By air
Zakynthos (ZTH), ~4 km
Europe · Greece
Zakynthos, Greece
Shipwreck Beach and turtle bays
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to October — the season
Don't miss
Navagio Beach
The Blue Caves
Laganas Bay
The Keri cliffs
Things to do
Boat trips to Navagio
Turtle spotting in Laganas Bay
Snorkelling
Where to eat
What to pack
Swimwear
A quieter corner
Porto Limnionas' rocky cove
Questions travellers ask
What shouldn't I miss on Zakynthos?
Take a boat trip to Navagio Beach, then see the Blue Caves and the Keri cliffs.
Where can I see turtles on Zakynthos?
Go turtle spotting in Laganas Bay, and bring swimwear for snorkelling.
When should I plan a trip to Zakynthos?
May to October is the season. Zakynthos (ZTH) airport is about 4 km away.
What's a lesser-known spot on Zakynthos?
Porto Limnionas' rocky cove. While you're exploring, try ladotyri cheese.
About Zakynthos
- Island
Where it is
Zakynthos, also known as Zante, is the third-largest of the Ionian Islands, lying in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of the Peloponnese, Greece, with high limestone cliffs in the west and the wide Bay of Laganas in the south.
History
Venice ruled the island from 1484 to 1797 and called it the Fiore di Levante, the Flower of the East. French and British rule followed, and Zakynthos joined Greece with the other Ionian Islands in 1864; it was the birthplace of the poets Ugo Foscolo and Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the words of the Greek national anthem, and a powerful earthquake in 1953 destroyed most of its buildings.
People
Zakynthians speak Greek, and the Venetian centuries live on in kantades, songs sung in harmony to guitar and mandolin. The island grows olives, grapes and the small Zante currant, a sweet seedless grape native to the island, and its patron saint, Dionysios, is honoured with great feasts.
Known for
- Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach
- The Blue Caves at Cape Skinari
- Loggerhead turtles in Laganas Bay
- The Keri cliffs
- Kantades, Venetian-style serenades
Did you know?
The Bay of Laganas lies within a national marine park and is the prime nesting area in the Mediterranean for loggerhead sea turtles.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.