Use the links below on
this page for a summary
of the various regions of Zakynthos, and become familiar with the layout of Zante island before your holiday in Zakynthos begins.
There are five main districts within the Municipality of Zakynthos.
Each has their own unique character, but they all share the natural
beauty and cultural identity of the island of Zante.
It is helpful to understand the different regions of Zakynthos before
you arrive on holiday, so you have your bearings for where you are
located on the island and what you can do and see.
The capital of Zakynthos, which has the same name as the island, is
known as Zante Town. Zante Town is located on the eastern coast of the
island, with a large port, from where ferries depart throughout the day
for Kilini, on the mainland of Greece. Zante Town has a settled population of about 15,000 who live here
throughout the winter as well as the summer months. There are a few
hotels located centrally within Zakynthos Town. Strada Marina Hotel and
The Plaza are two of the biggest, both offering gorgeous Greek Island
sea views in the heart of Zante Town.
Some tourists do choose to stay in Zante Town for their holiday in
Zakynthos. The town does not offer a main swimming beach, but it enjoys
a very central location on the island so you can head out in various
directions every day to enjoy the very best beaches and sites the island
has to offer. Plus, staying in town you enjoy a very authentic Greek
experience. The tavernas, cafes, bars and shops are all geared towards
locals as well as tourists so you experience a much more traditional
stay than if you were located in a Zante resort.
The architecture in Zakynthos Town has been influenced by the Venetians,
the French and the English who have all colonized Zakynthos at some
stage in the history of Zante. Zakynthos Town is really charming to
stroll around in the evening, and the Strada Marina Promenade, on the
waterfront, has a delightful ambience.
Heading south from Zakynthos Town, the region from Argassi to Gerekas
is considered the South of the island.
This region is dominated by lush, green vegetation with sprawling
pine forests and fertile olive groves. Driving along the southern
coastal road you will be dazzled by wonderful seascape views and
beautiful sandy beaches.
After passing through the tourist resort of Argassi, at the entrance
to the South, the region becomes far more rustic and natural. There are
no more resorts in this region, just a few small settlements which are
suitable for really laid back holidaymakers looking for a really
authentic and traditional Greek Island holiday.
The main beaches and sites of interest along this South coast are:
Argassi tourist resort offers a fun selection of water sports on
the beach here. However, the beach in Argassi is not one of the most
naturally beautiful in Zante, but is good for families wanting to stay
close to their resort hotels.
Mount Skopos is one of the oldest monasteries on the island of
Zante and has recently been fully renovated to its original design and
splendour. The road to Mount Skopos is just a few kilometres along the
coastal road from Argassi, as you head towards Vasilikos. The drive up
to the Monastery is very steep and best taken on by a four wheel drive
car and a confident driver. Once you get to the top the views are
spectacular and the old site is a charming place to wander around. This
is one of the best places in Zante to take in the history of the island.
Porto Zorro Beach is situated just before Vasilikos village; you
will see the entrance clearly marked by a sign leading you up a rod to
Azurro Beach Club. Porto Zorro is a lovely, golden sand beach, with
picturesque jagged rocks at the far end, great for exploring and
snorkelling. The Azurro beach Club at Porto Zorro provides one of the
classiest places to laze you time away in Zante. In this tranquil
setting youll enjoy luxury beach beds and palm umbrellas, with great
service and food from the bar. At the far end of the beach you can even
treat yourself to a body pack with natural mineral rich mud, renowned
for being great for the skin.
Banana Beach in Vasilikos is one of the longest stretches of sandy
beach in Zakynthos great for a casual stroll or a brisk beach walk.
Popular with locals and tourists alike, the sea water here is shallow,
crystal clear and really warm. Relax bars line the beach, providing
shade from the sun, hammocks, swings, and delicious refreshments and
meals.
Vasilikos Village is set back from the sea, on the main road to the
South. This is a really cute place to stop and wander on your way into
Vasilikos. The Village Store has lots of great bits and bobs, souvenirs,
clothes, and other goodies to buy. Next door, the village coffee shop
serves a selection of tasty treats throughout the day. They do the best
home-made apple pie on the island and really delicious bacon and egg
baguettes at fantastic prices.
The idyllic beach of Agios Nikolaos, more commonly known as St
Nicholas or St Niks, is one of the most popular beaches on the island,
with tourists and Greeks alike. The traditional Orthodox Church of St
Nicholas stands on a rocky peninsular, overlooking the bay, adding a
charming Greek touch to your day. There is also a superb range of water
sports here at St Niks, as well as a licensed Scuba Diving school, and
one of the best beach clubs on the island of Zante. Ammos Beach Club is
really popular with the Greeks for its fabulous chic decor, great
selection of food and drinks, and really great DJs playing here
throughout the summer.
Gerekas is located on the most southern tip of the island of Zante.
The beach here is one of our favourites on the island. It is a long and
sandy bay, with spectacular jagged cliffs framing the horizon.
Gerakas is one of the most important beaches within the National
Marine Park, where the Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs. While you are
at Gerakas beach be sure to visit the Eco Centre, about 100 meters up
from the beach on the right hand side of the road. The Eco Centre is one
of the only natural Wildlife information Centres in Zakynthos.
Volunteers at the Eco Centre will help you to become informed about the
natural wildlife on the island.
Dafni beach is one of the most natural and untouched sandy beaches
of the island. Dafni lies on the South Western coast of Zante, around
the cliffs from Gerekas. The road to Dafni beach is clearly signposted
before you enter the main village of Vasilkos. The beach here is
protected for the turtles and there is very little development here, no
hotels or water sports facilities, and just a few small family run
tavernas and beach bars set back from the beach. Dafni is popular with
Greeks and tourists who want to get away from all the tourist
development for a really natural day at the beach.
The south west of Zante, from the tourist resort of Kalamaki round to
the cape of Marathia, is filled with a mixture of busy tourist resorts,
quieter villages and untouched stretches of coastline.
Geographically,
the coastline moves from the long sandy beach at Kalamaki and Laganas,
to more pebbly beaches the further along the coast you go. Keri and
Marathia are pretty pebble beaches.
Zante resorts and places to visit in the South West are:
Kalamaki resort is one of the larger resorts on the island of
Zante, with a few of the biggest hotels located here. Kalamaki is a fine
sandy beach with rocky cliff at the far end of the beach consisting of
gypsum which sparkles and glistens in the sun. Bear in mind that
Kalamaki does become crowded during the peak tourist season.
Laganas beach is approximately 9 km in length - one of the longest
beaches in Greece. In years gone by it was considered the most beautiful
beach on Zante, but has been somewhat downgraded by the huge amount of
tourist development along the beach front. Laganas is a great spot for
youngsters who want a lively day at the beach, but not such a good
choice for those who are looking for a perfectly tranquil spot to laze.
Laganas is definitely the most commercial beach on the island.
Agios Sostis Port and the small island of Cameo lie just around the
corner from Laganas beach. The port is a charming place to wander around
as it retains a really authentic Greek Island feel with small fishing
boats bobbing around in the harbour.
Cameo Island is connected to Agios Sostis with a rickety wooden
bridge. This charming spot has unsurprisingly become on of the top
wedding abroad spots in Greece, with couples renting out the entire
island for their big day. Visitors can visit the island for a small fee
and will definitely enjoy the beach bar and small pebble beach, both
lying under billowing white muslin curtains that frame the beach.
Agios Sostis is one of the smaller resorts on the island of Zante.
It has a small, narrow beach, perfect for families looking for a calm
and relaxing holiday in the sun. There are a number of tavernas and
restaurants here just enough for variety, without feeling too built
up.
Next along the shore is the small village of Porto Koukla. The
beach here is very narrow with rocky patches. Situated directly in the
middle of the gulf of Laganas, the beach at Porto Koukla provides a
wonderful panoramic view over to the island of Marathonisi lying
opposite. The best place to enjoy Porto Koukla beach is from the Tropics
bar at the Gloria Maris Hotel, situated right on the sea.
Marathonisi Island is a small island in the Gulf of Laganas. It is
known as Turtle Island because its shape is remarkable similar to that
of a sea turtle. The island has no habitants or buildings and is one of
our favourite spots to enjoy a day at the beach. You can take a boat
trip over to Marathonisi from most of the beaches on the South West
coast. This is one of our highly recommended things to do in Zante.
The village of Keri, the furthest developed village on the South
West coast, is a charming spot for lunch. The beach is pebbly and quite
narrow, but really very pretty. The small harbour port at Keri provides
a quaint setting, with little benches dotted around for relaxation.
Marathia Cape is a lovely region, the furthest point of the South
West Coast, just over the hill from Keri. The region has amazing crystal
water and a large pebble beach - rarely crowded even in the peak of
August. This is a great place for total relaxation, if you feel you need
to get away from it all. There are no beach bars or commercial
development on these beaches, although the region has a few marvellous
tavernas set up the hill from the beach.
The Eastern coast of the island, starting with the long sandy beach
of Tsilivi, is characterized by golden sand beaches and beautiful
swimming waters. There a few tourist resorts along the east coast, they
are largely family orientated resorts with a very relaxed ambience.
The main beaches and resorts along the east coast are:
Tsilivi beach is awarded Blue Flag status year after year for its
cleanliness and safety. A favourite with families looking for fun in the
sun, this is a charming resort with something for everyone.
Between the larger resorts of Tsilivi and Alykanas, there are a
number of small beach areas where you can stay or spend the day. These
coastal areas all maintain a real rustic Greek Island charm and do not
have the mass tourism feel that you will experience in the larger
resorts.
The beaches at Alykanas and Alykes, the resorts at the end of the
east coast of the island, are really very pretty with fantastic safe
swimming. The resorts here offer you all the amenities and facilities
you will need during your holiday, but with far less hustle and bustle
than the resorts of Laganas, Kalamaki, or even Tsilivi. Either of these
beaches are nice to stop off at on your way to the far north. There are
a number of beach bars and tavernas on the waterfront here where you can
enjoy a drink or a light meal.
We really recommend exploring the far north of Zante during your
Greek Island holiday. This is one of the most naturally beautiful and
striking regions of Zakynthos with dramatic seascape views, amazing
sea caves, stunning blue waters and therapeutic sulphur beaches to bathe
in.
If you are going to rent a car for just a day during your holiday in
Zante, we would strongly recommend heading north.
Here are some of the
sites you can expect to see and enjoy along the way:
The Sulphur Sea Spa at Xigia beach is well worth a visit during
your holiday in Zakynthos. Sulphur spring waters flow down from the
mountains into the sea caves at Xigia, making the water highly
therapeutic and extremely relaxing.
The beach Mikro Gialos is just a few minutes up the road from Xigia.
The green waters, reflecting the vegetation, contrast beautifully with
the white pebbles here. This is another gorgeous place to stop as part
of your day in the far north.
Just a little further along the northern coastal road is the
charming village of Micro Nisi, a small fishing village, bathed in
geraniums and urns, complete with traditional Greek charm. The Fish
Restaurant at Micro Nisi provides a welcome retreat in the heat of the
day, serving the best selection of fish in Zakynthos wholesome
Zakynthian nutrition at its best.
The northern port of St Nicholas is the point from which the daily
ferry departs for the neighbouring island of Kefalonia. This is the
second largest port on the island and is a charming spot to stop and
wander around.
The famous Blue Caves are found in the far north of Zante Island.
They are among the most popular sites to see on the island due to their
dramatic beauty and sapphire seas. There are a number of boat trips
leaving for the blue caves, running throughout the day, from the
northern region of Zante. You will see plenty of signs pointing to trips
along the northern coastal road. We recommend taking the Potamitis
Brothers trip from Skinari. As they are located right in the middle of
the blue caves you get to spend more time on the boat exploring the
caves and less time getting to them! Also they are able to offer really
affordable prices and can be very flexible with departure times.
The quiet village of Skinari sits on the cliffs at the very
northern tip of Zakynthos. There is a lot to see and do in this lovely
area with two old flour windmills to admire, a charming lighthouse on
the cliff, amazing views over the Blue Caves below, boat trips to
Shipwreck Bay and the Blue Caves leaving throughout the day, as well as
a taverna and snack bar open for meals and refreshments. You can swim
from the terraces below the windmills and even spend an afternoon
relaxing on the sun loungers here without a care in the world.
The Western region of Zante runs from the Northern tip of Skinari to
the Southern Cape of Marathia. It is about 40 kilometres in distance,
with steep, spectacular cliffs framing the coastline.
Many of the most
naturally beautiful beaches, caves and coves in Zakynthos are on the
West coast of Zakynthos Island, including the famous Shipwreck at Navagio Bay. The spectacular Keri Caves are also in the western region
of Zante and can also only be reached by boat.
We love spending a day in the western region of Zante and have put
together a few of our favourite things to do:
The spectacular beach at Navagio Bay, known as Shipwreck, is one of
the most famous beaches in the Mediterranean, and definitely one of the
most photographed. The beach is naturally spectacular, with huge cliffs
surrounding the white sand bay, and turquoise waters rolling in. The
shipwrecked boat lying in the middle of the beach adds to the sense of
mystery and gravity at this magical beach. You can take a boat trip to
the beach from Skinari, on the northern coat of the island, or from a
Porto Vromi on the western coast. We recommend leaving from Skinari,
from where you can take a combo trip to the Blue Caves at the same time.
Anafonitria Lookout Tower offers the chance to take the famous
picture of Shipwreck from above. The Lookout Tower is just outside
Anafonitria village on the west coast of Zante. If you are afraid of
heights this might not be for you, but for those who dare this is one of
the most spectacular sites in Greece and well worth the trip!
The village of Anafonitria is one of our favourite traditional
Greek Island spots. With charming old houses, stone walls and local
stalls selling tapestries and souvenirs, this is a lovely place to have
a wander around while you are exploring the west coast.
Porto Vromi is one of the few beaches found on the west coast. It
is a very pretty spot with a small beach and snack bar facilities.
Private boat trips, pedaloes and canoes are all on hire here. As your
boat leaves the bay at Porto Vromi, youll spot the stunning profile of
the Sea God Poseidon carved into the cliff.
The neighbouring beaches of Limnionas and Porto Roxa are situated
quite centrally on the western coast. Both of them provide magnificent
fiord-like basins for swimming. We love having a dip at Limnionas the
water is always cool and crystal clear. This is a great place to snorkel
in the deeper seas.
The village of Louha lies inland in the west of Zante. This is one
of the most traditional villages on the island, with almost no signs of
tourism touching the area. There is a small cafe here, sitting
underneath the grape vines, where you lookout over the picturesque
valley at Louha. This is a family run establishment with just one main
meal on the menu every day.
We always have the Riganada here a Greek dish of tomatoes, capers,
and village cheese, on top of village bread, with plenty of olive oil
drizzled over the top. Simply delicious! All of the ingredients used
here are locallu sourced and produced from the cheese, to the bread,
to the sea salt straight from the rocks. Louha offers a real taste of
Greece that has us returning time after time!
.jpg)
