Whether you are a nature lover or a seeker of paradise beaches, look no further than Zakynthos Island. With breathtaking natural landscapes, stunning views, spectacular cliffs on its north and west side, traditional Greek villages, enticing beaches and a vivid nightlife, it makes every traveller fall in love with its natural beauty! Zakynthos is especially known for its beaches. Navagio or Shipwreck beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world. Laganas and Blue Caves are also some of the top beaches in Zante.
A great way to see most of the attractions in Zakynthos is to go on a boat tour. This way you can experience all the amazing beaches and coves up close. The beaches in Zante are most known in the world for their crystal clear waters, rocky cliffs and chill ambience.
On the west coast of the island, Zakynthos is home to Greece’s most famous beach, Navagio (Shipwreck) beach. Of all the Ionian beaches, this one is arguably the most photographed and frequented. This beach is surrounded by majestic cliffs and is covered in gleaming white pebbles with brilliant blue waters.
If you can tear yourself away from the beautiful beaches, make your way to Zakynthos Town! Zakynthos Town is the island’s capital. It is located on the east side of the island, at the foot of Bochali hill.
The Venetians, the French, and the English all influenced Zakynthos’ architecture. Even though an earthquake in 1953 devastated the town’s magnificent Venetian houses and neoclassical structures, the town retains its distinctive character!
A great way to begin your visit to Zakynthos Town is from the harbour, which has a seafront pavement that runs from the harbour all along to Solomos square. walking along here in the day or evening offers stunning views of the sea and sunset. When you reach the centre of town head to Agios Markos and Solomos squares, both of which date back to Venetian occupation, although the latter was recently renovated.
Shipwreck Beach:
The most photographed beach in the world, situated in a small cove on the Northside of Zakynthos Island, has the most bright blue waters you will ever see. Against the white sandy beach, the boat ‘Panagiotis’ sits in magnificent ruin, offering visitors a little bit of history and a beautiful sight that can be captured up close or from above. The boat ‘Panagiotis’ was carrying a load of boxes of cigarettes. While it was sailing in the area between Kefalonia and Zakynthos, the engine was damaged and due to bad weather, it washed up on the rocky and steep NE coast of Zakynthos Island, where it is located until today. There are many ways to get to the shipwreck beach, or as the locals call it, Navagio. You can choose to go on a boat trip that will allow you to see and swim in the spectacular turquoise waters of the beach or a private tour to the viewpoint and see it from up above. Whichever you choose to do will be an unforgettable experience!
Blue Caves:
While Zante is known for its splendid beaches, verdant landscape, and for being an important birthing place for the Caretta Caretta (loggerhead) sea turtle, one of the most spectacular natural wonders you have to see is the unique Blue Caves. Accessible by boat with one of the many organized boat tours or a private tour, the Blue Caves start soon after Agios Nikolaos and end near Skinari Cape. These caves are a series of geological formations created by erosion. Their name comes from the incredibly blue water in the caves that reflects the light from outside making anything in the water (even you) appear blue. You can even visit one of the biggest caves, Kianon, which has stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave, like a chandelier. The crystal clear waters here are perfect for swimming, snorkelling and diving. It is truly a magical experience.
Marathonisi (Turtle Island):
The islet of Marathonisi is in Laganas bay and it is a breeding ground for the sea turtle Carretta Carretta (loggerhead sea turtle). One of its most characteristic features is that the island is shaped like a turtle as if mimicking its most famous visitor, the Carretta Carretta. Due to its shape, Marathonisi is also called Turtle Island. Up until the second world war, Marathonisi was inhabited. Nowadays, it is a private island that is protected by the Marine Park of Zakynthos and as such has no more inhabitants that could disturb the turtles’ matting ground. It is now one of the main areas where the Carretta Carretta turtles go to breed. You can visit the island with organized boat tours on glass-bottomed boats that are also used for turtle spotting. The small island has two beautiful beaches: one of them has a pebbly beach, reachable by swimming from a huge cave, and the other is a large sandy beach that is perfect for relaxing.
Keri Caves
Keri Caves are another wonderful place that is worth a visit. They are accessible only by boat, so to see them you can choose to go on a boat trip which usually combines seeing Marathonisi as well. These caves are different from the Blue Caves but are just as beautiful, surrounded by lush greenery and breathtaking cliff and arches that are formed from erosion. The caves at Keri are many and they vary from large to small with many being accessible to boats and other so small you cannot even swim inside them. All around are brightly coloured white cliffs and the deep crystal clear and blue waters are a truly magical sight. The rough and rugged beauty of this place is enchanting and it’s perfect to relax and unwind with a swim in the refreshing waters of the sea or to just admire the traditional greek landscape from the boat.
Mizithres Rocks
A short cruise away from the Keri caves are Mizithres. Two huge, conical white rocks in the middle of the sea, located exactly under the lighthouse in Keri. They get their name from a local cheese called Mizithra which is produced on Zakynthos (Zante). Before 2018, Mizithres were just two rocky islands separated by the sea. In 2018, after an earthquake, a beach was created between them. This beach has become very popular in the past years and is an attraction that many people visit when they go on boat tours in the area. The scenery is stunning as the white colour of the rocks contrasts with the crystal blue waters. Admiring them from up close you notice that in one of the rocks, there is a crack where it is possible to swim. Along the coast, there are two rocky arches which you can pass under with a boat. The rocks can also be seen from the Keri lighthouse above.
Xigia Beach
Do not be alarmed by the distinctive odour that pervades the region surrounding Xigia Beach. Its waters have a high sulfur content, which gives it a characteristic scent. The sulfur that infuses the seawater is what gives the beach its name. A sulphur spring hidden between a small fracture in the jagged rock walls that encircle Xigia Beach leaks a pungent, milky white fluid into the ocean, clouding the sea around it. It is believed to have healing properties, ideal for people who experience aches in their bones, muscles, arthritis and skin concerns. The only thing that may stop you is the signature egg smell. Do not be put off by this, you will get used to the smell of the sulphur. Consider Xigia Beach to be a combination of a beach and a free spa experience, so imagine swimming in a fountain of youth, and then dive in and enjoy the pleasures of this amazing beach.
Xigia Beach is located on the island’s northeast coast. You can get to this beach by car, and some tours include a beach stop here. Generally, the beaches in this area of the island are small and largely made up of pebbles. Xigia beach (The sulfur beach) is as well. The water is really cold due to the cliffs and the vast depth of the ocean, which can be tens of meters deep just a few meters from the beach.
