Zakynthos, Greece is a small island located in the Ionian Sea about 20 KM west of the Greece mainland. Many people also refer to it as Zante. This Mediterranean island enjoys a lovely climate of hot summers and mild winters making May/June or Sept/Oct. the best times to visit!
Since Greece is a huge point of travel for us in the near future, I have been putting lots of research time into just exactly where we would like to explore. There are many many islands, but Zakynthos is the one that intrigues me most.
How to get there
If you are looking to book flights to Zakynthos you can fly direct from Atehens or even internationally as the the sole airport on the island accepts both types of flights. The island is a short flight from the mainland. You can also take a ferry from the main island (with or without your car) that takes about 1 hour port-to-port but then you'll need to add on travel time getting to and from the ports themselves.
Once on the island you can rent a car, (or drive your own over on the ferry) motobikes, or pedal bicycles to get around. If you are not that adventurous though, there is a good bus service that is available for trips between towns.
What to do while you are there
The biggest draw to Zakynthos are the beaches, the most heavily visited being Navagio and the blue caves. But the thing we like the most is the fact that there is so much more to the island than that. We get a bit bored with the beach after a few days and like to pepper our time with several different landscapes.
Zakynthos offers many opportunities to relax and explore. Water related sports like scuba diving, snorkeling, and boating seem to be a great way to spend your time on the island. If you want to see more, you can venture away from the shore and discover mountain villages, charming towns, museums, archealogical sites, and great food! Zante seems to have it all.
There are even several areas of ruin to explore due to the total devastation felt on the island during a strong earthquake in 1953. And if that isn't interesting enough there is also a shipwreck from 1981 that can be explored on Navagio.
We haven't been yet, so where to stay and how we like it will have to be in future posts. I can't wait to get to Greece and explore! Stay tuned....
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteYou have done a great job about the review of Zakynthos island!
Zante, for sure combines beaches with mountains! The nature here is wonderfull.
In Zakynthos you can find also hotels to stay or traditional houses (apartment for a family)!
Of course the choice is yours. You can stay in a luxury hotel near the beach or in a luxury villa on the mountains! Also you can find cheap accommodation for your holidays in Zakynthos island!