Things to do in Zakynthos
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Zakynthos
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months, warm sea, everything open, prices and crowds below peak.
Peak, hottest, busiest and priciest, start days early and book everything ahead.
Shoulder, good for walking and value, sea colder in April and tours wind down in late October.
Worst for a beach trip, rain, reduced ferries and most resort businesses closed.
What's on
- Zakynthos Carnival weeks before Lent, usually February to March
Parades and the Venetian wedding re-enactment in Zakynthos Town.
- Holy Saturday Botides and Easter Holy Saturday, usually April or May
Clay pots are dropped in Solomos Square on Holy Saturday morning.
- Feast of the Dormition 15 August
Village festivals island wide, at peak season crowds.
- Feast of St Dionysios 24 August
Procession of the saint relics through Zakynthos Town, with fireworks.
- Village wine festivals late August into September
Wine village festivals with dates set locally each year, check on arrival.
- Feast of St Dionysios (winter) 17 December
The second feast of the patron saint, a locals only winter version.
Best things to do in Zakynthos
Navagio Beach
The shipwreck cove from the free clifftop viewpoint above it, while landing on the beach stays closed.
Blue Caves
Small boats enter caves where the reflected light turns the water and swimmers an electric blue.
Marathonisi
A turtle shaped islet in the marine park, best paired with a patient loggerhead watch in the bay.
Solomos Square
The town waterfront piazza is the start of the best half day in the capital, coffee first.
Saint Dionysios Church
The patron saint church has the richest interior in town and anchors the island biggest feast.
Bohali
The hill district gives the panorama over the harbour and across to the Peloponnese.
Venetian Castle
Pine shaded ruins above Bohali pair the town view with the island Venetian history.
Xigia Beach
A tiny sulfur spring cove with milky turquoise water, best as a short early swim.
Where to stay in Zakynthos
Tsilivi / Planos and Akrotiri
first trip, all-round base, families
Sandy shallow beach, the deepest hotel bench, and Zakynthos Town ten minutes away.
Vasilikos Peninsula
couples, quiet, best beaches
A green olive grove peninsula of scattered villages and a string of fine beaches.
Zakynthos Town and Bohali
food lovers, no-car trips, ferry logistics
The only real town, with the best restaurants, the port, buses and nightlife of locals.
Kalamaki
young families, quiet south coast value
Laganas Bay turtle beach without Laganas, low rise and family run.
Alykanas and Alykes
budget-friendly, old-fashioned resort stay
Twin sandy beaches and loyal repeat visitors, at lower prices than Tsilivi.
Laganas
nightlife trips only
The Strip, the cheapest beds and a fine beach by day, chosen knowingly or not at all.
Think twice about
- Laganas Strip and the blocks behind it
Very young, very drunk club strip with music until dawn. Sleep in Kalamaki on the same bay instead.
- Argassi main-road strip
A busy through road and a narrow beach. Tsilivi or Kalamaki give more for similar money.
- Isolated inland and north-west villas without a car
Scarce taxis and unlit rural roads with no pavement after dinner. A logistics problem, not a safety one.
- Anywhere sold only as near Navagio
There is no resort at Navagio. It is a viewpoint and a boat trip, not a base.
Best restaurants in Zakynthos
Prosilio
Creative Ionian cooking in a hidden garden, the island best dinner and worth booking.
Nobile
Rooftop fine dining with multi course menus and sea views at the Lesante Cape resort.
Nobelos Bio Restaurant
Estate produce and fresh fish on its own beach, the north coast lunch as a destination.
Bassia
Seafood heavy menus on an elevated terrace timed for sunset over the Ionian.
Lofos Restaurant und Pizzeria
A hilltop family taverna famous for beef stifado, valley views and generous portions.
Lithies Taverna
A farm taverna under a leafy arbor, with house wine and whole roasted sea bass.
Alektor Traditional Greek Restaurant
Older Zakynthian recipes done properly, rooster, rabbit and beef in red sauce.
Taverna Dimitris
The dependable value taverna in town, with local custom and seafood staples.
Outdoor things to do in Zakynthos
Navagio Beach
A small boat from Skinari or Porto Vromi enters caves and adds swim stops the big boats skip.
Marathonisi
The speedboat version adds the Keri Caves swim and a Marathonisi beach stop in one trip.
Agios Sostis
Rent your own no licence boat here for Cameo, the bay, Keri Caves and Marathonisi at your pace.
Nero Sport Diving Center
Small group diving and courses in clear cave lit water, strong with first timers and juniors.
Blue Caves
Kayaking the caves gives silent entries and snorkel stops at coves with nobody else in them.
Mount Skopos
The classic island hike climbs through pines to a summit view over Laganas Bay.
Banana Beach
The island water sports centre, with parasailing, jet skis, wakeboarding and inflatables.
Agios Nikolaos Beach
The calmer of the two Vasilikos water sports beaches, good for a circuit day swim.
Best hotels in Zakynthos
Lesante Cape Resort & Villas
The island flagship luxury resort in village form, with private beach, winery and spa.
Lesante Classic Luxury Hotel & Spa
The original Lesante, a short walk from Tsilivi beach, with pools and a spa.
Olea All Suite Hotel
Adults leaning design suites around a vast lagoon pool, the boutique pick in Tsilivi.
Contessina Suites & Spa
Adults only suites a few steps from Tsilivi beach, calm and design led.
Alexandra Beach Resort & Spa
Right on the sand in Tsilivi, the top family choice in the resort.
The Bay Hotel & Suites
A five star on its own sandy beach in Vasilikos, with a large pool and gardens.
Porto Zante Villas & Spa
Private villas on the water with service repeatedly called the best guests had experienced.
Bitzaro Boutique Hotel
A small boutique hotel near Solomos Square, the smart town base without resort prices.
Is Zakynthos expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €75 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €170 a person |
| Splurge | €420 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Navagio Beach: a few days ahead
- Blue Caves: a few days ahead
- Marathonisi: a few days ahead
- Callinico Winery: a few days ahead
- Navagio Beach: a few days ahead
- Marathonisi: a few days ahead
- Agios Sostis: a few days ahead
- Nero Sport Diving Center: a few days ahead
- Book small boat trips for your first good weather morning and keep a spare wind day.
- Book Prosilio, Nobile, Bassia and Lofos at sunset days ahead in season.
- Book August cars with the flights and luxury hotels weeks ahead.
Is Zakynthos safe?
- The real risks are road, cliff and sea accidents, plus Laganas at night. Emergency number 112.
- Turtle rules are law, no umbrellas in marked nesting sand and no staying on nesting beaches after sunset.
- West coast viewpoints and hikes have no shade and no water, start early and carry 1.5 litres.
Zakynthos travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Anyone promising to land you on Navagio Beach in 2026, the beach is closed for landslide risk.
- Cliff edge photos at Navagio and Mizithres, stay behind barriers and fencing.
- Large glass bottom boats crowding one turtle, choose small boats with engines off.
- Laganas Beach as a beach pick, swim at Kalamaki on the same bay instead.
Getting around Zakynthos: public transport and more
- Rent a car for the whole stay, buses radiate from Zakynthos Town and miss the best coasts.
- Plan days by coast, north, west, then south and Vasilikos, instead of zig-zagging.
- Taxis are plentiful in town and resorts, agree the route price before you ride.
Who Zakynthos suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Zakynthos your trip
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