Zakynthos, Greece Travel Guidelines | Places to visit, Popular churches and famous cultural events

Zakynthos is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea and a well-known summer resort. The harbor city of Zakynthos is the capital and major hub, centered around waterfront Solomos Square. Popular beaches like Agios Nikolaos, Alykanas and Tsilivi offer swimming and water sports. Accessed by boat, Navagio beach is the site of a famed 1980 shipwreck resting in a sandy cove framed by cliffs.

The Venetians, who ruled Zákynthos from 1484 to 1797, called the island “Fioro di Levante” (flower of the East) as there are over 7,000 species of flowers on Zákynthos. The third largest island of the Ionian Sea, after Corfu and Kefaloniá, is internationally known as “Zante”. Zákynthos is said to have been the island’s first inhabitant and the ancient acropolis is attributed to him. He was the son of Dardanos who ruled the ancient kingdom of Frigia. A Venetian fort was built at later times on the site.

Beautiful Zakynthos, also known by its Italian name Zante, has become dominated along its southern and southeastern shoreline by heavy package tourism. Once you leave the long sandy beaches of those regions behind, however, and set off to explore the rest of the island, you'll discover plenty of forested wilderness and traditional rural villages. Some attractive lower-key bases lie just beyond the larger, run-of-the-mill resorts, including Keri and Limni Keriou in the remote southwest, and Agios Nikolaos and Cape Skinari in the far north, but it’s the spectacular scenery of the rugged west coast, where mighty limestone cliffs plummet down to unreal turquoise waters, that’s the true highlight.

Places to visit in Zakynthos:

• The Solomos Square surrounded by buildings with characteristic traditional architectural features of the island, arch-shaped windows, and arcades. The bust of D. Solomos national poet of Greece dominates in the center. Here you can also find the Public Library (with 55.000 volumes), the Post-Byzantine Museum of Zante exhibiting treasures such as statues trimmed with gold, icons and art woodcuts.
• The Post- Byzantine Museum of Zante in Solomos square, exhibits treasures such as statues trimmed with gold, icons and art woodcuts.
• The Aghios Markos square. Here, in 1797, the revolutionaries (popolaroi) burnt the Libro d’ Oro and planted the tree of freedom. This paved square is the main meeting point for locals and visitors. Here, you will find the Museum of Solomos, Kalvos and Eminent Zakynthians which also hosts the best of the Greek national poet, created by Georgios Broutos in 1902.
• The coastal road is known as Strata Marina (K. Lomvardou street), which is one of the most frequented parts of the city, with cafes, bars, and restaurants, from the Solomos Square up to the church of the patron-saint Aghios Dionysios.
• Rouga: Its name is Alexandros Romas street, starting at Aghios Markos Square crossing almost the whole town. This street with the impressive arcades has been the main commercial center of the city for centuries.
• The Stranis hill, 2 km away from the town, offering a great view. Here, the poet Dionysios Solomos inspired the ‘Hymn to Liberty’ (later the Greek national anthem) and the “Free Besieged” attending the siege of the city of Messolonghi.
• The Venetian Castle situated on a hill overhanging the town in the place of the old acropolis named Psofis.

Some of the Remarkable churches in Zakynthos:

• Aghios Dionysios (at the new pier of the port): where the relic of the patron saint of the island is kept in a silver larnax.
• Aghios Nikolaos tou Molou (Solomou Square): a church of Renaissance order (17th century) with a belfry dating back to the Byzantine period. Aghios Dionysios lived here in 1853.
•  Panaghia  Pikardiotissa at the outskirts of the castle.
• Aghios Georgios: The army commanders Kolokotronis, Nikitaras, Fotomaras as well as other fighters of the 1821 Revolution took their vows on the icon which is kept in this church.
• Aghios Markos (1516): The belfry of this Catholic church situated at the Aghiou Markou Square is a copy of the one of Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

Famous Cultural events:

Carnival: A traditional town crier goes around the island proclaiming the program of the Carnival festivities. On the last Sunday of the Carnival is the procession of the Carnival King. The festivities end with the “Mask Funeral”.

 Litany and artistic events in the memory of Aghios Dionysios on August 24th and December 17th.

 Easter: The Holy Week in Zakynthos has its own character with ancient customs and an exceptional rite as far as the religious ceremonies are concerned.

The celebration of Holy Week on Zakynthos Island is considered to be unique and unforgettable both for locals and visitors to the island. At noon, on Good Friday, crowds of worshippers take part in the procession of the Crucified through the town.