This travel guide is about Zakynthos Island, which is the most famous of the Ionian Islands. This fame is caused by 2things: the unforgettable parties and the Shipwreck beach. So, let´s get you to Greece…
How to get there:
During the high season, it is very easy to fly from big cities in Europe to Zakynthos airport. An alternative way is to fly to Athens, and then take a domestic flight to Zakynthos. In some cases, taking a bus from Athens can be way cheaper than flying. Check all the options on Skyscanner and decide if the money worth the hassle.
If you are coming from Kefalonia, you will need to take a ferry from Pessada (Kefalonia) to Agios Nikolaus. The ferry ride is beautiful; you will even see the blue caves from outside. Be aware, that the car rental at Agios Nikolaus is not easy and it is hardly overpriced. They offered me 50€ per day for a very old-fashioned car, we wanted to go away, but they offered us 40€ (still very high, but we had no other options). If you can, book a car in advance
When to visit:
From April until October the weather is suitable to visit Zakynthos. If you are planning a lot of water activities, the water temperature is pleasant from June until September.
Where to stay:
If you love parties and craziness, stay in the South. I stayed away from the South until our last evening, I drove through with car at 7 pm and I was shocked. All the people were drunk, walking in the middle of the street. The entire south was like Ibiza. If you prefer a quiet accommodation, choose another area.
Getting around:
From one city to another, you can get by public bus. If you want to see anything beautiful in Zakynthos, you will need a vehicle. You can choose between motorbikes, quads, and cars. There are no buses to famous spots, not even to Shipwreck beach, so keep this in mind. Car rentals online say you have to be 21to hire a car. By the time we want, I was 20years old, and they let me hire anyway.
How to get to Shipwreck beach and viewpoint:
To the viewpoint, you will need to hire a vehicle. It is on the northwest side of the island. You don´t have to worry about the road, it is nothing bad. There is a small parking place, you can park your car and walk to the viewpoint (preferably in sneakers). This is an experience you can´t skip from your itinerary.
Getting to the beach is slightly more complicated. There are no ways down to the beach, so the only option is to take a boat. Porto Vromi is the closest harbor. You can hire a boat, a boat with a driver or just take an excursion with 20other people together. The beach gets very crowded in the day time and it is not the most enjoyable thing to do.
Hiring a boat
We hired a boat for 3 hours (80-100€). In 15 minutes a young boy explained to us (with perfect English) what we have to do and how to drive the boat. During these 3 hours we explored a blue cave, just next to the shipwreck beach, it was completely empty, no people around. It was the best way we could spend our day, I wasn´t even interested in the Shipwreck beach anymore. Make sure your boat rental includes insurance and fuel. I recommend Porto Vromi Maries cruises.
You can check my map with the best places in Zakynthos down below.
Thank you so much for reading my blog. Hope you will have a great time in Greece. Have a look at the neighbor islands, KEFALONIA. It is less popular than Zakynthos but at least as beautiful.
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Anita.-
2 comments
How does one find that cave?? looks amazing! I need that in my life.
it is next to the shipwreck beach, but you need a private boat.