Greece is situated in Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean, Ionian
and Mediterranean Sea, located between Albania and Turkey.
The Ionian Sea, which means "Our Sea", is an arm of the Mediterranean
Sea, bounded by southern Italy, southwestern Albania and a large number
of Greek islands. These islands are collectively referred to as the
Ionian group of islands.
It was the Ionian island of Kefalonia, the close neighbour of
Zakynthos, where the book and later Hollywood adaptation of Captain
Corelli's Mandolin was set and filmed. Many tourists take a day trip to
Kefalonia during their holiday in Zante.
You can take an arranged trip
which includes the bus, boat and guided tour of Kefalonia.
Alternatively, for a little more independence, you can drive yourself
over. Daily ferries between the two islands leave from the northern St
Nicholas port in Zante.
Before you fly out for your holiday in Zakynthos, here's
a few facts about Zante, the Ionian Islands, and Greece in general.
We think Zakynthos is the ideal size for a summer holiday destination –
there is plenty to see and do while you are here, with a huge variation
of landscapes and beaches to enjoy. At the same time, you can drive from
one end of the island to the other in under two hours – providing an
easy geography for tourists to navigate around.
The Greek Ionian Islands, of which Corfu is the most Northern and
Zakythos the most southern, are situated off the west coast of mainland
Greece, with the exception of Kythira which lies off the southern coast
of the Peloponnese, where the Ionian Sea meets the Aegean Sea.
Zakynthos, along with Corfu and the rapidly developing island of
Kefalonia, are the main package holiday destinations in the Ionion Greek
Islands.
Those seeking a more tranquil Greek Island holiday, untouched
by mass tourism, often choose the island of Ithaca for their holidays.
Ithaca was the legendary kingdom of Odysseus.
However, despite the
tourist resorts on Zante, the relatively large size of the island means
that you can easily escape the touristic places and find areas
completely untouched by tourism.
The summer sunshine and ideal wind conditions make the Ionian Sea a
great sailing destination. You will notice lots of sailing boats docked
in Zakynthos during the summer, filled with Greeks and foreigners
enjoying a sailing holiday around the coast of Greece.
The Ionion Islands - with an Italian flavour!
Many of the Ionion Islands, including Zakynthos, located along the
West coast of Greece and the East of Italy, have a distinctly Italian
feel about them! The town of Zante, in particular, has a very Venetian
feel about the architecture, largely due to the long time spent under
Venetian rule.
The Ionian islands are often called the "Green Islands" because of
their lush vegetation. Zakynthos is filled with pine forests, olive
groves, and grape vines. This is in stark contrast to the Greek islands
of the Aegean Sea which tend to have sharp and rocky landscapes.
Zante – the eleventh largest island in Greece
Together with the island of Strofades, (about 37 nautical
miles to the south of Zante), Zakynthos encompasses an area of 406 square
kilometres. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands, and the
eleventh largest island in Greece.
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