Why Stay in Zakynthos?
Zakynthos (Zante) is home to one of the world's most photographed beaches — Navagio (Shipwreck Beach), where a rusting cargo ship sits on white sand between towering limestone cliffs, accessible only by boat. This Ionian island offers a remarkable diversity of landscapes, from dramatic cliff-fringed shores in the west to gentle sandy beaches in the south and east.
Zakynthos Town, the island's capital, offers characterful hotels in neo-classical buildings along the waterfront. Tsilivi and Alykes on the northeast coast provide family-friendly beaches with shallow water. Laganas Bay in the south — home to the protected loggerhead sea turtle (caretta caretta) nesting grounds — offers lively nightlife alongside natural wonders.
The western coast of Zakynthos is the most dramatic, with sheer white cliffs dropping into impossibly blue water. The Blue Caves near Cape Skinari reflect sunlight into spectacular blue-lit sea caverns. While this coast has few beaches (hence fewer hotels), boat trips from the northeast coast provide full-day exploration of the western shores.
Porto Limnionas, Xigia Beach (with its natural sulphur springs), and Gerakas Beach (turtle nesting site) are quieter alternatives to the busy south-coast resorts. Greek island cuisine here centres on fresh fish, moussaka, pastitsada, and the local mandolato (almond nougat), washed down with the region's crisp white wines.