What is Zakynthos like?
Zakynthos (Zante) is a green Ionian island with white cliffs, sea caves and turquoise water. Its south coast wraps around Laganas Bay, home to the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, which protects nesting beaches of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The island also has a special story for Israelis: all of Zakynthos's Jews survived the Holocaust (see below).
When is the best time to visit Zakynthos?
The season runs May to October. June and September are especially pleasant: warm sea and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, especially around Laganas. In winter most hotels and boat trips close.
How to get to Zakynthos
By air: Zakynthos has an international airport with domestic flights from Athens and seasonal summer flights from Europe. We found no direct Tel Aviv–Zakynthos flight confirmed for 2026 on airline or airport websites. You can fly to Athens and continue by domestic flight, or by car and ferry. Check current fares from Tel Aviv on Yavanet's flights page, updated every morning. Seasonal summer routes sometimes open, so check close to your dates.
By ferry: ferries to Zakynthos leave from Kyllini in the northwestern Peloponnese. According to Ferryhopper, the route runs all year with several sailings a day, and the crossing takes just over an hour. From Athens to Kyllini you drive or take a bus.
Top things to do in Zakynthos
- The Blue Caves in the north near Cape Skinari: a short boat ride to intensely blue water.
- The view over Navagio ('Shipwreck') bay from the clifftop. Note: the beach itself is closed to visitors (see below).
- A boat trip in Laganas Bay to Marathonisi ('Turtle Island'), following marine park rules.
- The Keri cliffs and Keri lighthouse in the southwest: a spectacular sunset view.
- Porto Limnionas and Porto Roma: rocky coves with clear water.
- Zakynthos Town: Solomos Square, St Mark's Square and the seafront.
- Bochali hill and the Venetian castle, overlooking the town and port.
- Xigia beach, with sulphur springs in the sea.
- The memorial to the rescue of Zakynthos's Jews in town (see 'Jewish heritage & kosher').
Best beaches in Zakynthos
- Gerakas: a long sandy beach inside the marine park and a turtle nesting site. Respect the park's rules of conduct.
- Banana and Agios Nikolaos (Vasilikos): sand and shallow water, good for families.
- Alykes and Alykanas (north): calmer and quieter.
- Porto Limnionas: a rocky cove for confident swimmers.
- Navagio: closed for landing and swimming until at least 31 October 2026 due to rockfall risk.
What's happening with Navagio beach?
Because of rockfall risk from the cliffs, a Greek government decision bans going onto the beach, swimming in the bay and approaching the shore by boat, reportedly in force until 31 October 2026. You can still view the bay from the clifftop viewing platform or from a boat outside the restricted zone. Check the current status before you go.
Where to stay in Zakynthos
Zakynthos Town and Argassi: close to the airport and port, good for restaurants and town life.
Vasilikos peninsula: calm, green, with good family beaches.
Tsilivi and Planos: resorts with long beaches.
Laganas: the island's nightlife hub, less suited if you want quiet.
The north (Alykes, Agios Nikolaos): closer to the Blue Caves and quieter.
Getting around Zakynthos
Local buses link the town and resorts, but to see the western cliffs, the Blue Caves and Keri it is worth renting a car. More in our guide to renting a car in Greece.
What to eat in Zakynthos
Fish and seafood, local cheeses, local wine and mandolato, the almond-and-honey nougat sold all over town.
Jewish heritage & kosher in Zakynthos
Zakynthos is one of the most moving Holocaust stories in Greece. When the German governor demanded a list of the island's Jews, Mayor Loukas Karrer and Bishop Chrysostomos handed over a list with only two names, their own, and the community of 275 Jews was hidden in villages. All of them survived. In 1978 Yad Vashem recognised both men as Righteous Among the Nations. The historic synagogue was destroyed in the 1953 earthquake, and statues of the mayor and the bishop now stand on its site. Read more about Jewish Greece.
We have not verified a Chabad house, active synagogue or kosher restaurant in Zakynthos. Our Shabbat times & kosher in Greece page lists candle-lighting times and the kosher places we have verified around Greece. You can order kosher groceries and meals in advance from Chabad's e-kosher.gr, which delivers across Greece, including the islands. Order a few days before you arrive, especially ahead of Shabbat.
