Greek Islands

Zakynthos (Island)

Zakynthos Crystal Clear Water and rock sculpting by the waves

Welcome to Zakynthos!

The magnificent island of Zakynthos is one of the most beautiful and fertile islands of the Mediterranean. Its total size amounts to 406 square kilometers, and its permanent population is 35,000. The Zakynthians are optimistic, friendly, smiling, and hospitable people. They are also said to be very talkative and their linguistic idiom sounds like a song. Since the island has always been associated with song, especially the famous cantada of Zakynthos, it is no wonder that their speech is also melodious.

Due to repeated earthquakes, the morphological structure of the island is of great interest. Thus, the beaches on the northeastern side of the island are sandy and flat, while the beaches on the southwestern side are rocky and steep. From Cape Skinari up to the Cape Marathia, the beaches are steep, forming caves and small bays. The well-photographed Wreck beach is situated among these beaches. The coasts opposite to the Peloponnese - between the cape of Skinari and the cape of Gerakas - are sandy and shallow, ideal for swimming. The seawater has a clear greenish blue transparency. The most popular cave is the Blue Cave at Cape Skinari on the northern side of the island; it can be visited by boat from the near-by small port of Agios Nikolaos.

On the northeastern side, you will find the small islands Marathonisi and Pelousi as well as the bay of Laganas, one of the most frequented beaches in Greece. One major drawback is that the endangered tortoises, caretta-caretta, also find this beach to their liking and lay their eggs here, wishing to exercise their first-comer rights! So visitors here should try and follow some minimal precautions to avoid lying or tramping upon the sand which covers the tortoises' very nesting spots!

The fertile prairie of the island is cultivated by the inhabitants, and the most characteristic crops include vineyards and orchards of olive trees, which are favored by the mild climatic conditions of the island. Many mineral springs dating back to ancient times can be found on the island. Such springs are the St. Panteleimon springs in the village of Koukesi and the Tsouri springs in the village of Aghios Dimitrios. The mineral springs are an ideal therapeutic treatment for arthritis and rheumatism.

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