10 EPIC Things To Do in Zante, Greece

Looking for the best things to do in Zante, Greece? You’ve come to the right place! 

Also known as Zakynthos, this beautiful Ionian Island is a very popular tourist destination in Greece, and it’s easy to see why. With its crystal clear sea, pristine white sandy beaches, cute towns and lush green vegetation, it’s a stunner.

In this article I have outlined all of the most epic things to do in Zakynthos, as well as useful advice to help you make the most of your time in Zante. Such as how to get around the island, where to stay, the best tours to join and more.

Whether you’re heading to Zante on a friends party holiday, or a romantic couples getaway, Zante has something to offer for everyone.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in and discover what to do in Zante, Greece!

Logistical tips for your Zakynthos trip

Before diving into the best things to do in Zante, Greece, I want to go over some useful travel tips. These logistical tips will help you make the most of your time in Zakynthos.

About Zante

Zante is the third largest island in the Ionian Sea, and one of the most popular destinations in Greece. Its original Greek name is Zakynthos, but it’s often referred to as Zante from most English speakers.

Zante has a party reputation, thanks to the town of Laganas in the south, where the parties, bars and clubs are concentrated. However, if you’re not looking for a party trip, don’t worry as you can easily avoid this part of the island.

We spent seven days in Zante and only drove through Laganas once. The island has so much more to offer than just parties.

From beautiful white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, turtle spotting, dramatic white cliffs, delicious cuisine and picturesque villages, Zante has something for everyone.

How to get around Zante

The easiest way to get around Zante is to rent a car. This will give you the most freedom, allowing you to visit beaches and towns that aren’t on the main public bus system.

If (like me) you don’t know how to drive, you can get by with public transport and taxis, but be aware that this is not ideal. Public buses aren’t very regular, and don’t cover the entire island, especially more off the beaten track spots.

That said, most tours will include or offer pick-up and drop-off, so if you book your accommodation close to the beach, and plan to explore the island with guided tours, you might be fine without a car.

In Zante we also saw loads of tourists exploring the island by quad. Personally, I don’t think this is necessary, as most of the roads we drove on were asphalt roads, not dirt track roads that would require a quad.

It’s more for show if you want to try the experience, but you don’t need a quad to properly see the island (plus, cars have aircon and you don’t get sunburnt).

Where to stay in Zakynthos

The best place to stay in Zakynthos ultimately depends on the experience you want.

If you want a relaxing beach getaway you wouldn’t stay in Laganas (the party town of Zante), and if you want to party you wouldn’t stay in Keri (a quiet beach town).

I have included below some great accommodation options for every budget, but make sure to check out my guide on where to stay in Zante for a full breakdown of the best towns and hotels.

Budget: Gerovasis Apartments with Sea View – We spent five nights here and found it to be a perfect base for exploring Zante. Located in the quiet beach town of Keri, the apartment is spacious, clean, has epic views and is fairly cheap.

Click here to book your stay at Gerovasis Apartments with Sea View!

Mid-range: Joya Luxury Villas – Even though there is Luxury in the name, this beautiful villa is actually pretty affordable, while still offering a luxury service. It sleeps up to 10 people, has a private pool, and is perfectly positioned to explore the North East coast of Zante. We stayed here for the weekend and loved it.

Click here to book your stay at Joya Luxury Villas in Zante!

Luxury: Lesante Cape Resort & Villas – We had lunch here and fell in love with the venue. This 5-star hotel has beautiful little villas with private pools, amazing service, stunning views and is in a great position. Perfect to spoil yourself!

Click here to see prices & availability at Lesante Cape Resort & Villas!

Best tours in Zante

To truly make the most of your time in Zakynthos, there are a number of tours that you can join. I have listed the best, with the highest online reviews, below.

Porto Vromi: Cruise to Navagio, Turtle island & Keri Caves – We did this private boat tour and it’s the best way to see all of the main sights of the island by sea. These include Shipwreck Beach, Turtle Island and Keri Caves.

Click here to book your private boat tour in Zante!

Zakynthos Island: Navagio Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves Tour – A comprehensive tour that includes both land travel and a short boat trip, this option is great for those who don’t have long in Zante and want to squeeze in everything.

Click here to book your Zakynthos full-day island tour!

Laganas: Off-Road Buggy Adventure in Zakynthos with Lunch – This inland tour can be great fun for groups of friends who are looking to do something adventurous!

Click here to book your quad adventure in Zakynthos!

Navagio Shipwreck: Private Tour with Sunset Viewing Point – If you don’t have a car but don’t want to miss the iconic sunset at Navagio Shipwreck Beach, this is the tour for you!

Click here to book your private Navagio Shipwreck Beach sunset tour!

 

Do you need travel insurance for Zante?

After my personal experience spending two nights in a private hospital in Tenerife, and having to pay for it out of pocket (it wasn’t cheap), I always recommend getting travel insurance.

You might not end up needing it, but for a small fee you can travel without worries. Personally, I suggest getting your Greece travel insurance with  Heymondo.

Heymondo offers tailor made travel insurance, providing the best value for money for your specific trip. You can also buy it once you’re already abroad and have forgotten about it before flying (which, if you’re anything like me, is quite likely).

Besides the usual cancellation, medical expenses, luggage coverage and general travel insurance services, Heymondo also has a 24/7 doctor chat and instant assistance through their app.

As a Greta’s Travels reader, you get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance!

Click here to get your 5% off Heymondo travel insurance!

How many days do you need in Zante?

We spent a full week in Zante, and found it perfect for the kind of holiday we were looking for (girls beach trip with a bachelorette party weekend). 

That said, you don’t need a full week to explore Zante. If you have a tight Greece itinerary, you could get away with spending just 3 – 4 days in Zankynthos. 

That would give you enough time to do a Zante boat tour, a kayak tour, see Navagio Shipwreck Beach and chill at some of the best beaches of the island. Many people combine a trip to Zante with Cephalonia, the nearby island.

However if you do want to spend longer in Zante, like we did, you won’t get bored. There are loads of beautiful beaches all around the island, so you could explore a different one each day and still not see them all!

10 amazing things to do in Zakynthos

See Navagio Shipwreck Beach from above

One particularly cool sight in Zakynthos is Navagio Shipwreck Beach. Here you’ll find the rusting remains of a ship that ran aground here in 1980 (was it smuggling contraband for the Italian mafia? We’ll never know!).

The famous view of the beach, long on people’s list of Zakynthos things to do, is actually “off limits” — a spot on the cliffs behind a fence.

But there’s a hole in the fence and a well-trodden path leading to the unofficial viewpoint. If you do want to do this, be safe and do not stand too close to the cliff edge just to get a good photo!

Otherwise, there’s an “official” viewpoint, a deck with a guard rail that juts out from the cliff itself.

There’s often a queue and the view isn’t as good as the off limits one, but it’s still a pretty magical view of one of the most iconic beaches in Greece!

See Navagio Shipwreck Beach from the sea

Not only can you see the shipwreck from the cliffs, but you can also see it close up from the sea.

It looks quite dramatic on the backdrop of towering white cliffs and stunning turquoise sea. It’s somewhere to hit up if you’re in Zakynthos.

What to do here, however, has been limited because the beach is now closed and has been since earlier in 2024.

This was for safety reasons, due to rocks falling from the cliff above. But while you can’t actually go to the beach, you can see it from the sea on a boat — still looks cool! 

Boat trip around Zakynthos

This brings me to this next point: boat tours! Being an island, it’s only natural that a boat ride around its stunning coastline is one of the best things to do in Zante. There are a few different types of tours that you can get involved with.

One of the must-do activities in Zakynthos, a boat tour means you get to visit stunning beaches and caves that you can’t reach via land. Think beautiful turquoise water, epic cliffs, hidden coves. 

When it comes to boat tours in Zante, you can choose between private tours (better, more flexible and more relaxing, but obviously more expensive) and shared group tours.

And when it comes to itineraries, you can usually pick between a half-day tour that either goes to the northern coast of Zakynthos, a half-day tour to southern Zakynthos, or a full-day tour that does the full island.

Here are some of the best Zante boat tours out there.

Porto Vromi: Cruise to Navagio, Turtle island & Keri Caves – This private boat tour is similar to the one we did. You will have a boat just for your group, which will give you maximum flexibility on your itinerary.

The captain will have some set stops like Turtle Island, Navagio Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves, but if you want to spend less or more time in specific spots you can just tell him so.

This tour lasts all day, and is perfect for those who want to see all the sights of Zante from the sea in one go.

Click here to book your full-day private boat trip around Zante!

Zakynthos: Half-Day Tour to Turtle Island and Keri Caves – This 5-hour adventure takes you through the southern portion of Zakynthos. On the tour, you’ll embark on a cruise to Turtle Island and the stunning Keri Caves.

Depending on the size of your group, you could also do this as a private tour if you want more privacy and flexibility.

Click here to book your boat trip to Southern Zakynthos!

Zakynthos Island: Navagio Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves Tour – But if you want to see pretty much all of the top sights in Zakynthos, look no further than this 9-hour, full-day tour.

It includes several beaches, a trip to Shipwreck Beach, numerous viewpoints, and even some inland journeys such as to Exo Chora and its 2,000-year-old olive tree.

Check out prices & availability for your full-day Zakynthos Island tour on GetYourGuide or Viator!

Go kayaking at Keri Caves

Accessible only by sea, Keri Caves are a network of sea caves and arches located on the southwest coast of the island. To do this sort of thing, most likely you’ll be joining a kayak tour.

There are options for kayak tours in Zakynthos. A lot of people choose to kayak to Turtle Island or the Blue Caves, but generally speaking, these are busier spots.

One of the reasons I liked Keri Caves was because it didn’t seem as busy (i.e. fewer people and other kayaks).

But there’s more to like than just that. You get to kayak through the soaring rocky arches, into the caves, and discover little beaches where turquoise water laps. 

The tour I went on (with a company called Adventure Zone) lasted around 3.5 hours, and took in 4.5 miles of kayaking.

Relax at the beach! 

There’s literally no way you can take a holiday to this sparkling island without spending time sunning yourself on the beach.

It’s a super popular European beach holiday destination, so it’s only natural that beach chilling is a must-do activity.

So it’s no surprise that some of the best places to visit in Zante are beaches. There are plenty of them, so I’ve put together a list of my favourites to help inspire your days of sun, sea and sand.  

Pelagaki Beach

This super scenic rocky beach, with its cliffs and greenery, is one of the best in Zakynthos.

There are two sides to this particular beach: the right side is more easy to access (via a staircase), whilst the left side is a little more tricky.

It requires you to climb over some rocks to reach it, but because of that, this prettier side of the beach is also less busy.

There’s free parking available at the top of the beach, but I’d recommend getting there early to secure a spot. There are sunbeds you can rent for a small fee on the right side, while you can order drinks and food from the beach bar.

Tip: Bring shoes, as the pebbles can be a bit painful underfoot!

Dafni Beach

Dafni Beach comes with many rules attached to it. That’s because it’s a protected part of the coast where turtles come to lay their eggs, which makes it something to put on your list of what to see in Zakynthos if you’re a nature fan. 

The road down to the beach is quite winding, and tricky to navigate if you’re not used to it, but it’s worth the effort. Once you’re there, you’ll find free parking, golden sand and plenty of snorkelling opportunities in the shallow water. 

There are also plenty of cute restaurants along the beach, which offer sunbeds. Some of the sunbeds are free, as long as you purchase food or drink from the restaurant.

Porto Limnionas

This slice of the Zante coastline isn’t technically a beach, but I’d say it’s great for a chill day of shoreline fun.

Basically, it’s a rocky inlet, but there’s plenty to explore around the coastline, and the snorkelling is amazing (the water is super clear).

You’ll find a beach club occupying both sides of the gorge, where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas (15 Euros). Plus diving and swimming in the beautiful crystal-clear turquoise waters below makes for a really idyllic day. 

Porto Roxa Beach

Similar to Porto Limnionas, Porto Roxa Beach is more of a rocky cove, except this time there are no steep gorge sides.

You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas (around 15 Euros) and chill out directly on the rocks, where you’ll have access to the gleaming sea all day. 

The snorkelling here is really fun, if that’s what you like, but otherwise it’s just a beautiful spot to chill for an afternoon.

White Beach

There are several must-see Zakynthos beaches that you can only reach by boat, and White Beach is one of them.

It’s set on the northern part of the island, on the other side of a promontory to Navagio Beach, so the tours that go here usually hit up both.

Don’t be fooled by the name: it’s the rocks that are white, not sand. But it’s a stunning beach, very photogenic, with gorgeous turquoise water that practically invites you in for a dip.

Makris Gialos Beach

You’ll find Makris Gialos Beach close to Pelagaki Beach. It’s easily reached by car, which is good news since it’s such a beautiful beach, complete with green-clad cliffs, smooth pebbles and clear water.

It’s a bit of a hidden gem, and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. I would recommend getting there early, as the sunbeds do tend to fill up quite quickly.

Once you’re there, stay for a few hours, enjoy a long lunch at one of the restaurants or bars (there are several), and swim among the marine life that calls this beautiful beach home.

See the sunset over Myzithres 

Seeing the sunset over Myzithres is a must-see Zakynthos moment.

This super scenic spot can be found at the top of tall limestone cliffs, where the view out over the twin rock formation called Myzithres is always stunning — let alone at sunset!

Come for the sunset and the view is made even more stunning. You can get there by car, but the roads aren’t great, so it can be a little tricky if you’re not used to that sort of driving.

But the sight of those white jagged rocks jutting out of the bright sparkling water as the sky turns red more than makes up for any difficulties you have.

Eat at a local Greek “taverna” 

There’s nothing quite like eating local food in Greece. Whether it’s Greek salad, fish, or moussaka, there’s no getting away from how delicious everything is!

One of my favourite traditional tavernas in Zakynthos is Pirounaki Traditional Restaurant. Beautifully set under olive trees in a dreamy garden, it boasts affordable home-cooked food. A very special place!

There’s also Nobelos Seaside Lodge Bio Restaurant. Slightly more expensive, but it’s a waterfront eatery (so, amazing views!). If you spend more than 50 Euros here, you get a sunbed so you lounge on the beach after lunch. 

Porto Roulis is a traditional taverna overlooking the sea. It’s a rustic setting, where you can tuck into super fresh fish and other seafood, with the best views out over Kefalonia. The sunset is stunning from here.

Go turtle spotting!

Zakynthos is a haven for turtles, and not just unofficially. Parts of it make up the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, which encompasses Laganas Bay in the south of the island.

The park protects this part of the Mediterranean, which is crucial for nesting sea turtles. Turtles, specifically loggerhead turtles (also known as caretta-caretta turtles), come here every year to lay their eggs on the shores of Zante.

Over 2,000 nests are found in this marine park each year, which forms a breeding ground for 80% of the loggerhead turtle population in the Mediterranean.

They lay their eggs between May and August, with the rest of their lives spent out at sea.

A definite Zakynthos must-see (especially if you’re an animal lover) would be to go and see turtles. I really wouldn’t recommend a glass-bottom boat tour — from what I’ve seen, they appear to harass and overwhelm the turtles.

Instead try a more sustainable way of seeing them, like snorkelling or scuba diving tours. There are a few, like this guided boat tour to Turtle Island, but you may also be lucky enough to see a turtle pass by while you’re snorkelling by yourself!

Click here to book your turtle spotting tour in Zakynthos!

Explore Zakynthos town centre 

One of the best things to do in Zakynthos is to simply wander around Zante Town (also known as Zakynthos Town). There’s plenty to see and do here, from historic sights to a whole host of bars and restaurants to sample.

This town is actually the capital of the island, home to its main port and most of the population. Spend some time here exploring the streets in the city center, including Alexander Roma Street, and people-watch in San Marco Square. 

There are several churches dotted around the town. The 16th-century Church of Agios Nikolaos of Molos is the most picturesque, overlooking the sea and gorgeously illuminated after dark. It looks beautiful inside, too!

You’ll also find the ruins of a Venetian castle in Zante Town. This is situated on Bochali Hill, which also has some pretty amazing views down towards the town.

There’s also plenty of history to discover: the castle itself was built on the ruins of an ancient Greek acropolis.

Enjoy the nightlife! 

Zante or Zakynthos is well known across Europe for its nightlife. As the summer season sets in, the party begins and revellers arrive from far and wide to let their hair down. 

The main hub for nightlife is Laganas, where the main strip is loud and crowded with bars. If you’re looking for late-night things to do in Zakynthos, Greece, and you want to dance the night away, it’ll be a good spot for you.

There are other places too, like beach parties at Banana Beach.

Final thoughts on Zakynthos, things to do

There you have it, the ultimate guide on what to do in Zante, Greece! Have you been to Zakynthos before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

It was my first time in this gorgeous Greek island, and I can’t believe I’d never visited it before! With its beautiful beaches, dramatic coastline, delicious cuisine and cheap prices, it’s a great European summer destination.

After visiting Santorini and Ios last year (where we went hiking and on boat trips), and then Zante this summer, I think I’m going to turn Greek island hopping into a summer tradition! 

After all, island hopping in Greece is a must on many Europe bucket lists, if not travel bucket lists!

I hope you find this Zante travel guide useful in planning your own Zakynthos trip! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

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