Zakynthos Island

Zakynthos, we find it in the archipelago of the Ionian Islands, the most southern of all its sisters and less than ten nautical miles from the Peloponnese. Third in order of magnitude is an island where myth, poetry and nature are a perfect mix for a wonderful holiday in Greece.

Suitable for any type of public, Zakynthos is literally besieged by visitors every year, especially during the summer season. Families with children will find enchanting places where the little ones can play safely, couples swear eternal love on the peak of a cliff accompanied by a romantic sunset, young people can make a trip to remember for a lifetime, in short, for all tastes and for all budgets.

With its surface area of 400 square kilometres, it is a true naturalistic paradise of great contrasts. White cliffs that stand out against the sea, high luxuriant mountains covered by woods that descend to the valley, gentle hills, fertile plains, rocky coasts and immense beaches of golden sand bathed by a crystalline sea and a thousand shades of turquoise where the Caretta-Caretta turtles. Its climate is temperate with mild winters and abundant rainfall which contribute to its dense vegetation.

According to Greek mythology, Artemis the goddess of hunting, was born here. She loved to wander around the green forests of Zakynthos with her brother Apollo, who preferred to laze around playing the lyre under the laurel trees. According to Homer, the founder of the island was Zakynthos son of Dardano King of Troy where he built his acropolis.

The first inhabitants of Zakynthos were the Arcadians as early as 1000 BC. It was later conquered by Arkesios king of Kefalonia as well as grandfather of Ulysses who made it prosperous and important in trade and maritime traffic. Under Ulysses I took part in the Trojan war with twelve ships and after his return Zakynthos had a long period of peace and prosperity. It participated during the classical period in the Persian wars and in the Peloponnesian War when in the 3rd century BC it was conquered by the Macedonians and later by the Romans. In 1185 the Venetians arrive putting an end to the Byzantine dominion which remain there for six centuries. In 1797, after the dissolution of the Venetian Republic, it was subjected to the puppet government of France, becoming the administrative seat of the Ionian Islands. In 1809 it passed under the English flag which brought advantages such as the form of public assistance but, the governed Maitland with his tyranny gave birth to the rebellion of the inhabitants until the patriotic secret society Filiki Eteria was founded which was the basis of the insurrection Greek national who in 1864 proclaimed the union of the whole Greek state. The Second World War did not spare it and it was occupied by the Italians and the Germans but the resistance faced the new usurpers with all its might. In 1953 a violent earthquake razed Zakynthos city to the ground but thanks to the Government and the citizens it was completely rebuilt.

You choose a holiday in Zakynthos for the extraordinary beauty that Mother Nature has been able to give to this piece of Greece, for the sea and its postcard beaches (remember that right here is the famous Relitto beach, emblem of the Greek islands), for the good food and for the history.

The island was the birthplace of Ugo Foscolo to whom he dedicated an immortal poem which perfectly represents the soul of Zakynthos.

Do not miss the capital, an elegant city completely rebuilt after the terrible earthquake which almost erased its past traces, but which has been skilfully brought back to its former glory. It extends throughout the bay and offers its visitors as well as a spectacular sea, its Venetian fortress which dominates from the top of the hill where you can enjoy a breathtaking view. Nothing is missing in Zante Town shops, typical taverns, restaurants, night clubs, cafes, accommodation facilities, here you can meet any need. Visit the church of St. Dionysus dedicated to the patron saint with its enchanting frescoes, Solomos Square the largest and in the center of the town which owes its name to the Greek poet Dionisos Saloms who wrote the verses of the Greek National Anthem, the Byzantine Museum or the Public Library, the church of St. Nicholas one of the few buildings not collapsed during the earthquake or Villa Romas a 17th century residence formerly owned by an English merchant with its Anglo-Saxon atmosphere also fortunately spared from the earthquake.

If, on the other hand, you want a more “free-range” Zakynthos, you will necessarily have to visit the villages of him. Bochali just above the capital, the classic mountain village with a few houses and narrow alleys that smell of jasmine where you can dine by candlelight while admiring a memorable panorama, or Volimes between fairy-tale pine forests and overhanging white rocks, and again Mikro Nisi and Agios Nikolaos on the coast small fishing villages where you can taste excellent fresh fish and Alykes in an ideal position for its proximity to major attractions.

From a naturalistic point of view you will only be spoiled for choice. Let's start with the Blue Caves rock formations smoothed by atmospheric events from the white cliffs that follow one after the other along the thing where the water has incredible reflections that change according to the sun's rays, the Keri caves with its small tongues of sand wedged between the cliffs where you can relax, the Mizithres two scenic white rocks that emerge from the sea as if by magic, and finally the Marine National Park, a protected area that includes the entire of Laganas bay and the satellite islands of Zakynthos the Strofades and the Marathonissi island small lost paradises where turtles come to nest and where Mediterranean monk seals live as well as many species of fauna and flora thanks to its variety of habitats.

The beaches, that's one of the reasons why you decide to come to Zakynthos. They are many, all beautiful and each with its own particularity. The Wreck beach icon of Greece with its immense cliffs and an intensely colored sea with the mythical wreck, Makris Gialos beach with a Caribbean flavor, Gerakas beach with its clay promontory and preferred by prehistoric reptiles for nesting. If you are sporty, however, the Porto Limnionas fjord is the place for you to then, you can have fun in some water activities or snorkelling among its caves and its lively marine population.

If, on the other hand, you are "nocturnal animals", the island will know how to make you stretch the dawn or even not even go to sleep. The areas where the nightlife is most concentrated are the capital Zante Town and Laganas. Endless streets of clubs with Dantesque aperitifs, parties, parties and so on and so forth. In short, the word boredom you will forget it for sure.

Here is a small taste of what Zakynthos can offer and certainly there will still be more to add but we leave the pleasure of discovery to you.