Askos Stone Park is a large private nature park in the green hills of northern Zakynthos. It lies close to the village of Volimes, away from the coast. The park blends old dry-stone walls, caves and gardens with a wide wildlife area. Here deer, goats, ponies and many small animals roam freely. Children can feed and stroke them along the trails. Native plants and trees fill the grounds, laid out to show the traditional landscape of the island. Step off the beach and into the island’s rural heart with My Greece Tours.
The park is a gentle change from sand and sea. Shaded paths wind past ponds, caves and stone walls, and tame animals wander among the visitors. It suits families and anyone who wants a green, quiet couple of hours. The sections below cover what the park is, the animals you meet, its stonework and plants, how a visit works, and what lies nearby. Set the park in its wider surroundings with our Zakynthos travel guide.
What is Askos Stone Park on Zakynthos?
Askos Stone Park is a large private nature and wildlife park in the northern hills of Zakynthos, near Volimes. It combines dry-stone walls, caves and gardens with an open area where visitors walk among tame animals.
The park spreads across a green hillside inland from the coast. Its name comes from the old dry-stone building that runs all through it. Low walls, caves, terraces and ponds shape the grounds, in the style of the traditional island countryside. Winding among them is a large open area where the animals roam free. The park was built to show both the natural landscape and the old craft of stone, and to let visitors walk close to the wildlife. It reads as a calm, green place, a clear change of pace from the busy beaches and resorts of the shore.
Families come here to slow down and meet the animals along the shaded trails, and the setting rewards an unhurried pace at any time of year.
The setting is the quiet, rugged northwest of the island. This is high country of olive groves, vineyards and mountain villages, far from the crowds of the south. The park makes a natural stop on a day spent exploring the north of Zakynthos. The nearby village of Volimes is known for its handwoven textiles, and the great cliffs and coves of the northwest lie within a short drive. Most visitors fold the park into a loop that also takes in the crafts, the coast and the famous views. The gentle walk among the animals breaks the driving day and gives children a green, hands-on stop between the coastal sights and the hill villages.
The quiet uplands frame the park and set it apart from the busy resorts down on the southern shore.
Askos Stone Park counts as a private nature reserve, wildlife sanctuary and open natural zoo rolled into one. It covers roughly five hundred thousand square metres, about a hundred and twenty-four acres of green hillside. The park opened to visitors early in the twenty-first century, and it grew from a family estate. It sits near the port of Agios Nikolaos, about two kilometres inland from the water. The drive from Zakynthos Town runs roughly thirty kilometres and takes about forty minutes through the hills. A free car park near the entrance makes arrival simple for families on a touring day.
The park protects native plants and animals together, and it pairs that role with the old stone craft of the island.
What animals can you see at Askos Stone Park?
Askos Stone Park is home to deer, goats, sheep, ponies, rabbits and many small creatures. They roam the grounds tamely, and children can feed and stroke them along the trails, which makes the park a favourite family outing.
The animals are the heart of the park. Deer are the best-loved, moving in small herds across the open ground and coming close in hope of food. Goats, sheep, ponies and rabbits share the grounds, along with tortoises, birds and other small creatures. Most are tame and used to visitors, so they gather where people walk. At the entrance you can pick up feed to offer them, and children delight in holding out a hand to a gentle deer or a nibbling goat. The animals are free to wander rather than penned, so meeting them feels natural and close.
The open layout lets a herd of deer drift toward you along the trail, which turns a walk into a real encounter with the wildlife.
Walking among the animals is safe and easy for all ages. The paths are gentle, and staff keep an eye on the grounds. The tame deer and farm animals make the park a strong draw for families with young children, who often remember it as a highlight of the trip. It offers a very different day from the beach, hands-on and green. For parents it is a welcome break in the shade, and for children a chance to meet animals up close. Alongside the beaches and boat trips, the park adds a softer, quieter kind of pleasure to a stay on the island.
The mix of gentle paths and free-roaming animals means small children can explore at their own pace under a watchful eye.
The park holds a wide roll of animals that roam freely or in divided sections. Peacocks and doves move through the grounds, and hawks perch above the trails. Deer graze the open pasture, and the herd includes rare Platoni fallow deer of the island. Ponies, horses, cows, goats and sheep share the fields with the deer. Rabbits, raccoons, chinchillas and squirrels live in smaller enclosures along the route. Water turtles rest in the ponds, adding to the range of creatures on show. Visitors can feed the tamer animals with the feed handed out at the gate.
The mix of birds, farm stock and wild species gives the park the feel of a working estate and a small zoo together. Every section brings a fresh animal into view along the trail.
What stonework and plants fill the park?
The park is built around old dry-stone walls, caves, terraces and ponds in the traditional island style. Native trees, herbs and flowers fill the grounds, laid out to show the natural landscape and rural craft of Zakynthos.
Stone gives the park its name and its character. Low dry-stone walls run through the grounds, built without mortar in the old way of the island’s farmers. They divide the land into terraces, frame the paths and shelter small caves and hollows. Ponds and streams catch the water, and shaded corners offer places to rest. The whole layout echoes the traditional countryside, where such walls once shaped every hillside. Wandering the park is a chance to see this old craft gathered in one place, kept alive as part of the landscape rather than left to crumble. The pavements, stables and cellars stand as they were built, giving the grounds the settled feel of a working country estate.
The bare stone lends the whole park a quiet, timeless character.
The planting matches the stone. Native trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers fill the grounds, chosen to show the plants of the island and the wider region. Olive, pine and cypress mix with wild herbs and seasonal blooms, so the park changes through the year. The greenery gives shade on hot days and draws birds and insects among the animals. Together the stone and the plants recreate a slice of the old island landscape. It is a living picture of how the countryside of Zakynthos beaches and hills looked before the age of roads and resorts, preserved for visitors to walk through.
The trails lead you from one habitat to the next, so a short walk crosses grove, terrace and pond in turn.
The plant life of the park runs to about a hundred and seventy thousand self-sown native species across the grounds. Olive trees, cypress and wildflowers grow along the walking trails that thread through the reserve. The planting follows the natural spread of the hillside rather than a formal garden design. Stone shapes the rest of the park, and it gives the place its name. Dry-stone pavements, walls, old stables and cellars stand across the grounds in the traditional building style. Carved stone rainwater basins sit among them, cut by hand roughly six centuries ago to gather water for the land. The stone and the plants work together to recreate the old rural face of northern Zakynthos.
The basins and terraces still hold water for the trees, keeping the old system alive.
How does a visit to Askos Stone Park work?
Visitors pay at the entrance, pick up animal feed, and follow shaded trails through the grounds at their own pace. A walk takes a couple of hours, with viewpoints, ponds and rest spots along the way, and it suits all ages.
A visit is relaxed and self-guided. You enter, pay the admission, and can buy feed to offer the animals as you go. From there you follow the marked trails through the park at your own pace. The paths wind past the animals, the ponds, the caves and the stone terraces, with viewpoints and shaded benches along the route. Most people take a couple of hours to see it all, though there is no rush. The ground stays gentle, suitable for children and older visitors alike, with a cafe and shade for a break. It reads as an easy, low-key outing rather than a strenuous hike.
The marked route keeps you on course, so you can wander and still find the main sights without a map.
Timing and gear stay simple. The park sits inland, so it makes a good midday or afternoon stop, out of the strongest coastal sun. Firm, comfortable shoes help on the natural paths, and a hat and water are wise in summer. The free-roaming animals reward a calm, unhurried visit, letting them come to you. Families often pair the park with the nearby coast, driving down to a beach or the Alykes area afterward. The park works well as the green heart of a day that also takes in the villages and shores of the north. A short break at the cafe lets everyone rest before the drive back down to the coast road and the beaches.
The inland setting keeps the park cooler and calmer than the crowded shore in high summer.
A visit runs as either a guided or a self-guided walk through the grounds. Guides demonstrate feeding the animals, picking olives and milking the goats and cows for visitors who join a tour. The ticket often includes water and a portion of animal feed to hand out along the way. Entry costs around fifteen euros for adults and around eight euros for children, and younger children often enter free. The park opens year-round and closes only in bad weather, so most days suit a visit. A full walk takes roughly one and a half to two hours at a gentle pace.
Early morning or late afternoon proves the best time, away from the midday heat and the tour groups. The cooler hours also bring the animals out to graze along the open trails.
What is near Askos Stone Park in northern Zakynthos?
Near the park lie the craft village of Volimes, the shipwreck viewpoint, the sea caves of the north coast and the resort of Alykes. The park fits into a wider tour of the northern hills and coast of Zakynthos.
The park sits in the heart of the northwest uplands, close to many of the island’s northern sights. The village of Volimes and its handwoven textiles lie just up the road. The famous clifftop views of the west coast are a short drive away, along with the historic monastery of the northwest hills. The park slots easily into a day of exploring the north, a green pause between the crafts, the villages and the great coastal overlooks. The rugged, quiet country around it is a reward in itself, far from the crowds of the southern resorts.
A loop through these hills strings together the weavers, the monastery and the park in a single relaxed morning of driving and short stops.
Down on the coast, more sights lie within reach. The Blue Caves pierce the cliffs of the north coast, best seen by small boat from the harbours near Cape Skinari. The northern resort of Alykes offers a long sandy beach and a calm base. Most visitors combine a morning at the coast with an afternoon at the park, or the other way round. The park gives the north of the island a family attraction to match its beaches and caves, rounding out a day among the quieter shores and hills of Zakynthos. The short drive between the sea caves and the park links the water and the hills into one easy northern circuit for the whole family.
Xigia sulphur beach and Makris Gialos add sheltered swims to the same coastal loop.
The park sits within easy reach of the main sights of the northern coast. The port of Agios Nikolaos lies about two kilometres away, and boats leave it for the Blue Caves and the shipwreck viewpoint area. The craft villages of Volimes stand up the road, known for handwoven textiles and local produce. The Blue Caves pierce the cliffs a short drive north, best seen from a small boat on a calm morning. Cape Skinari marks the northern tip of the island, close to the cave harbours. Makris Gialos beach offers a sheltered swim on the northeast coast within a short drive. Xigia sulphur beach lies nearby, fed by springs that give the water a mineral tang.
The park anchors a day that links the hills, the villages and the sea caves into one route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Askos Stone Park good for children?
Askos Stone Park is one of the best family attractions on Zakynthos, and children usually love it. The great draw is the chance to walk freely among tame animals. Deer, goats, sheep, ponies and rabbits roam the grounds, and youngsters can feed and stroke them along the trails. Feed is available at the entrance, and the animals are used to visitors, so they come close. The paths are gentle and easy, safe for small legs, and there is shade and a cafe for breaks. A visit takes a relaxed couple of hours at a child’s pace. It offers a complete change from the beach, hands-on and green, and many families name it a highlight of their holiday.
Firm shoes, a hat and water make the visit more comfortable in summer. The animals are free to wander rather than caged, so the encounter feels natural, and children often remember meeting a gentle deer long after the trip is over.
How long does a visit to Askos Stone Park take?
Most visitors spend around two hours at Askos Stone Park, though the time is flexible and there is no set route to rush through. The park is self-guided, so you follow the shaded trails at your own pace, stopping to feed the animals, rest by the ponds and enjoy the viewpoints. Families with children who want to linger with the deer and farm animals may stay longer, while those on a busy touring day can see the main sights more quickly. The ground is gentle and easy to walk, with benches and a cafe for breaks along the way.
The park sits inland in the northern hills, which makes it a good midday or afternoon stop, away from the strongest coastal sun. Pairing it with nearby sights such as the craft village of Volimes or the north coast fills a rewarding day. Allowing at least a couple of hours ensures time to take in both the animals and the stonework without hurrying.
Where is Askos Stone Park and how do you get there?
Askos Stone Park lies in the green hills of the northwest of Zakynthos, close to the village of Volimes and inland from the north coast. The easiest way to reach it is by car, following the roads up into the northern uplands and the signs for the park. The drive climbs through olive groves, vineyards and mountain villages, a scenic route in itself, though the roads are narrow and winding in places. From the southern resorts the journey takes a while, so the park is best combined with other sights in the north rather than visited alone.
Many people fold it into a day that also takes in the craft village of Volimes, the famous clifftop viewpoints, or the north-coast sea caves. Hire cars, quad bikes and organised tours all reach the area. A parking area serves the entrance on arrival. The park sits away from the coast, so it makes a natural green counterpoint to a morning spent on the beaches or the water.
Can you feed the animals at Askos Stone Park?
Feeding the animals is one of the main draws of Askos Stone Park, and the ticket often includes a portion of feed for the purpose. Staff at the entrance hand out the feed, so you can offer it to the tamer creatures as you walk the trails. Deer, goats, ponies and rabbits gather where visitors pass, hoping for a handful. On a guided walk the staff demonstrate feeding, and they show olive picking and the milking of goats and cows as well. The animals are used to people and take food gently from an open hand, which delights younger visitors. Peacocks, doves and other birds move through the grounds and add to the encounter.
The feed provided is chosen to suit the animals, so it is safer than food brought from outside. Feeding turns a walk through the park into a hands-on visit, and it gives children a close, calm meeting with the wildlife they rarely forget.