Yannis Divramis 
Planos and Tsilivi form one of the main holiday resorts situated on the east coast of the Ionian island of Zakynthos. This location is a short drive north of the island’s capital. Tsilivi is the resort and long sandy beach, while Planos is the old village beside it that grew into the resort. This area … Read more
Macherado is a traditional village on the fertile central plain of Zakynthos, set among vineyards and olive groves. It is best known for the church of Agia Mavra, one of the finest on the island. The church has a tall, elegant bell tower and a rich interior of icons, carved and gilded woodwork and silver … Read more
The history of Zakynthos runs from ancient myth to the modern day. Settled in antiquity and named in the oldest Greek legends, the island passed through Roman and Byzantine hands. It then spent long centuries under Venice, which shaped its towns, its art and its way of life. French, Russian and British rule followed, before … Read more
Diving on Zakynthos is a fine way to see the island from below the waves. The clear Ionian water gives long visibility, and the rocky coast hides caves, arches, reefs and walls. Dive sites lie off the south and around the sea caves of the coast. Dive centres cluster at Limni Keriou near Keri, running … Read more
The food of Zakynthos is a rich island cuisine, shaped by Greek roots and long Venetian rule. The fertile plain gives olive oil, wine, fruit and vegetables, while the sea brings fresh fish. Meat dishes such as rabbit stifado and the tomato-and-garlic sauce called sartsa sit beside local cheeses, cured meats and honey. Sweets and … Read more
The castle of Zakynthos is the ruined Venetian fortress on the pine-clad hill of Bochali, high above the island’s capital. Its long walls and stone gates ring the flat top of the hill. Inside stand the traces of an old town, churches and barracks, now shaded by pines. The fortress guarded the harbour and the … Read more
Zakynthos has a long tradition of winemaking, rooted in the vineyards that cover its central plain and rolling hills. The island’s most famous wine is Verdea, a crisp dry white made from a blend of local grapes and aged in the old way. Under Venetian rule it was shipped across Europe. Other island wines, both … Read more
Korakonisi is a small, wild rocky cove on the west coast of Zakynthos, named for the little rock islet that rises just off the shore. It lies below the village of Agios Leon, reached by a track and a flight of steps down the cliffs. There is no sand here, only smooth rock ledges and … Read more
The Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos stands on Solomos Square in the heart of the island’s capital. It gathers religious art rescued from the churches and monasteries of the island, lost in the great earthquake that struck the Ionian Islands in the middle of the twentieth century. The collection is famous for its icons and carved, … Read more
Zakynthos is one of the liveliest of the Greek islands for nightlife, centred on the southern resort of Laganas. The long main strip of Laganas is packed with bars, clubs, cocktail lounges and late-night venues that draw a young crowd through the summer. The party runs until dawn in this vibrant location. Kalamaki, next door, … Read more
The Ionian island of Zakynthos is reached by air or by sea. Its airport, named after the poet Dionysios Solomos, lies just south of the capital. It takes charter and scheduled flights from across Europe through the summer, as well as domestic flights from Athens. By sea, ferries cross from the mainland port of Kyllini … Read more
The Ionian island of Zakynthos enjoys a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters that shape every aspect of life on this lush, green destination. The island receives more rainfall than the Aegean islands, which gives it a verdant character that visitors fall in love with at first sight. Planning the right … Read more