Zakynthos Travel Guide

Zakynthos is an island off of the Greek Peloponnese and BOY let me tell you that it is INCREDIBLE and definitely should be added to your itinerary or bucket list – whichever you might be putting together currently. Our biggest regret from our itinerary was not spending more than one day on Zakynthos.

Zakynthos doesn’t have many great beaches – if any. Most of the beaches are pebbles or rocks, which makes it hard to sunbathe on but great for the water visibility. The large island has a lot of uninhabited areas and the roads aren’t very great. However, all of that is worth it for the white cliffs and incredible blue waters.

How to get there

You can get to Zakynthos by plane or by ferry. The ferry only takes 1 hour from the Kyllini port and was quite nice. You can go as just a passenger or you can also bring you car (it’s that big! Like a mini cruise ship). The bottom of the ship is basically a parking garage with cars and trucks and motorcycles stuffed in. The top has indoor and outdoor seating around tables or on couches with snack bars and nice restrooms. It really was quite a nice experience. We took Levante Ferries. You can find their schedule (or “timetable” and more information at their website.

What to do

Navagio Beach: The most popular place on Zakynthos is Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach. The beach is only accessible by boat, but there is a lookout on top of the huge cliffs with an incredible view of the beach
Blue Caves: there is no specific “blue cave” but rather many blue caves along the coast on the way to the shipwreck. Like Navagio, it is only accessible by boat. They are called the blue caves because of the incredible blue water! There are some spots you can swim in the caves and arches you can take the boats through!
Mizithres: The Mizithres are beautiful white rock formations off the coast of Zakynthos. Like the other two, they are only accessible by boat. However, this really isn’t necessary as the view from the cliffs is INCREDIBLE. The hike up the dirt path takes about 7 minutes
Porto Limnionas: Porto Limnionas has a strip of clear, blue water lined by rocks. There is no sandy beach, but you can rent beach chairs or just rest on the rocks. There is a platform for jumping in, cliff jumping, snorkeling, scuba diving, a cave to explore, and just swimming in the beautiful water and enjoying the views. It does get busy so go early and bring good shoes for walking down the rocky way. Also note that the road is pretty small and the parking in the parking lot is limited.
Marathonisi or Turtle Island: Marathosini is a small, uninhabited island with a perimeter of about 1 mile that is part of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. It is called Turtle Island because it is the breading ground for turtles in the summer, and also where a species of seals go to bread and rest. Because of this you can’t explore the island beyond the beach. There are 2 beaches, a sandy beach and a pebble beach. The sand beach is where the sea turtles lay their eggs. There are also a few caves that you can snorkel in (and sometimes see sea turtles). You can get to the island by boat from Keri Beach or Laganas Bay.
Kalamaki Beach: Near Laganas, this beach is quiet and sandy – a great place to bring children. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The water is calm and stays shallow for a ways, making it a great place for an easy swim. This beach is also a place where sea turtles go to lay eggs, so be mindful not to disturb the coverings they place in the sand or the turtles.
Cameo Island: Cameo island is a small island with a bridged pathway you can walk to. There are some pebbled beaches and snorkeling. It is 5 Euros per person. There is a bar on the island as well. There isn’t too much to do so most people only spend an hour or two.
St. Nicholas Beach: This is a beach with some of the better sand. There is a beautiful white church and the blue waters. Here they have jet skis and other water activities and lined with beach bars for food and drinks. The bars are not allowed to play music so the beach still stays relatively calm and quiet.
Korakonissi: Korakonissi is a beach cove with incredible views with swimming and snorkeling! Buses are not able to go down and it is a rocky walk down so be sure to wear good shoes! There is a beautiful cave and sometimes you can see a lot of fish snorkeling in its crystal clear waters.