Villages of Zakynthos
Discover authentic island life away from the tourist crowds
Zakynthos Town (Zante Town)
The island's capital — a remarkable city rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake in neoclassical and Venetian style, with a lively harbour, excellent museums, and an evening street life that belongs to locals first.
- Venetian Castle above the town
- Agios Dionysios Cathedral
- Byzantine Museum
Machairado
An inland village in the heart of Zakynthos' agricultural plain — home to the island's most important surviving church, the miraculous bell tower of Agia Mavra, and a pace of life unchanged by tourism.
- Church of Agia Mavra — survived 1953 earthquake
- Venetian bell tower — one of the finest in the Ionian Islands
- Agricultural village with olive groves and vineyards
Volimes
A cluster of three mountain villages in Zakynthos' wild north — known for handwoven textiles, local honey, traditional lace-making, and the road that leads to the Navagio viewpoint.
- Navagio viewpoint (5km away)
- Traditional lace and textile workshops
- Anafonitria Monastery
Laganas
Zakynthos' most famous beach resort — a wild nightlife strip built on top of one of the Mediterranean's most important sea turtle nesting sites, where conservation and tourism coexist in productive tension.
- Laganas Beach — 9km sandy stretch
- Caretta caretta sea turtle nesting area
- National Marine Park of Zakynthos
Argassi
A lively coastal village on Zakynthos' east coast at the foot of Mount Skopos — where a tourist strip meets genuine Greek taverna culture, with easy access to some of the island's best east-coast beaches.
- Mount Skopos hike with panoramic views
- Old stone bridge (Venetian era)
- East-coast beaches within walking distance
Alykes & Alykanas
Twin coastal villages on Zakynthos' northern shore — named after ancient salt pans, offering a long sandy beach, a laid-back family atmosphere, and the best base for exploring the wild north of the island.
- Alykes Beach — long, sandy, shallow
- Historic salt pans (Alines)
- Gateway to Volimes and Navagio
Tsilivi
Zakynthos' most popular family resort — an organised beach, waterpark, and a village centre that manages to balance tourist infrastructure with genuine Greek charm, all within easy reach of the capital.
- Tsilivi Beach — Blue Flag, organised
- Zante Water Village waterpark
- Family-friendly restaurants and shops
Keri
A quiet hilltop village in Zakynthos' wild southwest — gateway to the dramatic Keri Caves sea arches, the island's historic lighthouse, and some of the most unspoiled coastline in Greece.
- Keri Lighthouse with Ionian sunset views
- Keri Caves sea arches (by boat)
- Traditional wine production (Avgoustiatis grape)
Bochali
The hillside neighbourhood above Zakynthos Town — home to the Venetian castle, panoramic sunset views, and the quiet, pine-shaded streets where the island's artistic and intellectual life has always concentrated.
- Venetian Castle (Kastro) with 360° views
- Panoramic sunset over Zakynthos Town and harbour
- Birthplace of national poet Dionysios Solomos
Kambi
A tiny western hamlet on Zakynthos' highest sea cliffs — home to the iconic cross memorial, the island's most dramatic sunset, and cliff-edge tavernas where you dine 300 metres above the Ionian Sea.
- The Cross of Kambi — war memorial on the cliff edge
- 300-metre sea cliffs — most dramatic on the island
- Legendary sunset views over the Ionian Sea