Zakynthos is a small but vibrant island just 20 kilometers West from the mainland Greece. It’s only an hour’s flight from Athens, and during Summer season it can also be reached by boat. I visited Zakynthos in January 2023, so way outside of the season, but guess what?
Turns out I got a lot more out of the week-long trip in January than most tourists get during the Season (May-August)! At least judging by Google. Because if you Google Zakynthos, and settle for just finding the places that the search engine shows you, you’re missing out on 80% of what the island has to offer!
So, to make sure you get the MOST out of your trip to this beautiful, lush island, I’m going to show you 8 must-see places in Zakynthos instead of only the 2 that most people know about. Let’s dive straight in!
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Zakynthos Island – 8 Must-See Places That NOBODY’s Told You About!
Now, first things first, when in Zakynthos, the best thing to do is to rent a car! There is virtually no public transport on the island, and even if there were, it wouldn’t take you to these places I’m about to show you. Also, with a car you will have all the freedom and flexibility to go wherever you like whenever, and stay as long as you like.
NOTE! Make sure you rent a car that can handle steep hills! A lot of the time you will be driving on and over the mountains, and believe me when I say, not all cars can handle it. I’m talking from experience:
The house we were staying at had a car we could borrow. But the old Sedan with about half a horse power almost left us stranded on a hill not twice, not three times, but several times in one week. So, find yourself a reliable car, and get exploring!
1. Navágio “Shipwreck” Beach
Let’s start with the obvious. If you google ‘Zakynthos’, 95% of all the images that pop up are of this place. And that’s justified, it’s truly an extraordinary place, and not just because of the shipwreck that’s lounging about on the beach between steep rock walls.
The rusty shipwreck is the remains of an actual ship called Panagiótis that was grounded to this beach in a storm in 1980. The stories surrounding the wreck calling it a smuggling vessel are actually true. Panagiótis was smuggling cigarettes when it crashed to shore.
There are 2 ways to visit this place: drive to the cliffs and admire the incredible views of the sea, cliffs and the beach. Or rent a cruise to take you straight to the beach to see the shipwreck and spend some time there.
Two things to know about the beach: Firstly, it’s not sand! The beach consists of crushed stones, so it’s not the most comfortable place for sunbathing. Secondly, as cool as the shipwreck is, the views from the top of the cliff are much more impressive.
2. Damianos Cave
Take a drive to the picturesque village of Agalas, and follow the signs down a narrow path among the pine trees. When you cross a little hill, the view of 2 big caves opens up on your right. Welcome to Damianos Caves! As can be expected, these caves have a legend to go with them. Story time (courtesy of GoZakynthos):
According to local legend, an evil dragon by the name of Andronios lived in the caves. The dragon was impressive 300 meters tall! Andronios had been tormenting the good villagers of Agalas for long enough when the chief, Damianos, challenged the dragon into a fight.
Damianos won the battle, and as punishment, the dragon was forced to create 12 wells around the village. Each well represented a month. Damianos followed the dragon’s work from the mouth of the caves, which makes perfect sense, because the views from there are spectacular.
Another tale tells that the dragon was eventually killed by Damianos’ horse, and apparently there is a rock within the cave that resembles a horse’s head. Unfortunately there is no passage from the lower cave to the one on top of it, but nonetheless, the whole assembly is impressive and definitely worth a visit.
3. Porto Limnionas
This was a place that we stumbled across completely by accident. And thank goodness for that! It’s worth noting, though, that the place looks rather different in the Winter compared to what it looks like in the Summer. In January we got to witness a spectacular show of Mother Nature’s power with massive waves rushing into the bay, splashing off the rock edges and swarming into the cave opposite to a viewing terrace.
There’s nothing quite as impressive or dangerous on this planet as the raging sea. I could spend weeks sitting on a rock just staring at the waves crashing in! Instead of a week, we spent couple happy hours there admiring the show.
Now, in the Summer there rarely is wind like what we experienced, which means you can actually get into water there. You can rent diving equipment to go explore the cave or just zig-zag around the beautiful bay. This is proper Instagrammable spot as well, especially with the little boat marooned to the edge of the bay.
4. Mizithres Beach
This place!! Again, you have 2 options: either drive to Keri in South-West Zakynthos (where you can also find the Keri lighthouse), and walk to the cliff. There you can enjoy some incredible views. Or second option is to rent a boat to go to the small beach below the 2 huge rocks rising from the incredibly turquoise water.
I would definitely recommend going up to the cliffs instead of the beach. Not just for the views, but because the cliffs may well be shut off from public very soon! Right now you can get right to the edge for incredible photos of the Small & Big Mitzithra rocks. But be careful, because the cliff edge is slowly but surely crumbling.
While we were there we saw chunks of the vertical cliff falling off, so even on the beach I’d stay clear from the rising wall of stone. I assume that right now this place doesn’t get many tourists. But the more people find their way there, the faster the cliff will erode. I wonder if it will take someone falling off it before the local authorities shut it off…
5. KampĂ cliff
If you’re a friend of sunsets, then I suggest driving over to the village of KampĂ after 5pm. Make sure your car has proper lights, though, so you can find your way back down from the mountains after dark! Close to the village by the sea you can find the Sunset Michali’s Taverna, next to which there is a viewpoint that towers over the bay.
The views from here are breathtaking, no matter what time of day you go there! In Winter time the Taverna is closed, but in the Summer you can enjoy a refreshing drink with the views over the turquoise sea.
6. Xigia “Sulphur” Beach
Xigia Beach is a small but beautiful beach undulated between tall rock walls. This is a sand beach, unlike the beaches I mentioned earlier in this post, and it can only be reached by car. Also with this beach there’s a small ‘but’. The name “Sulphur beach” tells you everything that’s relevant.
There are plenty of sulphurous caves nearby this beach, which is why there is a distinctive smell of rotten eggs about the place. Despite the smell, the sulphur actually does a lot of favours for the beach-goers. Firstly, the water is a lovely baby-blue colour due to it, and also includes healing properties.
So, even if the smell makes it impossible for you to spend a whole day there, it’s definitely worth a visit and a dip in the sea.
7. Caves and beach in Makris Gialos
From the Xigia Beach you can either drive or walk along the road until you get on a hill with views of the mountains on the opposite island, Kefalonia. Continue down the hill along the road, and you’ll see the village of Makris Gialos by the sea. And below the village there are several caves!
Next to the caves you can see another sandy beach. This beach is a better option for those who can’t deal with the smell of sulphur on the Xigia Beach. You can also book a tour to the caves there, but only during Summer months.
We found these caves completely by accident when we walked up to the hill to get pictures of the mountains on Kefalonia. And this is why I suggest to everyone to always wander off the beaten path! There are sights everywhere that nobody’s mentioned because nobody knows about them.
And hey, who wouldn’t want the bragging rights for finding a place that everybody else has missed out on so far?!
8. Port of Zakynthos
Last but definitely not least: we’ve mainly covered natural sights and wonders so far, but to add a civilized element to it all, Port of Zakynthos should be mentioned! If you arrive to Zakynthos by boat, this port is where you will land.
Port of Zakynthos is also the most vibrant part of the island. It’s the place where you can find shopping streets, plenty of restaurants and cafĂ©s, and book your cruises to many of the places mentioned in this post. The small streets of the town can get quite busy in the Summer, though, so brace yourself with patience.
+1 The Blue Caves
Okay, one can’t publish an article about Zakynthos without mentioning the Blue Caves! This is a bonus thing because we didn’t get to visit them, since it was January, and you can only get there by boat. And also, if you Google Zakynthos, Blue Caves is one of those 2 things that pops up immediately.
If you don’t enjoy massive tourist crowds, I’ve provided you with 2 other options in this post for caves worth visiting on the island. Blue Caves are the most famous, but most famous doesn’t always signify ‘the best’. Go check them all out, and decide for yourself which one was most worth visiting.
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So, here we have it, 8 must-see places on the island of Zakynthos that nobody’s told you about before. Now you can go and wow your friends and relatives with your superior knowledge of this beautiful and surprising Greek island that just keeps on giving. If you’ve got the guts to explore it! Which one are you more into: caves, beaches, or stunning views? ♥
