by Crusaders.

Coastal communities of Gaios, Lakka and Longos on the east coast are the three main settlements, while the interior features numerous scattered hamlets.

The west coast is dominated by steep white, chalky cliffs that are greatly eroded at sea level, and harbour many "blue caves".

[5] The production of olive oil, soap manufacture and fishing were supplanted by tourism as the main industry in the mid-1960s, resulting in a construction boom, which has greatly altered the coastline around Gaios, the capital of the Paxiot demos (community).

Only a few articles have been published on the herpetofauna of Paxos and Antipaxos; the latest in 2014[6] and 2017,[7] where the following reptile species were confirmed: Hemidactylus turcicus, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Algyroides nigropunctatus, Hierophis gemonensis, and Zamenis longissimus.

Members of the Agnelli family (of FIAT fame) have built a palatial holiday home—complete with faux medieval tower—on a small island of (Kaltonisi) situated near the southernmost tip ('the heel') of Paxos, close to the beach of Mongonissi.

The annual Paxos Festival was founded by John Gough, and is now organised by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and attracts some of Europe's finest young performers.

[9] The island is serviced by combined passenger and vehicle ferries which operate year-round from the port of Igoumenitsa on the mainland of Greece (1.5 hours).