Have you ever seen a single photo online that was so beautiful and so inspiring that you planned a whole trip around it?
I basically came to Zakynthos island for one thing and one thing only: the mind-blowing viewpoint of Navagio Beach. I had obsessed over photos of it for years prior and would stop at nothing until I got to see it with my own eyes.
To this day, it's the prettiest beach I've ever seen, almost to the point that it looked CGI. Here's my complete travel guide to Zakynthos - I'll tell you how to get to Navagio Beach, the best things to do in Zakynthos, and more!
You know that one place 'happy place' you go to in your mind when you start to get upset? I definitely found mine.
How to get to Zakynthos, Greece
Zakynthos is a small island in the Ionian island group of Greece. It is accessible by both ferry and plane.
Ferries arrive to Zakynthos from the nearby Peloponnese peninsula from the Port of Kilini. The journey takes only about an hour, and it'll run you only €10! In the summer season, there are also ferries from next door island Kefalonia.
It's also accessible by plane from Athens - a one-way ticket hovers around $75 USD and the flight is around an hour. Other Greek islands also fly direct to Zayknthos like Corfu and Crete. As Zakynthos has grown in popularity, there are now also direct flights from London Gatwick and London Stansted. The airport is called Zante
My flight experience to Zakynthos went down as one of my most peculiar travel memories! I bought what I thought was a direct flight from Corfu, but when I showed up at the airport, I realized that this was more like we were traveling on a flying bus than a plane. Our tiny plane (a 15-ish seater) stopped at several small islands every 10 minutes on its route, would let a couple of people off, then continuing passengers would stay in their seats and wait for their stop. I really got a kick out of this, I had never seen anything like it before! I also still had cell phone service because we were flying so low to ground level! After the 4th of 5th island, it was my stop, time to get off and enjoy what the island has to offer! I was already in a great mood from this whimsical flying experience, so I knew the days to come were about to be amazing.
By the way, when you're planning a trip to Zakynthos, keep in mind that it's also interchangeably called Zante. This was confusing to me when I was planning my trip!
Where to stay in Zakynthos
To the dismay of budget travelers, there aren't any hostel/dorm options on the island, but there are still plenty of affordable places to stay. You can quickly find low-range hotels scattered around the island for around $40 USD per night.
I stayed at Anastasia Studios, which was a decent low-range option but I wouldn't necessarily go around recommending it to visitors as it was very basic.
If you're looking for a more luxurious stay, there's plenty of that too - Tombourus Boutique Villas looks freakin' amazing for example (if I had a cool $1,500 per night to spend), or Louis Plagos Beach resort which is an all-inclusive option.
There's also the option of AirBnb. I did a quick search and found some nice, affordable places to stay in the $40 to $75 price range:
In any case, the best bet is to base yourself close or near to Zante town because there's plenty of restaurants, shops, and activities to do within walking distance.
Another part of the island to stay is called Laganas, which is a resort area. This is probably best for travelers that like the resort atmosphere and a little bit of nightlife since there's some of that here and not much of it in quiet Zante town.
Things to do in Zakynthos
1. Of course, number one on this list is the Navagio Beach viewpoint aka Shipwreck Beach viewpoint.
If you're wondering how to get to Navagio Beach, it's extremely easy to find. Just search in Google Maps "Shipwreck Beach Viewpoint" and it will bring you to the exact location. It takes around an hour to drive here from Zante town, but its a beautiful drive among mountains and coastline. There's ample parking on site once you arrive, too. The best time to visit for photographing Navagio Beach is the early afternoon when the beach is backlit.
Once you're at the viewpoint, there are designated areas for safer viewing with a platform and fences that will prevent any accidents from happening. Unfortunately, many tourists have died from falling off the steep cliff face while trying to get better views of the beach below. It happens often enough that they now have land 'lifeguards' who sit and watch people at the viewpoint and whistle when you get too close to the edge.
There's a trail that goes on for perhaps half a mile away from the parking lot, and the best views are furthest away from the parking lot in my opinion. It's also more private there too! Please just use common sense and don't get too close to the edge. I recommend wearing appropriate shoes, too - the coastline can be rugged in some places.
Every minute of planning and every dollar spent to get to Zakynthos was beyond worth it once I saw that view. The water was a blue so bright that it almost seemed as if it was lit up by electricity. I've traveled far and wide trying to find the best beaches/tropical locations in the world, and this view surpassed everything else by a landslide. Seriously, go see for yourself!
2. Take a boat ride to Navagio Beach/Shipwreck Beach
The beautiful beach you see down below from the viewpoint is actually only accessible via boat ride. The boat trips set sail from the village of Volimes or Porto Vromi Bay, and from both places, it takes around 20 minutes to get to the beach.
It costs around $30-$50 USD to take this boat ride and lasts from 6-8 hours. You even get to visit blue caves as a stop as well! I was on such a tight (and I mean to-the-dollar tight) budget when I visited Zakynthos that I didn't end up taking this boat trip, so I can't personally recommend a certain company. This is truly an experience you don't want to miss!
3. Keri Caves
If you saw the blue caves on your Navagio beach boat tour and you want to see more caves around the island, Keri Caves is a great activity for you. The stunning cliffs here reach 300 meters high (around 900 feet!) and the contrast of the white rock with the electric turquoise water is insane.
4. Keri Lighthouse
If you're traveling to Zaknyhtos with your significant other and looking for a romantic meal with sweeping views of the Ionian Sea, then you have to head to Keri Lighthouse! A quaint restaurant sits on the cliff with an expansive terrace, making for a very romantic spot.
If you don't want to pay for drinks/food at the restaurant, you can also keep heading down the road to the free vantage point to get the same views.
5. Marathonisi Island
Marathonisi Island (aka "Turtle Island" because it's a breeding ground for sea turtles) is another wonderful day trip to take via boat. It's an uninhabited little island off the southern coast of Zakynthos and a must-visit if you want to cross swimming with sea turtles off your bucket list.
6. Anafonitria Monastery
Another must-visit is the Anafonitria Monastery constructed during Zankythos' Byzantine period in the 15th century. Fun fact: the patron saint Saint Dionysios lived here in the 1500s. Nowadays, it's a quaint place to stop on your way to the Navagio Beach viewpoint (it's located closeby)!
7. Byzantine Museum
If you're a museum buff or really into religious art (or both), head to the Byzantine Museum. It's home to an impressive collection of Byzantine art like paintings, icons, wood carvings, crucifixes (I feel like the plural word should be crucifixi - way more fun) and more.
8. Zante Town
A walk around Zakynthos town proved that this island is much more than it's beaches and sea activities. I was pleasantly surprised to find a charming old town complete with white-stone streets and buildings, beautiful churches, and small-town European city feel. I was there in high season, yet the town still didn't feel overrun with tourists, and definitely hadn't lost its local charm like some other Greek destinations have at the hand of mass tourism.
Some sights to see in Zante town are Solomos Square, St. Mark Square, and the Church of Saint Dionysios. The Byzantine Museum is also here! All over Zante town you can find tour operators where you can purchase boat tours to Navagio Beach, the blue caves, Keri caves, and Marathonisi Island.
9. Visit the (other) best beaches in Zakynthos
Navagio wins "best beach in Zakynthos" by a landslide (and the world, in my honest opinion), but there are also some other nice beaches to spend time at. I recommend Kalamaki Beach, Porto Limnionas Beach, Banana Beach, and Gerakas Beach.
How to get around Zakynthos
The best way to get around Zakynthos is hands down by renting a car. There is public transportation around the island, but it's not the most reliable or timely. You'll make the most of your time if you get your own ride! I drove solo around the island as a wee little 20 year old and I can confirm it was very easy and chill to navigate. There's no major cities here or any 'scary' roads (not like that time I drove by myself through the seaside cliffs in Albania and my car broke down).
Best time to go to Zakynthos
The best time to visit Zakynthos is from May until September. It's sunny summer in Greece during this time. But that also means it can get pretty packed with other tourists, so visit either towards the beginning of the season in May or the end in September to avoid crowds. It's not nearly as bad as the crowds on other Greek islands though!
Conclusion
Zakynthos is worth visiting just for the viewpoint of Navagio Beach alone, but it has so much more to offer visitors than that. Whether you want to swim with sea turtles, cruise by some stunning sea caves, or see Byzantine-era art and architecture, there's something for you on this beautiful Ionian island. I hope you enjoyed this Zakynthos, Greece travel guide!
Where's the prettiest beach you've ever been to in the world?
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