20 best beaches of Zakynthos (Zakynthos) – list, photo, description, map
The beaches of Zakynthos are diverse, but they are united by beauty. There is no such part of the coast on the island that would not find adherents. There are secluded places here, arriving at which tourists are immersed in the contemplation of wildlife; there are parts of the coast with developed infrastructure where couples with children stay. And noisy youth will also find a place to spend time.
Gerakas
Gerakas is an amazing place. It was chosen by the unique caretta-caretta turtles: here on the clean white sand they lay their eggs. Reptiles are listed in the Red Book, so Gerakas is a nature reserve.
Tourists who want to relax on the cleanest coast should prepare for the fact that:
And the sea here is wonderful: the water is warm, the sand is fine and tender. The entry into the sea is gentle: kids and tourists who feel insecure in the water will really like this place. That place is ideal for guests who prefer peace and solitude.
If translated, then Navagio is a shipwreck. True, it happened recently: in the late 80s of the twentieth century. Greek border guards found a ship of smugglers transporting cigarettes to Italy from Turkey. The violators tried to break away from the pursuit, but ran aground. People left the transport, and the unmanned ship was stranded in an unnamed bay.
From that moment on, they began to call her Navagio. Newspapers retold the story, and tourists began to come to the small bay to admire the wreck of the ship. Here you can even sign (inside or outside), the authorities of Zakynthos encourage this. The place itself is picturesque: it is surrounded by snowy limestone cliffs, and the water in the bay has a blue tint, but, unfortunately, it is not transparent.
Tourists who are going to visit Navagio should know:
A visit to Navagio is best combined with a visit to other attractions that Zakynthos is famous for.
Banana
This place resembles a banana in contours: hence the funny name. Banana is the longest coast in Zakynthos: it stretches for 5 km. And nearby is the Argassi resort, popular with young people: here are the most amazing parties.
But Banana offers entertainment not only for young and sporty guests: tourists of all ages will find something to their liking:
Banana has a shower, toilet, changing cabins. And there are no problems with a snack: there are cafes and restaurants nearby that will delight you with dishes of Mediterranean and European cuisines. Tourists arriving in a rented car will leave the car in the parking lot. The entrance to the water is gentle, but sharp pebbles come across in the fine sand.
Banana is an open place, so winds and waves are not uncommon here. This is annoying when traveling with small children. Those who want to combine comfortable rest and solitude should be located on the left (when looking at the sea) part of the beach: there are almost no holidaymakers here.
Alikes
This is a great place for a family holiday with small children: the coast is strewn with fine golden sand, and the entrance to the sea is gentle. The water here is warm and mostly calm. Waves are small and occur infrequently. Alykes is an open coast, so there are constant cooling breezes that make the rest comfortable even in the hottest.
Developed water activities: surfing, kiting, scuba diving. Moderate waves are pleasant for novice surfers: it is convenient to practice skills here. Alykes offers vacationers rental of sun loungers, sun umbrellas. There are changing cabins, toilets and showers. And for those hungry in the coastal zone, there are cafes offering dishes of Mediterranean and European cuisines.
If tourists are tired of the sea and the sun, the resort offers a cultural program:
Alikanas
This narrow strip of sandy shore is loved by vacationers: there is fine sand, a gently sloping bottom, a convenient entry into the sea and always warm water. Despite the fact that Alykanas is an open place, big waves are rare here, so swimming is pleasant for both kids and adults.
Alykanas offers tourists:
Fans of passive relaxation can lie down on a sun lounger under a shady canopy. Changing rooms are available. And hungry tourists will always find delicious food in coastal cafes and restaurants. Alykanas and Alykes do not have a clear border, so vacationers can move from one beach to another. And if you want to diversify your impressions, then you should go by boat to the shipwreck bay (Navagio): it is from Alikanas that sightseeing boats and yachts sail here.
See prices for tours to Zakynthos
Laganas
Laganas is a place where wild nature and resort infrastructure are combined. The coast is teeming with red-listed karktta-caretta turtles, which lay their eggs in the hot sand. Monk seals swim here, so tourists who love to watch wild animals will have a unique opportunity to study the habits of the rare inhabitants of the Ionian Islands. The central area is strewn with fine sand, the entry into the water is gentle, but the depth grows rather quickly.
The water is consistently warm, swimming is pleasant. Laganas offers vacationers:
But riding on yachts, boats and jet skis is prohibited: extra noise disturbs the inhabitants of the Red Book of the island. There are no problems with a snack or a full meal: there are cafes and restaurants with dishes for every taste on the coast. The central part is crowded: tourists relax here alone, in companies and families with children.
And the outskirts are stony and deserted: these places are liked by people who prefer solitude. At night, the passage to the shore is closed: this is due to the fact that to keep the wild inhabitants calm. The place between Laganas and Kalamaki is absolutely wild and deserted: there is no infrastructure here. But this part of the coast was chosen by nudists: they rest in silence.
Daphne
The coast of Daphne is the property of the Marine Reserve of Greece: tourists are not allowed to visit the caretta-caretta egg-laying sites. But the coast is strewn with warm golden sand, and the depth increases gradually when entering the sea, so Daphne is loved by family tourists. When planning a visit to the beach, you should take into account that the infrastructure here is minimal: you can get a place under a shady canopy and a sunbed for rent, and all other benefits are absent. Even to the parking lot you have to walk quite a distance, and there are no coastal restaurants. The main advantage of Daphne is excellent views of the bay, silence and solitude.
Kalamaki
Kalamaki is one of the most visited beaches of Zakynthos. It appeals to both young and old tourists; families and solo travelers. The coast of Kalamaki is strewn with white sand with fine pebble fractions, entry into the water is very convenient, and the dangerous depth is only 150 m from the sea's edge. But Kalamaki is part of the National Marine Reserve of Greece: loggerhead turtles chose it for laying eggs, so some part of the coast is fenced off and tourists are not allowed to go there.
The surroundings of Kalamaki are surrounded by bushes and trees: emerald green nicely complements the white sand and blue water. The infrastructure is quite developed: sun loungers, umbrellas are offered for rent. There are toilets, fresh water showers and changing cabins. There are many restaurants and cafes on the coast, where you can try dishes of Mediterranean and European cuisines. Tourists will never go hungry. Some establishments offer a children's menu. In the nearby village of Kalamaki, there are hotels of various stars, and in shops you can buy branded goods at reasonable prices.
Agios Sostis
This coast is famous for strong winds blowing from the north, so Agios Sostis is the capital of surfers. It even hosts international competitions in this sport.
Agios Sostis offers guests various types of recreation:
Agios Sostis is distinguished by the absence of discos, night bars: tourists who have arrived here appreciate the resort for its pristine cleanliness and silence.
Agios Nikolaos
This place is the capital of divers: people come here specially to go scuba diving and admire the underwater beauty. And the resort is named after the chapel of St. Nicholas, located nearby. Service in Agios Nikolaos is quite satisfactory: sun loungers and parasols are available for rent, there are changing cabins, toilets and fresh water showers.
The beach is small, but there is a beach volleyball court. And for the hungry, a restaurant and a bar with Mediterranean dishes. In Agios Nikolaos, tourists can expect a measured relaxing holiday, consisting of swimming, sunbathing and (if desired) scuba diving.
Makris Gialos
In Makris Gialos, the coast is dotted with medium and small pebbles. The water near the shore warms up perfectly, because of the abundance of stones it is crystal clear: the bottom is visible at a depth of 2-3 meters. But the entry into the water is quite steep: the depth increases quickly, so when relaxing with small children, you should be extremely careful. The attraction of this narrow strip of coast is ground and underwater grottoes and caves: they compete with the Blue Caves.
In some shelters on the ground, one can find natural shade on a hot day. But you should not expect service: it is practically absent in Makris Gialos: only in the high season (July-August) they offer sun umbrellas and sun loungers. To have a bite, you need to go to the neighboring villages: there are cafes and small restaurants.
Tsilivi
Tourists who prefer a calm and unhurried course of life rest at this resort. As a rule, these are middle-aged people and young couples with children. There are no noisy bars and discos on Tsilivi, but there is a wide sandy coast. It is convenient to enter the water, the depth increases gradually.
Tsilivi offers guests:
There are changing cabins, showers and toilets on Tsilivi; lifeguards are on duty. From here, tourists go on sea excursions. And in the village, shops sell branded items: shopping lovers will delight themselves with purchases.
She cried
The sandy coast got its name from the hotel (Plaka Beach Resort), where couples with children prefer to relax. Here the sea is clean and shallow: the entrance to the water is gentle, and the bottom is freed from sharp stones and marine plants. Toddlers swim for a long time while parents enjoy the silence and beauty of Plaka. The service at the resort is excellent: tourists are offered rental of sunbeds, umbrellas from the sun. In order to prevent fine-grained sand from getting into slippers, a path has been laid to the water's edge. There are changing cabins, toilets and showers.
Entertainment Plaka offers various:
Plaka is framed by picturesque rocks: on one of them stands a stone Poseidon, the patron saint of the island. In view of this attraction, unique photographs are obtained.
Argassi
This is a universal resort: couples with small children, noisy youth, lovers of sports entertainment can relax here. The coastal strip consists of a mixture of sand and small pebbles, the entrance to the water is gentle, and the depth increases slowly. Such a beach is pleasant for kids and tourists who cannot swim.
The resort offers guests:
Argassi guests who are tired of the sea and the sun are provided with cultural tourism. Not far from the beach, on a hill, is the monastery of Panagia Skopiotissa. You can make a pilgrimage, and then enjoy a great view of the surroundings. In the Argassi area are the ruins of a bridge built by the British in the 18th century. Those wishing to relax on Argassi should know that this is a crowded resort: it is the closest to the capital, so not only tourists, but also locals come here during the high season.
Porto Azzuro
This comfortable place is designed for family and active recreation. Porto Azzuro has a developed infrastructure:
In addition, the coastal zone of Porto Azzuro is divided into sandy and grassy: tourists can sit where it suits them. And when ordering food in a coastal restaurant, dishes are delivered directly to the beach. Porto Azzuro provides ski lifts and walkways for people with limited mobility. And tourists who come by car will leave it in a spacious parking lot. A distinctive feature of Porto Azzuro is the presence of gray-green clay.
To find it, you need to go to a nearby wild beach. Clay is a natural scrub: it cleanses the skin, smoothes it and saturates it with microelements. Boutiques are located next to the recreation area, where shoppers can buy clothes from original brands. In addition, shops sell souvenirs and products of local artisans.
Porto Vromi
This secluded place is rarely visited by tourists. And the service here is minimal. But Porto Vromi attracts vacationers with its beauty: it is located among jagged rocks that go into the water. The coast consists of a mixture of sand and pebbles, the bottom is rocky, and the depth increases very quickly. Therefore, swimming here is uncomfortable for small children. But tourists like the combination of gray-green rocks, blue water and white sand. In addition, the rocks protect the territory from the winds, so the sea is calm.
And the bottom is littered with large stones, so it is recommended to purchase special shoes for swimming. There are grottoes and caves in the rocks, where you can hide from the sun if you don't have an umbrella. By the way, you should bring a mat and an umbrella with you: there is no rental of accessories here. But just beyond the coastal zone there are small cafes serving Mediterranean cuisine. From active entertainment, Porto Vromi offers a trip on a boat, and from cultural – a trip to Navagio Bay and the Blue Caves.
Porto Roxa
This is an absolutely wild place: on 3 sides it is surrounded by rocks, and you should go down into the water along the steps carved into the rock, or jump from a height of 6 m. Some tourists believe that this coast is not for swimming: people come here to admire the opening views. The owner of the cafe, which is located above the shore, cleared the area where he put sunbeds.
Tourists who have made an order can sunbathe for free and enjoy the opened panorama. From above, a great view of the stone baths, which are filled with evaporated sea salt. The landscape is reminiscent of something from Ray Bradbury. The sea and rocks are especially beautiful at sunset, but keep in mind that the cafe closes quite early: access to the observation deck will be closed.
Porto Limnion
Porto Limnion (Limnionas) attracts tourists with its wild beauty. A rugged bay, sharp rocks, the tops of which are covered with grass, a narrow rocky strip of coast. Above all this beauty is a small cafe where you can have a bite to eat. You should go down into the water along the steps carved into the rock: for convenience, a railing made of ropes is made. You can sit down to sunbathe on the rocks, spreading out the beach mat. The entire infrastructure consists of several umbrellas, under which vacationers take refuge in the shade.
Porto Limnionas is a favorite place for divers: it has amazing underwater landscapes. Almost all tourists are busy exploring underwater attractions. But for children, Porto Limnionas is unacceptable: it is deep here, and there is little space for games on the beach. The water in Porto Limnionas is a little colder and fresher than in other places: this is due to a fresh spring gushing from the ground.
Porto Roma
Olives and pines grow around Porto Roma, so you can always hide from the scorching sun here. And a piece of the coast is strewn with fine golden sand. When entering the water, you will need to overcome a strip of pebbles. The entry into the water is gentle, and the sea near the coast is shallow, but much cooler than in neighboring resorts.
But swimming here is pleasant: there are practically no waves in the sea. And the beach itself is tiny: 3-5 m wide and up to 10 m long. The minimal infrastructure (3 rows of sun loungers) scares away tourists: Porto Roma is almost always deserted. This is the perfect place to stay with small children.
Porto Doll
This place is ideal for those who are looking for a combination of privacy and comfort. The infrastructure in Porto Koukle is sufficient:
Porto Koukla is surrounded by vegetation: in the shade of olives and pines, you can protect yourself well from the sun. And the sand on the shore is fine and soft, gray in color (the volcanic origin of the fossil affects). When entering the sea, the depth increases slowly, and the bottom is sandy: there are no stones and algae. Little children are comfortable in Porto Doll. There are no problems with food at the resort: there are enough cafes and restaurants on the coastline. Basically, they offer local dishes. When relaxing in Porto Koukle, it should be borne in mind that there are a lot of people here during the high season and on weekends.