Zakynthos, your Ultimate Beginners guide

A short flight from the UK take you to one of my favourite family holiday islands… Zante, or Zakynthos if you prefer! With 3 kids in tow, we have visited now 5 times, staying in Kalamaki each time. Despite staying in the same resort each time we have gotten out and about and seen lots of other parts of the island. This is your ultimate beginner’s guide to Zakynthos!

Getting there

The flight from the UK to Zante is approximately 3.5 hours. There are flights from most UK airports almost daily throughout the summer season. As with the other Ionian islands, the season only gets going from May – October. Lots of the bars, restaurants and shops close up at the end of September. The average temperatures in the summer range from 25°C – 33°C with very few rainy days.

On arrival in Zante

As you arrive in Zante you’ll see the airport is very clean and easy to navigate. There are plenty of taxis available if you haven’t pre-booked a transfer. The majority of resorts are within a 45-minute transfer. Kalamaki is so close that you can see the runway from certain parts of the resort. The flight times to and from Zante are during daylight hours so as to not disturb the nesting loggerhead turtles. It makes it ideal for families, you might not know it yet but a night flight with kids is no fun!

Kalamaki

Our absolute favourite of all the resorts. To us now it feels like home! A taxi from the airport to Kalamaki takes 10 minutes maximum and costs around €15. This might sound too close to the airport but even in the height of summer, there’s minimal noise from the airport. If anything, for aviation geeks like me it’s a bonus. I adore watching the planes come in from the beach! Kalamaki Beach is a nesting area for loggerhead turtles. You can often spot the protected nests on the beach at the height of the summer season. We’ve even spotted turtles swimming near the shore.

Laganas

Probably the main resort of Zante that you’ve heard about! It’s the well-known party town in Zante and attracts a huge proportion of the 1 million Brits who visit the Island each year. The main strip is a mile long and filled with bars and clubs. It’s the perfect party destination. By day, head to the beach in Laganas, a 5km strip on golden sands. It’s one of the nicest on the island and also attracts the wonderful loggerhead turtles. If you want to head to a chilled-out bar during the day, definitely check out Cameo Island. It is reached by a wooden footbridge, it’s such a pretty hidden gem. Transfer time from the airport to Laganas is approximately 20 minutes.

Tsilivi

Tsilivi is what I describe as “family lively” whenever anyone asks. It’s not as chilled as Kalamaki but not as lively as Laganas. A nice happy medium. By day the beach is busy with lots of sunbeds and watersports. By night, the resort comes alive with lots of restaurants and bars that welcome families. There’s even a waterpark here too, water village is one of the largest waterparks in Greece, a great day out for families or couples alike. Tsilivi is based on the opposite side of Zante town to Kalamaki and Laganas. The transfer time is still only about 20-30 minutes.

Argassi

A smaller resort than the others already mentioned, the beach is just a 5th of the length of the one in Laganas. However, it’s a small but perfectly formed resort. The beach is the star attraction as it is in most of the resorts. A golden sand and shingle beach with the most stunning crystal clear waters. Despite being a small resort there are still plenty of bars and restaurants to keep everyone fed and watered. A short 10-minute transfer is ideal for those who can’t wait to get their holiday started!

Alykes and Alikanas

Alykes and Alikanas run into each other to the point that it’s difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Both resorts are very relaxed and have a chilled vibe. They’re the perfect resort for a relaxing holiday. The beaches here are beautiful sweeping sandy beaches, just the place for spending the day. They are situated about 18km north of Zante town and 12 km north of Tsilivi. A taxi from the airport is not too pricy at around €30 each way taking roughly 30 minutes. There’s a good selection of bars and restaurants here with something to suit everyone.

Zante Town

The pretty capital of the island is definitely worth a visit. Once destroyed by an earthquake, the city has since been rebuilt in a beautiful Venetian style. Visit in the morning and you can find fishing boats selling the freshest fish by the harbour. Have a wander into the town and you have a huge selection of shops. Whether you want traditional souvenirs or fresh fruit and veg, there’s everything here. A big selection of bars and restaurants too, ready for refreshments after all that shopping.

Out and about in Zante

The bus service runs quite regularly between Zante Town and the bigger resorts and there are plenty of car rental companies around. It’s easy to get out and about. As the main resorts are all fairly close together it keeps the cost of travel between resorts affordable. This guide to Zakynthos will help you decide how to spend your time on this island.

Shipwreck Beach / Navagio

Whenever you think of Zante, 90% of the time the image of Navagio Beach is what springs to mind. It’s an iconic tourist attraction on the north of the island. The ship ran aground and was stranded in the 1960s and has since become an Instagram favourite. For the last few years, the beach has been closed to visitors due to a landslide. You can however visit by road to see the beach from above to get that Instagram shot.

Turtle Island – Marathonisi

Named so for 2 reasons. Firstly because from a distance it actually looks like a turtle. Secondly, it’s a breeding ground for the loggerhead turtles. Lots of the turtle spotting trips will include a stop for an hour or so to the beautiful island. There’s a white sand and shingle beach on one side of the island, this is where literally everyone sets up their towels.

The ice cream boat moors up on this side too, playing Bob Marley out of the speaker. It’s a great place to spend the day, relaxing and swimming and drinking ice-cold mythos. If you want to spend longer than an hour, you can get a water taxi over and choose how long you want to spend there yourself.

Turtle spotting trips

Along every main strip in every resort are at least 3 stalls selling trips. Each one of them will have its own turtle-spotting tour. They run all seasons and many of them are on a glass-bottom boat. You are much more likely to spot a loggerhead turtle in July and August. We have done a trip in May though and managed to see one. It’s worth shopping around to see which is the best value, but most will include a stop at Marathonisi and collect you from your accommodation.

Accommodation options

The island is home to many different types of accommodation. Big hotels with on-site waterparks all the way to smaller self-catering properties. They range from young and lively basic 2* accommodation in Laganas. To 5* Luxury such as the stunning Olea All Suite hotel in Tsilivi. There’s something for everyone in Zante.

Basics

• Flight time 3-3.5 hours
• Time zone GMT+2
• Language Greek
• Currency Euro
• When to go Mid May to mid-September
• How to get there Daily flights from the UK in the Summer season
• Who should travel here? Everyone! Families, couples, friends, young, old, solo travellers, everyone!

The Greek islands are all so beautiful, if you want to compare it to Kos you can read my guide here or to read more into Zante and Greece in general you can find my posts here

Thank you for reading, I hope I have given you some inspiration for your next trip!

Becky x