Zakynthos,
the southernmost of the Ionian islands, owes its name to the son
of Dardanos, the king of Troy, who according to myth built the
first city here. It is also mentioned in “The Iliad”.
All who came to this island fell under its spell. The Venetians
baptized it “the flower of the Orient” (Fior’ di
Levante).
Others gave it just as evocative names like “earthly paradise”,
and “Perfumed Isle”, while Dionysios Solomos, the father
of modern Greek poetry and a native son, wrote “Zakynthos
could make one forget the Elysian Fields.”
No one who has been here can forget the emerald green of its sea,
its pine-studded mountains, its musical people and their hospitality.
The first thing to welcome you, as soon as you step off the ferryboat,
is the town of Zakynthos. Though it lost all but three of its
buildings in the earthquake of 1953, the town has been meticulously
reconstructed and its former layout has been faithfully preserved.
Zakynthos today has pleasantly arcaded wide streets, spacious
squares imposing buildings and cheerful houses. The Museum of
Post-Byzantine Art on Solomos Square contains treasures salvaged
from the island’s historic churches.
 On
the waterfront, one should visit the churches of Aghios Dionysios,
the island’s patron saint, with its tall campanile, and of
Aghios Nikolas tou Molou, a church out of the Italian Renaissance
with, surprisingly, a 17th century Byzantine belfry. If you walk
along the flagstoned coastal promenade, the so-called Strata Marina
between the two churches, at dusk, you’ll get the true flavour
of the town. Sometimes it seems as if the whole population is
out enjoying the ritual of the evening stroll.
The street is lined with small cafes and shops selling folk art.
Don’t leave before tasting the famous Zakynthos “mandolato”
or nougat; it’s a real treat. The town is watched over by
the Venetian fortress on the hill above. Only the gate, outer
walls and battlements still stand. But from this vantage point
a spectacular view can be had of the harbour, fertile inland plain
and beaches as far as the eye can see. Nearby is another hill,
the Lofos Strani where Solomos Dionysios composed the famous,
the father of modern Greek poetry “Hymn to Liberty”,
which became the Greek National Anthem.
Zakynthos
is almost triangular in shape, with two green mountainous promontories
extending into the sea to form the huge bay of Laganas. There
are more pine-covered mountains and hills in the north, but the
center is gentle and lush, richly planted with currant vines,
olive trees, almonds and seasonal vegetables. There are dozens
of beaches to choose from, sandy and sheltered with invitingly
sparkling water. Flowers of every kind fill every available space,
filling the air with the scent that so enraptured visitors of
old.  With
a sunny climate most of the year and good roads to facilitate
exploring, Zakynthos lends itself to holidaymaking in spring and
fall as well as summer. Some of the best-known summer resorts
are Argassi, Alikes, Pianos, Tsilivi, Vassilikos, Gerakas and
Porto Roma, while Laganas is the most famous of all. Its long
beach and wide range of facilities attract thousands of tourists
from May through September. At Laganas, Vassilikos and Gerakas,
the endangered sea turtle Caretta-caretta also comes to lay her
eggs.
Apart
from its beaches, Zakinthos has many other wonderful places to
get to know. For example, there’s the village of Anafonitria,
with its fascinating 15th century monastery dedicated to the Virgin.
And Maherado, with its two 14th century churches, the half-ruined
Ypapanti and the sumptuously decorated Aghia Mavra. Or the mountain
village of Keri, where sooner or later everyone goes to admire
the sunset and the stupendous view of the seacaves below. Heading
north, don’t miss Volimes or Skinari at the tip of the island.
Volimes has a wonderful Venetian tower and lovely old churches
with frescoes dating to the 12th and 14th centuries, while Skinari
is where the famous Blue Caves are located.
Inside
the caves, the refraction of the sun’s rays on the water
creates an unbelievable array of blue and silver tones of a dreamlike
beauty.
Further
south is the cave of Xingia, where there is a spring of sulphurous
water that bubbles up white, clouding the sea up to 500 meters
from shore.
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