Zakynthos

Understand

Zakynthos, due to mild winter rainfall, is an extremely lush island. The Venetians, who conquered it, referred to it as Il fiore del Levante, the flower of the Levant. March-May is a particularly rewarding time to visit; the island has relatively few tourists, the Easter parade takes place, and the island blooms spectacularly with a myriad of colorful flowers and lush green hills.

Zakynthos, like its neighbour Kefalonia, was heavily affected by the massive earthquake of 1953 and subsequently a lot of its stunning Venetian architecture was sadly destroyed. Ruins still lay in some parts of the island due to this. The main town was completely rebuilt and still has an uncanny resemblance to Venice's San Marco Square. It is well worth taking a look at.

The beautiful white cliffs that plunge into azure seas towards Keri have to be seen to be believed; the water is wonderfully clear and it is worth hiring a boat to see such sights.

See

thumb|Blue caves at Cape Skinari

thumb|The windy waters west of the island, seen from Cape Skinari

thumb|The shipwreck of the Panagiotis thumb|Navagio Beach and Shipwreck

Do

Zakynthos is not so much an island for children. The water park here is small and rather hard to get to as compared to that in Corfu. Most resorts there are relatively low-key and tourist booths are more likely to offer excursions to neighboring islands or the Greek mainland rather than concentrating on Zakynthos' beauty. This is a shame, because it is still an island where mountainside villages and hidden coves await discovery by the discerning traveller. It is well worth hiring a car.

thumb|The blooming inland of Zakynthos, where tourists rarely go

Eat

Traditional agricultural products are olive oil, thyme honey, currants, and wine, which can be purchased at roadside stalls or in the villages.

Zakynthos is a growing tourist island, and hence along with traditional Greek fare, one will find Anglicized cuisine. In Laganas, travellers would be more hard-pressed to find baklava than an English-fry up, but there are some very good places to eat Greek cuisine, and at very reasonable prices.

Drink

Bars are found in abundance on Zakynthos, from the lazy beach bar to clubs to British-run establishments. The beers of choice are the Greek Mythos, Alfa and Fix, though Amstel comes a close second. Drinkers looking for a more sartorial experience are advised to check out bars in Zakynthos town. There are also the local village wines (beware: strong!), the Metaxa brandy along with the standard ouzo.

The bars of Laganas can serve pretty much anything else and caters to the young drunk tourist.

Go next

Athens overnight trips are available through organised tours or using scheduled KTEL bus services and the Kyllini ferry. Day trip to Kefalonia - the ferry leaves Agios Nikolaos to and from this island several times daily and there are many official guided tours allowing you to visit and return. Unfortunately the scheduled bus service to Agios Nikolaos is virtually non-existent, so if you don't want to sign up with an organised tour then you will require a taxi or your own transport to link up with the ferry. Olympia - There are many organised tours using the ferry from Zakynthos town to Kyllini on the mainland to visit the ancient site of the original Olympic Games (about 45 min drive from the port).