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| Zakynthos |
| The Flower of the Levant |
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| Sunset at Dafni beach of Zakynthos. |
Zakynthos, or Zante, had the misfortune of being hit by a series of earthquakes measuring around 7 on the Richter scale in 1953, right when Greece was really beginning its efforts to rebuild its economy and civil society after 10 years of war, occupation, famine, almost total destruction of its infrastructure and, finally, 4 years of bloody civil war. In those 10 years, 2.5 million people died of war and famine and the country was in ruins. The UN relief organizations were still here doing their work and the government had just devalued the drachma.
That was when the Ionian seismic fault line awoke, and, in 3 consecutive massive earthquakes, over 4 days, it left Zakynthos and Cefalonia a pile of burned ruins, never to recover their former grace and beauty. It is almost certain that, had those 3 tremors occurred today, massive amounts of reconstruction funds would have flowed from the Greek budget, the European Union, and the Greek immigrant communities worldwide to rebuild the stricken islands as they were before the earthquake.
In 1953, though, when the country was not even able to feed itself, there was hardly any thought of rebuilding Zakynthos to its pre-earthquake splendor; the primary concern was providing shelter not preserving architectural grace, and the main economic strategy was jump-starting commerce and agriculture, not rebuilding a traditional tourist attraction. Tourism was not even a glint in anybody's eye in 1953.
So, Zakynthos, the favorite island of the Venetians, the "Fiore di Levante" (the Flower of the East) of the Serene Republic, was lost forever, not only as far as architecture and grace but also in social terms, as a large number of the surviving members of the island's aristocracy fled it. The social effect of the tremors was to put an end to what was, until then, one of the few pockets of a western European-style bourgeois society on Greek soil, one that developed uninterrupted by Ottoman rule.
Zakynthos was a place of charm and grace, of arts and culture. Dionysios Solomos, the poet who wrote the Hymn to Freedom, whose first two stanzas became the Greek national anthem, and Andreas Kalvos, the poet of Odes, a very important Greek poem, were born here. These two are credited with playing a major role in helping evolve the Greek language to its present form (the Dante Aligheris of Greece, so to speak) and are considered as two of the greatest Greek poets of modern times.
Solomos composed his 152-stanza poem during the Egyptian Army's 1827 siege of Messolonghi, the town where Lord Byron died a few years before, across the straights, on the mainland shore. Greece's national poet, sitting at his hilltop estate, on Strani Hill above Zakynthos Town, is said to have written his magnum opus with tearful eyes, moved by the sound of the great Egyptian cannons pounding the walls of the heroic town of Messolonghi.
One of the island's homegrown attractions and lasting influences on the rest of the country is its music, the "cantades". Although influenced by the Italian tradition of bel canto, Zakynthian cantades have a distinctive sound, and they celebrate love for women and love for Zakynthos. To this day they are sung in the street, by bands of wandering singers accompanied by guitars, sometimes under the window of someone's object of desire. This is the Zakynthos way of expressing love and admiration in an agreeable manner.
Today cantades can also be heard in various restaurants around Bohali, the hilltop suburb of Zakynthos town, and, most recommended, in Arekia, a small, friendly little outdoor tavern, on the coastal road, about 500 meters north of Solomos Square.
Like every Ionian Island, Zakynthos has a Patron Saint. In this case, Agios (Saint) Dionysios, whose preserved body is displayed in his Cathedral, on the harbor. The legend says that the saint, a monk, gave shelter to the assassin of his brother who was being chased by the Turks. Zakynthians are very protective of their Patron Saint: in typical Greek fashion they swear by and at him, alternatively, hundreds of times a day.
In his honor, most Zakynthians are named Dionysios (which, affectionately, becomes Nionios) and Dionysia (ditto, Soula). Some Zakynthians will state, with a straight face, that they don't really believe in God at all, BUT they believe in Agios Dionysios. Go figure, but this is part of the charm of the place.
The eastern part of the island is very accessible, with nice beaches along the coast and the town of Zakynthos in the middle. The western part ends in cliffs that plunge into the deep blue waters of the southern Adriatic and provide some spectacular swimming spots, like the famous Navagio ("Shipwreck") and the lagoon at Limnionas.
In recent years Zakynthos has been associated with the worldwide effort to save the caretta-caretta loggerhead sea turtle from extinction. The unplanned and, for many, grotesque building boom at the Laganas and Kalamaki beaches, geared toward attracting as much of the British €100-a-week-including-airfare crowd as possible, has destroyed the turtles' breeding grounds on those beaches raising serious doubts about their future.
The Gerakas beach is the only remaining refuge for the giant beasts, although the locals have started being more conscious lately and there is some active involvement on their part in saving one of the island's natural attractions. The save-the-turtles movement maintains an information center on Solomos Square as well as at various beaches around the island. |
| The Highlights |
- The beaches at Gerakas, Navagio, Banana, and Dafni, and the lagoon at Limnionas.
- The blue caves, in the northern part of the island, north of Agios Nikolaos harbor.
- The ancient church of Agia Mavra, in Maherado, about 12 km west of Zakynthos Town, one of the few buildings to not collapse during the 1953 earthquakes
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| We Recommend |
- Take a bus or drive to Agios Nikolaos, and take a tour of the blue caves, including swimming in the irradescent waters.
- From Agios Nikolaos, take the caique to the Shipwreck for an once-in-a-lifetime swim in one of the most photographed and breathtaking spots on the planet.
- Take a walk around Strani hill and the Acrotiri area.
- Go to the Arekies tavern, for delicious local dishes, strong local wine, and a-cappella cantades.
- Try the local sweet delicacies pasteli, made from sesame and honey, and mantolato, made from egg whites, honey, and almonds.
- Be in Zakynthos on August 24, during the celebration of Agios Dionysios day, participate in the festivities, and watch the procession of the Saint's relics around Zakynthos town with a crowd of thousands, descending on the island from all over.
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| We Do Not Recommend |
- Laganas, Kalamaki, Alykes, and Argasi packaged-tour resort areas.
- Restaurants in Bohali with pictures of the items on the menu on billboards at the street.
- Being in Zakynthos on August 24, because of the crowds of thousands, descending on the island from all over Greece.
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| Read our users' reviews... |
| The impression I got is not very good |
I visited Zante in August 2004. The impression I got is not very good. Laganas, Alykes, Tsilivi and Argasi are British tour operators' "ghettos". It felt strange, what with English flags flying everywhere and all the establishments and stores set up to cater to the British tourists' needs. Needless to say that eating in those areas is out of the question, since the only thing you can get is terrible fast food. Things are different in Vasilikos, with nice beaches, especially Gerakas. This is where you start liking Zante. The Arekia tavern, in Chora, is incredible, with the 96-year old lead singer and the a-capella choir. Another nice place in Zakynthos is the natural park in Askos, which is the incredible work of a fantastic gentleman who, single-handedly, with no outside aid, maintains a great number of wild animals in their natural habitat. Then, there are the boat cruises. Oh, boy! You don't see any of the sights that they advertise before the cruise begins. They just sail around the island, far from the coast, with one stop at the Shipwreck and two more at two beaches. For me, the only things worth remembering from Zakynthos are the Blue Caves, the Arekia tavern, the park in Askos and the beaches around Gerakas.
Dimitra Sigala, Greece
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| I would call it my second home |
This is an island I would gladly call my second home. I have visited Zakynthos more than 10 times and every time is better than the last. Every time though, it is between the spring and the beginning of August. I am impressed by Zakynthian hospitality and the people's constant mood for song and dance. I did not like Laganas at all, as it has become a ghetto for English packaged tourism. I loved the wonderful beaches of the island, with Limnionas, at the far west coast, my top choice. I was impressed by the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians. I was awed by the church of Agios Dionyssios, and I had fun, until the wee hours of the morning, in bars frequented exclusively by Greeks. Zakynthos is very beautiful and you can have a great time, if you know where to go and feel like a Greek and not like a Brit.
Marti Sevasti, Greece
A NOTE FROM nyloo.com: The views expressed by Ms. Sevasti are, of course, her own, and do not reflect the opinions of either the writers or the managers and owners of nyloo.com. We think that the British tourists are not responsible or to blame for the situation in Laganas, and in other spots in Zakynthos and elsewhere in Greece. We think that the greed and lack of self respect on the part of local businessmen and the authorities is to blame. This is our position. |
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| Useful Information |
| The country code for Greece is 0030 (from the US and Canada: 01130). |
| Tourist Info Office |
| On the quay, by the travel agencies. |
| Police Station |
| Off the harborfront neat Solomos Square, at 62 Lomvardou street. There are police stations in every major and secondary town, usually at the central square or on main street. For emergencies, dial 100. |
| Hospital |
| The hospital is in the western suburbs of Zakynthos town. There are signs from Solomos Square, and at the town entrance on the Vassilikos road. |
| Pharmacy |
| There are pharmacies in all resort towns, such as Laganas, Argassi, Alykes, etc. In town, most of them are on the commercial street that starts at Agiou Markou Square. All pharmacies carry signs with a list of pharmacies open in the off hours. |
| Port Authority |
| At the entrance to the commercial harbor, across the street from Agios Dionysios church. |
| Tourist Agency |
| Spring Tours, a full-service travel agency on the Zakynthos town harborfront, with banch offices in Laganas, Kalamaki, Argassi, Tsilivi, Alykes, Vassilikos, and Agios Sostis, arranges for a variety of local activites, such as horseback riding, diving and snorkeling, cruises around the island, car rentals, etc., besides the traditional tickets and rooms (50 K. Lomvardou street, tel. 26950 48004, 26950 41746, fax 26950 26315). |
| Foreign Press Outlet |
| In Zakynthos town, the newstand on the harborfront at Solomos Square. In the resort towns, there are foreign press outlets everywhere, mainly in the mini markets. |
| Internet Cafe |
| These days there seem to be Internet cafes everywhere, and certainly in all major towns and some secondary ones. Many travel agencies offer Internet access, and not only to their clients. |
| Bus Depot |
| One street over from the middle of the harborfront. |
| Car Rental |
| Car rental agencies are everywhere on the island and most hotels and apartment complexes will arrange for a car or a moped to be delivered to your door. In Zakynthos town, on the harborfront. |
| Bank |
| Zakynthos has a full line of banks. The full-service banks are clustered around Solomos Square, and there are banks in Laganas, Argassi, and Alykes. They handle all major transactions, such as money transfers, cash advances on credit cards, and money wires. Banking hours are Monday through Thursday 8am-2pm and Friday 8 am-2.30 pm. ATMs are ubiquitous, including Citibank's. |
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