Zakynthos, also called Zante, is the southernmost of the main Ionian islands, off the west coast of the Peloponnese: green and mountainous in the west, with white cliffs plunging into impossibly blue water, and gentle and sandy in the south. It is famous for Navagio, the Shipwreck Beach, for the Blue Caves of the north, and for the loggerhead sea turtles that nest on its southern beaches inside a national marine park. There is a lively side too, in the party resort of Laganas, and a quiet side of hill villages, monasteries and vineyards. The best months are June and September. Give it five days to a week.
Right now in Zakynthos (Zakynthos town)
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Zakynthos at a glance
- Best months: late May–June and September. Average highs run from about 23 °C in May to 31 °C in July and August, with almost no rain from June to August; heavy rain returns from October.
- Days needed: 3 for the highlights by boat and car; 5–7 to add beaches, villages and lazy days.
- Getting there: fly into Zakynthos airport (ZTH), with many charter and direct flights from May to October; or take the ferry from Kyllini in the Peloponnese, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Getting around: a hire car or a boat is needed for most of the island’s highlights; buses link the town with the main resorts.
- Budget level: good value, especially outside July and August. A per-room climate fee is added to every hotel bill. See our Greece guide for money, entry rules and daily costs.
- Rules to know (as of October 2026): Navagio beach is closed to visitors until at least 31 October 2026, and the turtle-nesting beaches and Laganas Bay have protection rules for swimmers and boats.
Zakynthos’s areas and who each one suits
- Zakynthos Town: the island’s capital and port, rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake in its old Venetian style, with Solomos Square, arcaded streets, museums and the Bochali hill above. Good for a day or a base without a beach.
- Laganas and Kalamaki: the long beach of Laganas Bay, where turtles nest; Laganas is the island’s party strip, Kalamaki next door is calmer and family-friendly.
- The Vasilikos peninsula: a green, hilly peninsula in the south-east with Gerakas, Porto Roma, Banana Beach and small hotels in olive groves. For nature lovers and families.
- Tsilivi and the north-east coast: sandy beaches and resort hotels north of town, then quieter fishing villages up to Agios Nikolaos, the port for the Blue Caves.
- The west and the mountains: cliffs, viewpoints, monasteries and traditional villages such as Kiliomeno, Volimes and Exo Chora; few beaches, but the island’s most dramatic scenery and sunsets. Best by car.
Navagio (Shipwreck Beach): access as of October 2026
Navagio is a small cove of white pebbles at the foot of 200-metre limestone cliffs on the north-west coast, with the rusting hull of a smuggling ship, the Panagiotis, which ran aground there in 1980. It is one of the most photographed beaches in the world, and for decades boats landed thousands of visitors on it every summer day.
That has stopped. A rockfall in September 2018 capsized small boats and injured several people, and further landslides followed, including after an earthquake in 2022. Since 2023 the beach has been closed every summer on the advice of geologists. For 2026, a joint decision of four Greek ministries, published in the Government Gazette on 28 May 2026, keeps the beach closed until 31 October 2026. Under it:
- No landing: nobody may set foot on the beach, by boat or any other way.
- No swimming: swimming is banned in the sea area of the bay.
- Boats keep their distance: boats may not come within 50 m of the shore, anchor or stop there, but can still view the cove from beyond that line.
- The viewpoint: the decision allows visitors on the existing upper viewing platform on the cliff top, but only once fencing and protection works along the slope are complete. Check locally whether it is open before you drive there.
In practice, you see Navagio in one of two ways: from a boat trip that passes the cove from the sea, usually combined with the Blue Caves, or from the cliff-top viewpoint near the Agios Georgios Krimnon monastery when it is open. At the viewpoint, stay behind the railings: in May 2026 a young tourist climbed over for a selfie and fell; a tree stopped his fall and he was lucky to survive. The government’s development fund has tendered a project worth about €3.9 million to rebuild the eroding beach with sand and gravel, with a second phase planned to save the wreck, so access rules may change in future seasons. Check the latest decision before booking a boat trip that promises a landing.
Top things to see in Zakynthos
The Blue Caves
At Cape Skinari, the northern tip of the island, the sea has carved arches and caves into the white cliffs, where the water glows an electric blue. Small boats leave from the little port of Agios Nikolaos and from the lighthouse at Skinari for trips of one to two hours, typically about €10–25 per person, and longer trips continue down the coast past Navagio for about €35–60. Go in the morning, when the light is best and the sea is usually calm; trips stop when the wind is strong. Swimming is allowed at some stops, but not inside the main caves, where boats come and go. See our boat trips guide and snorkeling guide.
Zakynthos Town
The capital was almost destroyed by the 1953 earthquake and rebuilt with arcades and pastel façades that echo its Venetian past. Stroll from Solomos Square, named after the national poet Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the Greek national anthem, along the waterfront to the church of Agios Dionysios, the island’s patron saint. The Museum of Zakynthos on the square holds beautiful icons and church art saved from the earthquake (€10; from April to October open 08:30–15:30, closed on Tuesdays). Then drive or walk up to the hill of Bochali and its Venetian castle for sunset over the town and the sea.
Keri, Limnionas and the west coast
In the far south-west, the Keri lighthouse stands above sheer cliffs and sea arches, with a café and one of the island’s best sunsets; boats from Keri bay visit the sea caves below. Further north, Porto Limnionas and Porto Roxa are rocky inlets of deep, clear water with no sand but superb swimming and snorkelling from ladders and platforms. Inland, the mountain villages of the west, the 15th-century Anafonitria monastery, where St Dionysios was abbot, and the viewpoints at Kampi and Schiza make a fine day’s drive. See our diving guide for the caves and reefs off this coast.
Xigia and Cameo Island
On the north-east coast, the coves of Xigia are fed by sulphur springs that bubble out of the rocks into the sea, giving the water a milky colour and a faint smell; locals say it is good for the skin. In the south, little Cameo Island, joined to Agios Sostis by a wooden footbridge and draped in white sails, is a popular spot for photos and weddings; it is privately run and charges a small entrance fee, about €5.
The National Marine Park and the sea turtles
Laganas Bay, in the south of the island, is one of the most important nesting areas in the Mediterranean for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). To protect it, Greece created the National Marine Park of Zakynthos in 1999. Since 2022 it has been managed by the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA). It covers the bay and its six nesting beaches: Gerakas, Daphni, Sekania, Kalamaki, East Laganas and the islet of Marathonisi, plus the remote Strofades islands. Turtles lay their eggs in the sand at night from late spring to late summer, and the hatchlings emerge until about October.
Rules on the nesting beaches
- Daytime only: the nesting beaches are open from 07:00 to sunset. Leave before dark, when the turtles come ashore.
- Stay near the water: keep to a strip about 5 m wide along the waterline, and never step inside the protective cages marking nests.
- No umbrellas on the wildest beaches: on Gerakas, Daphni and Marathonisi you may not put up your own umbrella; use only the park-approved ones where provided.
- Nothing on wheels or hooves: no vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, horses or dogs on the nesting beaches.
- Leave it as you found it: do not take sand, pebbles or shells, do not dig deep holes or build castles, and do not leave rubbish or light up the beach at night.
- Sekania is closed: it holds about half of all the nests and cannot be visited by land or sea.
Rules at sea and when watching turtles
- Speed limit: boats may not go faster than 6 knots in the park’s waters, and may anchor only in the outer zone (zone C).
- No boats in zone A: the inner part of the bay, marked by yellow buoys, is closed to boats from May to October.
- No jet skis or water-skiing and no fishing in the park’s waters.
- Watching turtles: stay at least 15 m away, never approach head-on or block their way, and leave after 15 minutes (10 minutes if the turtle is at the surface). Never feed or touch them.
Marathonisi (Turtle Island), a wooded islet with a sandy nesting beach in Laganas Bay, can be reached by boat from Laganas, Keri or Limni Keriou; numbers are limited and there are no umbrellas. Gerakas, at the end of the Vasilikos peninsula, is the park’s flagship beach, a long curve of sand under clay cliffs with an information kiosk; visitor numbers are capped in high season. Choose turtle-spotting boats that follow the park’s rules, keep their speed down and their distance, and do not chase or bait the turtles. See our beach guide.
Activities and best months
- Beaches and swimmingThe National Marine Park of Zakynthos protects the loggerhead turtle's nesting beaches in the south of the island: use them from 07:00, stay within 5 m of the waterline, keep 15 m from protected animals and leave at sunset.
- Boat tripsNavagio (Shipwreck) beach can be reached only by boat, mainly from Agios Nikolaos, Porto Vromi and Zakynthos town; the beach is closed for safety works and landing is not allowed, but boat trips still visit the cove.
Laganas: what to expect
Laganas, on the long beach of Laganas Bay, is Zakynthos’s party resort, with a strip of bars, clubs and fast food popular with young British and European groups from June to August. It is fun if that is what you want, and not for a quiet holiday. Police are visibly present in summer: in 2026 officers arrested several bar managers for music above the legal noise limits, and fights among visitors have led to arrests. Drink sensibly, keep your passport and phone safe, and remember that the beach in front of the resort is a turtle-nesting beach, closed at night. Families and couples will prefer Kalamaki, Vasilikos or the north-east coast.
Other things to do in Zakynthos
Beaches beyond the park
Outside the nesting beaches, good choices include Banana Beach and Porto Zoro on the Vasilikos peninsula, the sandy resort beaches of Tsilivi and Alykes in the north-east, the pebble coves of Makris Gialos and Agios Nikolaos near the Blue Caves, and the clear-water rocks of Porto Limnionas in the west. Renting a small boat without a licence, from Agios Nikolaos or Keri, is a lovely way to reach coves with no road; stay outside the park’s restricted zones.
Villages, viewpoints and walks
Drive up to the church on Mount Skopos above the Vasilikos peninsula for views over Laganas Bay, or walk the old paths between the mountain villages of the west in spring and autumn. See our hiking guide. From 1 May to 31 October, Greece’s fire-season rules apply: no fires outdoors, and forests can be closed on very-high-risk days.
Food and wine
Try local specialities such as rabbit or rooster stifado, sofigadoura (slow-cooked beef), the island’s sharp cheeses and mandolato, a white nougat with almonds. Zakynthos has its own traditional wine, Verdea, a sharp, slightly oxidised white made mainly from the Skiadopoulo grape, which you can taste at small wineries in the villages. In the evenings, listen out for kantades, Venetian-style love songs sung by local groups in tavernas in town. See our wine tasting guide.
Nearby destinations
Getting there and getting around
Flights
Zakynthos Dionysios Solomos airport (ZTH), run by Fraport Greece, is about 4 km south of Zakynthos Town, close to Laganas and Kalamaki. Most international flights operate from May to October; from Athens there are flights all year. KTEL buses link the airport and the town several times a day in season, and taxis take about 10 minutes to town.
By ferry and bus
- From the mainland: Levante Ferries sails from Kyllini, in the western Peloponnese, to Zakynthos Town all year, in about 1 hour 15 minutes, with up to about seven sailings a day in summer. Foot-passenger tickets start at about €12.50 and cars at about €38.
- From Athens by bus: KTEL Zakynthos runs coaches between Athens (Kifissos station) and Zakynthos Town via the Kyllini ferry, taking about four and a half hours; a ticket costs €31 as of October 2026.
- To Kefalonia: in summer, a ferry links Agios Nikolaos in the north of Zakynthos with Pessada in Kefalonia in about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45; in 2026 it ran from mid-June to about 20 September, twice a day. Check the timetable before you plan around it.
Cars, buses and boats
A hire car, or a scooter for confident riders, is the best way to reach the west coast, the Navagio viewpoint, Keri and the Vasilikos beaches; roads in the mountains are narrow and winding. KTEL buses link Zakynthos Town with Laganas, Kalamaki, Tsilivi, Alykes and other resorts, less often outside summer. For the Blue Caves, Navagio and Marathonisi, the sea is the way: book a boat trip or rent a small boat.
When to go and how long to stay
Zakynthos has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. July and August are hot and busy, especially in Laganas. Late May, June and September are the sweet spot: warm sea, sunshine and space on the beaches, and the turtles nesting or hatching. October is often lovely but brings the first heavy rains. Most resort hotels, boat trips and many restaurants close from November to April.
| Season | Average high / low | Rainy days a month | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | 16–23 °C / 9–14 °C | 3–8 | Green and flowery; good for walking; boat trips start in May. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 28–31 °C / 18–21 °C | 0–1 | Hot and dry; peak season for beaches, boats and Laganas nightlife; turtles nesting. |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 19–28 °C / 13–19 °C | 3–11 | September is warm and calmer, with hatchlings; rain arrives in October and November. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 14–16 °C / 8–10 °C | 11–13 | Mild and rainy; very quiet; most resorts closed. |
Figures are the 1961–1990 climate normals for Zakynthos airport. Newer official normals for the island were not available; recent summers have been slightly warmer. Zakynthos gets about 940 mm of rain a year, almost all between October and March.
3 days in Zakynthos
One day for a boat trip from Agios Nikolaos to the Blue Caves and past Navagio, with a stop at the cliff-top viewpoint if it is open; one day for the turtle beaches of Gerakas and the Vasilikos peninsula, with a boat to Marathonisi; and one day for Zakynthos Town, Bochali and sunset at the Keri lighthouse.
5–7 days in Zakynthos
Add a drive through the mountain villages and Anafonitria, a swim at Porto Limnionas, a day at Xigia or Banana Beach and a few lazy days. In summer, take the ferry from Agios Nikolaos to Kefalonia for a few nights, or continue north to Corfu. On the mainland, Nafplio and ancient Olympia are within a few hours’ drive of Kyllini.
Where to stay in Zakynthos
- Nightlife: Laganas.
- Families: Kalamaki, Tsilivi or Alykes, with sandy beaches and calm water.
- Nature and quiet: the Vasilikos peninsula, or a villa in the hills of the west.
- Boat trips and the north: Agios Nikolaos or the villages around Volimes.
- Without a car: Zakynthos Town or Tsilivi, on the main bus routes.
Greece adds a climate resilience fee per room per night, set by type of accommodation. As of October 2026, from April to October it is €2 for 1–2 star hotels and rented rooms, €5 for 3 stars, €10 for 4 stars, €15 for 5 stars and €8 for short-term holiday rentals (€15 for houses over 80 m²); it is much lower from November to March. Hotels near the turtle beaches should keep their lights shielded from the sand; choose those that do.
Practical tips for Zakynthos
- Navagio: do not book a trip that promises to land on the beach; it is not allowed in 2026.
- Viewpoints: stay behind the railings on the cliff tops; the edges crumble.
- Turtle beaches: leave by sunset, keep near the water and do not touch nests or turtles.
- Boat hire: licence-free boats are easy to rent; stay out of the park’s zone A and keep to 6 knots inside the park.
- Driving: mountain roads are narrow and steep; take it slowly and avoid driving after drinking.
- Season: from November to April many hotels, boats and restaurants close.
- Emergencies: call 112.
Weather month by month
What to pack for Zakynthos
Pack swimwear, a sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor reef-safe sunscreen; on Gerakas, Daphni and Marathonisi you cannot put up your own umbrella, so bring a shirt for shade. Water shoes help on the pebble coves and the rocks at Porto Limnionas, and a snorkel mask is worth it for the clear water of the Blue Caves and the west coast. A dry bag keeps phones and cameras safe on boat trips. Comfortable walking shoes help at viewpoints and in the hill villages, and a light scarf or shirt covers shoulders in monasteries. From October, add a rain jacket.
What to pack
- Day packs and anti-theft bagsCarries water, towel and sunscreen down the long stairways to Algarve coves.
- Dry bags and phone pouchesProtects phones and cameras from sand and spray on beaches reached by ferry or steep paths.
- Fleeces and warm layersIt is cooler at sea than on land, especially on morning whale-watching trips.
- Quick-dry beach towelsA sand-shedding quick-dry towel packs small for beach days and lido visits.
- Rain jacketsA windproof, waterproof shell keeps you warm on open boats, where wind and spray cool you quickly.
- Reef-friendly sunscreenSummer UV is strong on Portuguese beaches and there is little shade below the cliffs.
- Water shoesRocky coves, lava pools and weever fish in shallow sand make water shoes useful.
- WetsuitsOn the west and north coasts the sea stays around 16–18 °C even in summer, so a thin suit helps for long swims.
Zakynthos travel FAQ
Can you go on Navagio beach in 2026?
No. A ministerial decision keeps Navagio closed until 31 October 2026: no landing, no swimming in the bay, and boats must stay at least 50 m from the shore. You can see it from a passing boat or from the cliff-top viewpoint when that is open.
Is the Navagio viewpoint open?
The 2026 decision allows visitors only on the existing upper platform, and only after fencing and protection works on the slope are finished. Check locally before you go, and never climb over the railings.
How do you get to the Blue Caves?
By boat from Agios Nikolaos or Cape Skinari in the north of the island. Trips take one to two hours and cost about €10–25; go in the morning for the best light and calmest sea.
Where can you see turtles in Zakynthos?
In Laganas Bay, inside the National Marine Park, often from boats near Marathonisi and Keri. Choose operators who keep 15 m away and move slowly, and never chase, feed or touch the turtles.
What are the rules on the turtle beaches?
The nesting beaches are open from 07:00 to sunset. Stay close to the water, keep away from nest cages, bring no vehicles, horses or dogs, and do not put up your own umbrella on Gerakas, Daphni or Marathonisi. Sekania is closed.
Is Laganas a good place to stay?
Only if you want nightlife: it is the island’s party resort, busy and loud in July and August. For a quieter stay, choose Kalamaki, Vasilikos, Tsilivi or the north-east coast.
How do you get to Zakynthos from Athens?
Fly from Athens in under an hour, or take the KTEL coach and the Kyllini ferry, about four and a half hours in all, for €31 as of October 2026.
Do I need a car in Zakynthos?
It helps a lot. Buses link the town with the main resorts, but the west coast, Keri, the viewpoints and many beaches are much easier by car, and the Blue Caves and Marathonisi by boat.
Can I go from Zakynthos to Kefalonia?
Yes, in summer: a ferry runs from Agios Nikolaos to Pessada in about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45. In 2026 it ran from mid-June to about 20 September.
When is the best time to visit Zakynthos?
Late May, June and September: warm sea and sunshine without the peak crowds of July and August. Most resorts close from November to April.
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Navagio’s access rules come from the joint ministerial decision published in the Government Gazette on 28 May 2026, as reported by the Greek press; the turtle and marine park rules from the National Marine Park of Zakynthos; museum prices and hours from the Greek Ministry of Culture; airport and Athens bus information from Zakynthos airport and KTEL Zakynthos; and climate figures from the 1961–1990 normals for Zakynthos airport. Boat-trip prices and ferry times come from operators and booking sites and change by season. Check the latest Navagio decision and the operators before you travel.
Also: nmp-zak.org · visitgreece.gr · HNMS normals 1991–2020, Zakynthos (airport); rain: HNMS averages 1970–2010, Argostoli (Kefalonia) (climate)
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODBL) · Wikidata (CC0)