Zakynthos (Zante in Italian) is the southernmost of the seven main Ionian Islands. The Venetians, who ruled it from 1485 to 1797, called it the "flower of the Levant" for its gardens. It was the birthplace of Ugo Foscolo, who dedicated the sonnet "A Zacinto" to it, and of Dionysios Solomos, author of the Hymn to Liberty, which is the Greek national anthem.
The 1953 earthquake destroyed the town, which was rebuilt keeping its layout and some buildings, such as the church of St Dionysios, the patron saint, and Solomos Square with the Byzantine museum.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Shipwreck Beach (Navagio) | A white-pebble cove enclosed by cliffs, with the wreck of a ship stranded in 1980; after a 2018 landslide access is restricted, but it can be admired from the clifftop viewpoint and from the sea |
| Blue Caves | Sea arches and caves at Cape Skinari, where the water glows a brilliant blue |
| Laganas Bay | Heart of the National Marine Park, where loggerhead turtles nest; some beaches close at night |
| Marathonisi | Turtle-shaped islet with a nesting beach |
| Bochali | Hill above town with the Venetian castle and views over the harbour |
| Inland villages | Keri, Volimes, Agios Leon, with Venetian bell towers and olive oil and honey producers |
Laganas is the nightlife centre, while the north coast and inland villages are quieter. The kantades, part songs accompanied by guitars and mandolins, show the Italian influence on local music.
Getting there
The airport has direct summer flights from many European cities and flights from Athens. Ferries leave from Kyllini in the Peloponnese (about an hour); in summer there is a link with Kefalonia.
See also the loggerhead turtle and Kefalonia.