Loucha Village Zakynthos

The beautiful Zakynthos island, land of the poet Ugo Foscolo, reserves villages of extraordinary beauty for its visitors.

We want to introduce you to Loucha village, a small town with 45 inhabitants plus cats and dogs. We find it in the hinterland of the island in the center to the west about ten kilometers from Porto Limnionas and is the highest above the sea level of Zakynthos.

With a typically mountain flavor, it is just on the top of a fertile valley where agriculture and livestock are the main activities and which give sustenance to the decidedly decimated population but which resists and continues according to ancient traditions. Lush vineyards, generous vegetable gardens and animals cared for with the utmost attention manage to give autonomy to the natives, thus saving them from invasive mass tourism.

In Loucha, time seems to have almost stopped, and perhaps that is why it still retains that relaxing and even magical atmosphere of rural life. Also affected by the terrible earthquake of 1953 that affected Zakynthos island but especially Kefalonia island, fortunately it did not suffer extensive damage, managing to maintain its traditional architecture made of stone houses, narrow and steep cobbled streets, gardens flowers and stone fences. An enchanting village where the view of the gorge is a moment of relaxation and where the harmony between man and nature is still very present and respected.

It is somewhat reminiscent of the Peloponnese from certain points of view and it is understandable since the Zakynthos island was first colonized by the inhabitants of this region of Greece which is enchanting and full of history.

Like any good inland village, it has its typical taverns where you can delight your palate with local specialties and Greek cuisine. It will not be difficult to find dishes based on ancient recipes and perhaps a little strong and different flavors, but this too is part of the knowledge of the island and will give you a more truthful perspective of how life flows in this magnificent place.

From Loucha about ten kilometers away, you can find beautiful beaches where you can maybe pay a visit. One could be the Porto Roxa beach near Agios Leon village, a small bay with extremely clean waters perfect for those who love swimming. It has no shorelines but large steps carved into the stone, an ideal place to dive into the sea. The seabed drops immediately so it is better to be good swimmers. For the more courageous, before reaching the ladder there is a point to dive from above.

And since we're at it, don't we want to go to Porto Limnionas? One of the wildest and most hidden places in Zakynthos, a beautiful fjord where the colors of the sea and the transparency of the water is something spectacular. Perfect for those who love snorkeling given the presence of some natural caves to explore.

And yet Porto Stenitis a fairly large inlet also with a fabulous sea and interesting caves to discover. Here too there is no trace of a beach but it is worth seeing only for the spectacular nature that surrounds it. So remember fins and mask!

It is not difficult to reach Loucha village, keep the capital Zakynthos Town as a reference and head for about twenty kilometers inland and the west coast. It would be better to have your own vehicle to be able to move independently and time restrictions.

A nice stop to be included among the things to see in Zakynthos for a different perspective.