Cheap Flights to Zakynthos

Quick summary

Identity

A town rebuilt faithfully after the 1953 earthquake

Zakynthos, known in Italian and French as Zante, is an Ionian island, and Zakynthos Town, also called Chora, is its capital. The town sits at 10 m above sea level on the east coast and had about 9,800 residents in the town proper (16,996 in the municipal unit) at the 2021 census (Wikipedia). Under Venetian rule, from 1484 to 1797, the island earned the nickname Fior di Levante, the Flower of the East, thanks to its fine buildings and close cultural ties to Italy.

On 12 August 1953, an earthquake measuring 7.2 to 7.3 destroyed most of the town in under a minute, and fires followed; only a handful of buildings survived. The rebuilding followed a strict anti-seismic code and recreated neoclassical and Venetian style, with arcaded streets and bell towers. The town weathered a magnitude 6.4 tremor in October 2018 with only minor damage. During the Second World War occupation, islanders protected the local Jewish community.

Don't miss

Solomos Square, Bochali and the Church of Agios Dionysios

Solomos Square, the island's largest, is dedicated to Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the words of the Greek national anthem and was born here. The Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians, on neighbouring St Mark's Square, shows 18th- and 19th-century local art, sculpture, period musical instruments and ceramics (Wikipedia).

Along the waterfront, the Church of Agios Dionysios, dedicated to the island's patron saint, has a tall white bell tower modelled on the campanile of St Mark's in Venice; its present form dates from 1948, and locals regard its survival of the 1953 earthquake as a miracle. A twenty-minute walk up Bochali Hill leads to the free-to-enter ruins of a Venetian castle with views over the town and bay, the hill where Solomos is said to have written the anthem. In the evenings the Strada Marina promenade comes alive with the traditional volta stroll.

Nature

Shipwreck Beach and the loggerhead turtles of the marine park

Zakynthos Town itself isn't a beach destination: most visitors base themselves in resort towns such as Laganas, Tsilivi or Psarou. The island's natural icon lies on the north-west coast: Navagio, or Shipwreck Beach, whose wreck lost its engines in 1981 (Wikivoyage EN) and rests on white sand between towering cliffs. Rockfall risk has led to restrictions: since spring 2023 boats can no longer let passengers ashore (Wikivoyage DE), and the beach is seen from viewing platforms about 180 m above the wreck, or from the water. Check the rules in force before you travel.

Loggerhead turtles. Laganas Bay holds Greece's first national marine park, a major nesting area for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The best time to spot turtles is May to early July (Wikivoyage EN); Gerakas Beach closes at dusk during nesting season.

Museums and monuments

Museums, fortress and churches of Zakynthos Town

Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians. On St Mark's Square, it shows local art of the 18th and 19th centuries, sculpture, period musical instruments and ceramics; check hours and fees on the spot.

Byzantine Museum. Listed by Wikivoyage DE and EN among the town's highlights, it holds the island's post-Byzantine art; check its opening hours before going.

Agios Dionysios and the monasteries. The church of the patron saint, built between 1925 and 1948, keeps the saint's relics in a silver reliquary. Several monasteries dot the island (Wikivoyage DE).

Bochali castle. A small Venetian castle crowns Bochali Hill above the town (Wikipedia); its ruins offer one of the best views.

Food and drink

Currants, olive oil and tavernas

The island is known for olive oil, grapes and citrus, and above all for the Zante currant, a small, sweet, seedless grape native to the island (Wikipedia). Tavernas serve classic Greek dishes: taramosalata, calamari, tzatziki, stuffed vine leaves and grills (Wikivoyage DE), as well as stifado, a meat-and-onion stew with cinnamon (Wikivoyage FR). Nougat is a good souvenir, as is the eau de cologne mentioned by Wikivoyage FR.

Drinks. Retsina and ouzo go with the meal. The waterfront and the streets near Solomos Square hold most restaurants and cafés; outside high season many small local tavernas run at a slow pace.

Beaches and coves

The island's beaches, beyond the town

Most beaches and resorts lie on the south and east coasts; the west and north are mountainous, with cliffs that sometimes drop hundreds of metres into the sea (Wikivoyage DE). Laganas is the lively resort with a long sandy beach, Tsilivi and Alykanas suit families, and Argassi is mainly a nightlife area. Gerakas is about 15 km from the town and Psarou about 12 km to the north-east (Wikivoyage EN).

The sea stays pleasant until October; at Agios Nikolaos a sunbed rents for a few euros (Wikivoyage EN).

Boat trips

Blue Caves, Cape Skinari and the north-west coast

Boat trips leave from the town's harbour or from Agios Nikolaos in the north to follow the cliffs and sea caves of the coast. The Blue Caves around Cape Skinari are visited by small boat; the largest, Kianoun, is named by Wikivoyage EN. The cape, with its Venetian lighthouse and rock arches, is also a well-known viewpoint for sunset over Kefalonia and Ithaca.

Kefalonia lies about 15 km to the north and the Peloponnese about 20 km to the east (Wikipedia).

When to go

When to visit Zakynthos

Zakynthos has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers: about 11 C on average in January and 27 C in July, with roughly 940 mm of precipitation a year, mostly in winter (Wikipedia). The best period runs from late spring to early autumn, with spring and October for fewer crowds.

Getting around

Taxis, rentals, buses and the ferry

Buses on Zakynthos are infrequent and sometimes unreliable (Wikivoyage EN and DE), so most visitors rent a car, scooter or quad, though some unpaved roads are narrow. Taxis are available; agree the fare in advance. Boat tours are widely offered.

Ferry to the mainland. The town's harbour has a ferry to Kyllini in the Peloponnese, taking about 1 to 1.25 hours according to Wikivoyage DE and FR; Kyllini is about 45 minutes from Olympia by car. Another ferry links Agios Nikolaos to Argostoli on Kefalonia (Wikipedia). Fares vary, so check with the operators.

Zakynthos Airport

Getting to Zakynthos: Dionysios Solomos Airport

According to Wikivoyage EN there is no public bus between the airport and the town; a taxi covers the short distance, and the airport closes at night. Check these points before you book.

SniperAir monitors prices and alerts you; it does not sell or book tickets.

Budget

A mid-range budget, higher in peak season

Zakynthos is a mid-range destination outside summer; accommodation and car rental cost more in July and August, especially near the famous beaches. Taverna meals, sunbeds and boat trips add up quickly. We do not publish figures that have not been cross-checked.

Saving money. Come in May-June or September-October, stay in town rather than on the busiest beaches, group your boat trips and make use of the free sights: Bochali castle, the squares and the waterfront.

How long to stay

How many days on Zakynthos?

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Zakynthos