Zakynthos Greece (also known as Zante Island) is a small, stunning island that bobs in the Ionian Sea of western Greece. With outstanding accommodation options, wonderful restaurants, welcoming locals, and some of the best beaches in Greece, it’s no surprise why this island is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the country.
After travelling around Greece for nearly 3 months in total, we still consider Zakynthos one of our favourite islands to visit. even though the south of the island is dominated by mostly mundane resort beach towns offering the typical inclusive holiday packages, the north and center of Zakynthos is still an exciting place to explore.
The craggy, cliff-strewn coastlines that surround Zakynthos bless it with some breathtaking white sand beaches tucked in secluded coves and sheltered by dramatic skyscraper cliffs. If you’re looking for a beach holiday, this is one of your best options in Greece, but don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all Zante has to offer.
In this guide to Zakynthos Greece, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about travelling to this fascinating Greek island.
Sommario
About Zakynthos Greece
Dov’è Zakynthos?
How big is Zakynthos?
The best Time to go to Zakynthos Greece
Getting There & Away
Dove stare
Cose da fare
Best Beaches
Best Restaurants
The Nightlife in Zakynthos Greece
Our Experience travelling in Zakynthos Greece
In chiusura
About Zakynthos Greece
Zakynthos Greece is also known as “Zante” and “the flower of the Levant”. located in the Ionian sea about 250 kilometres west of the capital of Athens, it is perhaps most famous for Navagio Beach, a breathtaking cove surrounded by dramatic 200-meter high cliffs.
Today there are around 40,000 people living on the island, but during the high tourist season, as many as 2.9 million tourists descend on Zante and the other Ionian islands.
The capital is Zante town, a charming seaside city with many restaurants, bars and historical sites. When we visited, Zante was a quiet place to be, but I’m sure that in the high season this port city would be bustling.
See Also: The ultimate guide To Greek Travel
Dov’è Zakynthos?
Zakynthos is located in the southernmost part of the main Ionian island chain around 20 kilometres west of the Greek mainland and 249 kilometres from Athens. The island of Kefalonia is 50 kilometres north of Zakynthos. There are also a few small islets around Zakynthos including Marathonisi and Kalonisi to the south.
How big is Zakynthos?
The island of Zakynthos Greece is around 40 kilometres (25 miles) long and 20 kilometres (12 miles) in width. The total area of the island is just over 400 kilometres² and its highest point is atop Vrachionas mountain at a total elevation of 758 meters.
Zakynthos boasts about 123 kilometres (76 miles) of stunning coastline, but not all of it is stunning white sand like that found on Shipwreck beach (Navaggio). much of the coast is craggy cliffs and dramatic rock formations.
The total population of Zakynthos is 40,759, but as I mentioned earlier, this number is much higher during the peak tourism season when tourists outnumber the locals 10 to 1.
The best Time to go to Zakynthos Greece
You can pretty much check out Zante at any time of the year, but our favourite time to check out is in the spring (March to May) or fall (September to November) when it’s not too hot and there are fewer tourists. The prices of accommodation are also much lower at this time with savings of up to 50% in our experience.
If you don’t mind being around crowds, then the summer (June to August) is also a terrific time to visit. If you get too hot, you can always head to one of the many beaches to amazing down.
We last visited Zakynthos in the spring and it was beautiful. The days were hot, but the evenings tended to amazing down enough that we were comfortable while sleeping and the sea was still warm enough for a (chilly) swim.
Easter, Christmas and July & August are the absolute peak visitor times for Zakynthos and during those times the prices can skyrocket.
Winter (November to March) is an okay time to check out as well, but don’t expect to go swimming as the sea temperature can dip to 12°C (54°F) in January and February. You may also find that many restaurants and hotels are closed at this time.
Getting There & Away
Zakynthos Greece is a relatively easy island to get to thanks to its close proximity to mainland Greece. You have a few options for geTing a Zante e lasciando l’isola quando la tua vacanza è finita.
Per mare
Il traghetto dalla Grecia continentale (Kyllini, Peloponnese) ha programmato partenze sette volte al giorno a partire dalle 5:30 del mattino e l’ultima vela è alle 22:30. Il viaggio richiede circa 1 ora e 15 minuti e il prezzo varia in base alla stagione, ma di solito ti costerà circa € 47 – € 56 a persona a tratta.
Per via aerea
Per arrivare rapidamente a Zakynthos, probabilmente vorrai volare, da Atene con compagnie aeree olimpiche o Aegea, o a volte puoi trovare voli diretti dalle principali città europee come Londra, Amsterdam, Praga, Edimburgo e Roma. Questi voli internazionali diretti di solito collegano Zante al resto d’Europa durante i mesi estivi.
Controlla Ryan Air, Volotea, British Airways, Jet2, Ellinair e altre compagnie aeree di bilancio per voli diretti per Zante da giugno a settembre.
In macchina
Molte persone scelgono di noleggiare un’automobile ad Atene e guidare verso le Isole Ionie. Se vuoi farlo, dovrai pagare la tassa automobilistica sul traghetto per portarla a Zakynthos.
Quando eravamo sull’isola di Zakynthos, abbiamo noleggiato un’automobile ed è un modo fantastico per spostarsi, quindi se vuoi affittarlo ad Atene e guidare fino a Kyllini per catturare il traghetto, o volare a Zakynthos e affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, affittarlo lì, lì, noleggiarlo lì, Vale la pena avere un’auto.
Dove stare
Ci sono molte aree diverse per stare sull’isola di Zakynthos con le destinazioni da spiaggia più popolari raggruppate insieme sulle coste del sud e orientale dell’isola. Ecco i posti migliori in cui soggiornare a Zakynthos.
Zakynthos a colpo d’occhio:
Il sud: cittadini di resort come Laganas e la popolare isola di Turtle lo rendono la parte più visitata dell’isola. Mentre altri posti hanno spiagge migliori, è qui che troverai il maggior numero di ristoranti, hotel, bar e vita notturna.
The North: per lo più montagne deserte, uliveti, pinete e drammatiche scogliere lungo la costa, non troverai tanto accadere a nord a parte lo spettacolo più famoso dell’isola, la spiaggia di Navagio. Mentre ci sono alcuni resort di lusso e ville quassù, la maggior parte non rimane a lungo nel nord.
Oriente: a parte il piccolo ma vivace porto di Zante Town, l’Oriente è una serie di città da spiaggia sviluppate che si estendono su entrambi i lati della capitale.
L’Occidente: vuoto e montuoso, la maggior parte delle persone viene a ovest solo in un viaggio intorno all’isola con una sosta nel famoso punto tramonto delle scogliere di Keri.
Zante Town
La capitale di Zakynthos è una fantastica cittadina proprio sul mare. Questa è la città più grande dell’isola, ma a nostro avviso, non è il posto migliore in cui soggiornare. Ci sono molti hotel turistici e ristoranti qui, ma non è sulla spiaggia più bella ed è più una vivace città portuale di un’attrazione turistica.
Per saperne di più: una guida di viaggio completa a Zante Town
Laganas
La maggior parte delle persone che controllano Zante rimarrà a Laganas. Questo è il principale centro turistico famoso per le feste e popolare tra i giovani turisti e gli studenti europei in vacanza a brevi. Ci sono molte fantastiche opzioni di alloggio qui tra cui appartamenti a basso costo, bei resort e incredibili hotel boutique.
Per saperne di più: una guida di viaggio completa a Laganas Beach
Agios sostis
Solo 2 chilometri a ovest di Busy Laganas si trova l’Agios Sostis più rilassata. Questa è una distanza percorribile da Laganas, quindi in genere si impegna con le escursioni di un giorno, in particolare quelli che vengono per la pittoresca isola cameo che è legata alla terraferma da un piccolo ponte (probabilmente hai visto le foto), così come Isola di Turtle vicina.
Tsilivi e planos
Tsilivi e Planos sono un’altra delle destinazioni sulla spiaggia più popolari di Zante. La spiaggia di Tsilivi di Tsilivi è una spiaggia di Tsilivi di Tsilivi, lunga, calmo, poco profondo, poco profondo.
Per saperne di più: una guida di viaggio completa a Tsilivi e Planos
Psarou e ammoudi
Inserito tra le città più popolari di Tsilivi a sud e Alykes a nord, Psarou è dove siamo stati quando abbiamo visitato l’ultima isola di Zante. Devo dire che non è sicuramente uno dei principali punti caldi turistici di Zakynthos, in Grecia. Tuttavia, ci è piaciuto lì! Abbiamo alloggiato in un delizioso appartamento moderno e abbiamo pagato solo $ 22 / notte (grazie agli sconti sulla stagione delle spalle).
Se stai andando a Psarou, ti consiglio vivamente di avere un’automobile perché non ha tanti ristoranti e opzioni di intrattenimento come alcune delle altre città più turistichein Zante.
Read More: A complete travel guide To Psarou
Argassi
Partway down the Vasilikos peninsula before you reach the beaches of Banana beach and Porto Azzuro you’ll find Argassi. set conveniently between some of the best beaches on the island and the buzzing capital, this town has terrific hotel and apartment options, outstanding Greek restaurants and decent public carry links thanks to its proximity to Zante Town.
Vasilikos
The town on the peninsula of the same name that stretches out of the southeastern part of the island a few kilometres south of the capital, Vasilikos is a relatively untrodden part of Zante Island. This is where you’ll find some spectacular beaches like St.Nicholas, Banana beach and Porto Azzuro. There’s decent accommodation options down here and some terrific restaurants.
Kalamaki
A little east of busy Laganas and a little west of Zante Town, Kalamaki is the goldilocks beach town of the south in this respect. thanks to the nesting turtles, there are no hotels right on the sand and there are no watersports, which give the sandy beach here a nice, relaxing atmosphere. Kalamaki is a terrific place for couples and families.
Keri
There is a Keri village on the west of the island and Keri beach town on the southeast, which are about a 10-minute drive apart and both offer terrific accommodation options. Keri beach has a few nice resorts and hotels near the sand, while Keri village has dramatic views over the cliffs out towards the Ionian Sea as well as the picturesque lighthouse.
Read More: A travel guide To Keri beach & Keri Town
Alykes
If the smell of sulphur on the beach doesn’t bother you too much, Alykes is a stunning beach in a secluded cove complete with a free natural spa treatment. Geothermically heated mud pours into the beach in between a couple of rocks giving the water a cloudy glow and your skin a nice treatment. This is a traditional Ionian seaside village and is much quieter than some of the more developed beach towns in Zante.
Read More: travel guide To Alykes Beach
Agios Nikolaos
As you pass Alykes and continue north, you start to see less and less development and more mountains and craggy cliffs, that is until you reach the tiny port town of Agios Nikolaos (not to be mistaken for the beach of the same name on the south end of the island). This once scruffy fishing village is quickly being reinvented as a charming little tourist town. If you plan to go to Kefalonia by ferry, you’ll come here to catch it, but it wouldn’t be a mistake to linger here for a while.
Cose da fare
There are so many things to do in Zakynthos that we actually have a post dedicated to it. but for the sake of this travel guide, I’ll list a few of our favourite things to do there.
Shipwreck Cove
Of course, you can’t go to Zakynthos without experiencing the astonishingly stunning Navagio beach (Shipwreck Cove). There are two ways to see the beach, one is from the cliffs above the beach looking down for that iconic photo, and the other is to take a boat to see it (the only way to actually get to the sand).
This is without a doubt one of the most stunning beaches in all of Greece and is worth a check out for sure. If you’re checking it out from the cliffs, be sure to stay within the blocked off area as many tourists have fallen to their deaths from these dangerous heights.
Learn more about visiting Navagio beach (Shipwreck Cove) in our detailed guide, here. also don’t miss our post which lists the top 15 best beaches in Zakynthos.
Rent a Boat
This was one of our favourite things that we did in all of Greece and maybe in all of our travels. Renting a boat in Zante is relatively cost effective and easy to do. You can either rent by yourself, or hire a