Zakynthos is one of my favourite Greek Islands. There’s so much to do in Zakynthos, beyond the beaches and parties. Here are the top things to do in Zakynthos (Zante).
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Zakynthos is a beautiful island in Greece. It’s a fairly small Greek island, but there’s loads of different things to do on Zakynthos. You can easily spend a full week on Zakynthos, exploring all of the top sights and relaxing in the beautiful warm sunshine. Plus, there are lots of amazing restaurants where you can try traditional Greek food. Here are all of the top things to do in Zakynthos (Zante) so you can have an amazing and unforgettable trip.
1. See the views over Shipwreck Beach (Navagio Beach viewpoint)
The first of my top things to do in Zakynthos (Zante) is definitely one of my favourite places on the whole island. Zakynthos is home to the famous Navagio Beach, which is also known as Shipwreck Beach. It’s one of the most famous beaches in Greece, and in Europe. Shipwreck beach, as its name suggests, has a shipwreck on the beach. It’s a beautiful white sand beach, surrounded by white cliffs and the most amazing blue sea. You’re not allowed to walk on Shipwreck Beach, but you can enjoy amazing views of the beach from the Shipwreck Beach view point.
To get the best views of Shipwreck Beach in Zaknythos, walk down the stone path from the car park, towards the Greek flag. There’s a small viewpoint platform near the car park, but the views are much better and less crowded if you walk further down. From the rocks at the edge here, you can look back and see the most amazing views. You’ll need to climb over the rocks a little bit, so be careful near the edge! But the views are just amazing. Seeing this view is definitely one of the best top things to do in Zakynthos.
If you’d like to take a tour to see this amazing view, check out the tour of Zakynthos on Get Your Guide (affiliate), or the tour of Zakynthos on Viator (affiliate).
2. Take a boat trip to the Blue Caves
Another of the top things to do in Zakynthos is to take a boat trip to visit the Blue Caves. The Blue Caves are a set of caves on the North coast of the island. You can’t really see the Blue Caves from land, so you definitely need to take a boat trip to visit the caves. From the boat, you’ll be able to see the amazing rock structures along the coastline, and the beautiful blue sea. Smaller boats will be able to go inside some of the caves. You’ll also see some caves that have amazing blue water inside, where the sunlight filters through the white rock and looks even more blue inside the caves.
I took this tour of Zakynthos (affiliate), which included a boat trip to see the Blue Caves, plus loads more. I loved this tour, so I would definitely recommend booking this tour to see the Blue Caves, Shipwreck Beach and so much more. You can also find a similar tour here on Viator (affiliate).
3. Ride and swim with horses in the sea
One of my favourite activities in Zakynthos was going horse riding, on a trip that also included swimming in the sea with the horses. This 3 hour experience was just amazing. I booked this activity through Laganas Horse Riding – you can find their website here. The horses were beautiful, and so calm and well looked after.
The experience included 1 hour horse riding, along roads and through fields behind the beach. Then we got to the beach, and the instructors took the saddles off the horses. We got back on the horses without a saddle, and went into the sea. At first we walked through the sea, and then we went properly swimming with the horses. It was such an incredible experience.
Then, it was time to get back in the saddle and ride back. The ride back included riding through the sad dunes behind the beach. The whole time was amazing. It was a little bit challenging if you’re a beginner at horse riding, but still amazing and so enjoyable.
4. Spot turtles in Laganas Bay
Zakynthos island is an important area for turtles. Caretta Caretta turtles swim in the sea around the island, and come onto the beach in Laganas Bay to lay eggs. You can see turtles in Laganas Bay a lot of the year.
You can sometimes spot turtles when you’re on Laganas Beach, or swimming in the sea. It’s easier to spot them on a calm day, when you can see their little heads break the surface of the water as they come up to breathe.
The best way to see turtles in Laganas Bay is to take a turtle spotting boat trip. These boats will head out into the bay and spot turtles. You’ll be able to look down from the boat to see the turtles swimming under water, and see them come up to breathe.
I recommend this turtle spotting boat trip in Zakynthos (affiliate), or this similar turtle island boat tour (affiliate). This tour includes time spotting turtles, and also visiting Turtle Island and the Keri Caves.
5. Relax on the beach and go snorkelling on Turtle Island
There’s a small island off the south coast of Zakynthos called Turtle Island. It’s called Turtle Island because it’s in the shape of a turtle. From the right angle, you can see the head and body of the turtle-shaped island.
You can get a boat trip to Turtle Island, and have some time to relax on the beach. You can also swim in the sea and go snorkelling. The water is so clear, so it’s an amazing place to go snorkelling. You can see lots of fish in the water. The beach on Turtle Island is one of the most beautiful beaches in Zakynthos.
6. Swim in the water around Keri Caves
Another beautiful place to go swimming in Zakynthos is in the waters around Keri Caves. The caves here are just as beautiful as the Blue Caves. You can take a boat trip around the caves, with stops where you can swim in the beautiful blue sea. The whole area is really beautiful.
Remember to check out this boat trip to the Keri Caves on Get Your Guide (affiliate), or this similar tour on Viator (affiliate), I did this tour and really enjoyed it. It was a great way to see the Keri Caves and more.
7. Eat traditional Greek food at restaurants
One of the top things to do in Zakynthos has to be the food. The food on Zakynthos is great. There are so many restaurants that serve traditional Greek food. My favourite area to enjoy Greek food is Kalamaki. The main street in Kalamaki is filled with restaurants that all serve amazing Greek food. But you can also find great restaurants in the Zakynthos main town, and in mountain villages across the island.
If you want to find out more about the best Greek food in Zakynthos, check out my guide to the best Greek food and restaurants in Zakynthos. Or, you could try a cooking class with lunch (affiliate) to learn more about Greek food in Zakynthos.
8. Visit the island’s oldest Olive Tree
Zakynthos has a lot of olive trees, and olive oil production is an important business on the island. You can visit the oldest olive tree on Zakynthos island. It’s a huge olive tree, and really impressive to see. The area around the oldest olive tree on Zakynthos is also a great place to try, and buy, some local produce. There are stalls around the old olive tree where you can try the local olive oil, as well as some local wines and cosmetic products.
9. Swim in the sulphur water at Xigia Sulphur Beach
Another of the most beautiful beaches on Zakynthos is the Xigia Sulphur Beach. This beach, on the East coast of Zakynthos, is really pretty. It’s a small beach, surrounded by tall cliffs. But what really makes this beach special is the natural sulphur in the water here. It’s a natural spa, where you can swim in the sulphur waters and enjoy the health benefits.
You can get a lovely view from the beach from the cafe at the top. And then you can walk down to the beach and enjoy swimming and relaxing on the sulphur beach.
10. Visit the churches in Zakynthos Town
Zakynthos main town is a great place to spend a day when you’re on Zakynthos island. It’s a small town, but there are some interesting sights here. My favourite sight in Zakynthos main town is the church. The main church is called Saint Dionysios Zakynthos Holy Orthodox Church. The church is a beautiful building. It’s nice from the outside, but the interior is even better. It’s really impressive inside, with amazing gold decorations and beautiful paintings as well.
11. Eat fresh seafood in a restaurant with sea views
As an island, Zakynthos has some amazing fresh sea food. You can find freshly caught fish and sea food in restaurants all around the island. My favourite place to enjoy fresh fish in Zakynthos is the restaurant called Orizontes Restaurant. This restaurant is close to the Blue Caves, and the restaurant has amazing sea views. The sea bass fillets are amazing at this restaurant. It’s so nice to eat fresh fish while enjoying the beautiful sea views.
12. Swim in caves on a Blue Caves boat trip
Some boat trips offer the chance to swim in the water around the Blue Caves as well as seeing the caves from the boat. Swimming in the caves gives you another perspective of the amazing scenery.
You can jump off the boat and swim in the sea around the caves. You can also swim into hidden caves. In these hidden caves, you’ll need to duck under rock to get into the cave, and then you’ll find yourself in an amazing open space. It’s amazing to be swimming in the blue water inside the caves, or to find your own secret beach within a cave.
Remember to check our this tour on Get Your Guide (affiliate), or this tour on Viator (affiliate) for a great day trip that involves a boat trip to the blue caves.
13. Enjoy the views over Laperda Beach
Another great viewpoint on Zakynthos is the view over Laperda Beach. It’s a small viewpoint area, with a car park and a cafe called Mr Rock. But the views from here are lovely. On a sunny day, you can see really far along the coast of the island. The island is beautifully green in springtime, and this viewpoint really shows how green the island is, as well as seeing the lovely beaches and sea.
14. See the famous Shipwreck Beach (Navagio Beach) from a boat
Shipwreck Beach is amazing to see from the viewpoint at the top of the cliff. But it’s just as good, or even better, to see the beautiful beach from a boat. From a boat, you can get really close to the beach and you can see the shipwreck on the beach really clearly. You can also see the amazing light blue sea all around the beach. I just couldn’t get over how blue the water was.
If you’d like to do a boat trip to see Shipwreck Beach from a boat, I definitely recommend this Zakynthos tour to Shipwreck Beach (affiliate). If you book the semi-private option, you’ll have a small group of people on the boat, so you can easily get loads of great photos of the Shipwreck Beach. The guides are also really good at taking photos of each person and group with the beach in the background as well. Or you can find a similar tour here (affiliate).
15. Go wine tasting at a local winery
Zakynthos has some vineyards, which grow grapes which are then made into wine. You can try locally produced wines at some of the farms and vineyards on Zakynthos. I recommend going to Therianos Family Farm in the centre of the island. This friendly, small farm produces lots of products on the farm. he farm produces its own white, rose and red wines. You can book a wine tasting at the farm, where you can try some of the local produce. You can book a wine tasting here (affiliate).
16. Relax at the hotel pool
No trip to Zakynthos is complete without spending some time relaxing at your hotel pool. So many hotels on Zakynthos have their own pool. And with the beautiful sunny weather that’s almost guaranteed in Zakynthos, you can spend some time relaxing in the sun next to the pool. Bring a good book and enjoy relaxing and settling into the slower, calmer pace of life on holiday. Just relaxing at a hotel pool is definitely one of the top things to do in Zakynthos.
17. Walk along the beach from Kalamaki to Laganas
The best beach on Zakynthos is definitely Laganas Beach, on the south of the island. It’s a huge beach, which stretches from Kalamaki to Laganas. It’s really nice to walk along the beach between the two towns. You can get lovely views out to sea, and views of the cliffs on either end of the beach. While you’re walking along the beach, keep a look out for turtles in the sea! You might be able to spot a turtle as it comes up to breathe before diving back down again.
18. Enjoy views over Zakynthos main town
Another of the top things to do in Zakynthos is to enjoy the views over Zakynthos main town. From Zakynthos main town, you can walk uphill for about 30-40 minutes to the Bohali viewpoint. From here, you can see a lovely view over the main town, and the rest of the island beyond. This view definitely looks best on a sunny day, where you can see for miles.
19. Visit a farm in the mountains
The centre of Zakynthos has lots of farms in the mountains. It’s definitely worth spending some time exploring the centre of the island, not just the coastline. The centre of the island has a lot of cute mountain villages, and also small farms. A lot of the farms are family run, and they produce things like olive oil, wine, and cosmetic products. I really enjoyed spending some time at a small farm in the mountains. The Therianos Family Farm is a great option to explore. You can book a tour of the farm, and learn more about farming on the island. The farm is really nice to walk around as well, with some cute farm animals and lovely views of the surrounding mountains.
20. Drink cocktails and enjoy the Laganas nightlife
Zakynthos, or Zante, does have a reputation for being one of the top nightlife spots in the Greek islands. If you enjoy nightlife, then you’ll definitely want to head to the town of Laganas on Zakynthos. It’s the nightlife capital of the island. The nightlife here is best between June to September. There’s a huge number of bars, cocktail bars, nightclubs and more. And there are also lots of beach clubs, where you can start drinking cocktails all through the afternoon. If you want a night out on Zakynthos, then Laganas town is the place to go.
21. Try local olive oil and local cosmetic products
The island of Zakynthos is also well known for its olive oil production. Small farms grow olives, which are then made into delicious, fresh olive oil. You can try local olive oil at the farms, and buy some to take home as well. The olive oil is also often used in cosmetic products, along with other locally grown products as well. So as well as eating the olive oil, you can try locally made cosmetic products that are really good for your skin.
22. Play with the local street cats
In some areas of Zakynthos, you’ll come across some stray cats on the streets. The cats tend to gather around some of the restaurants in the towns, hoping for some tasty treats. I loved seeing the street cats in Zakynthos. They were so cute, and so many of them were really friendly.
23. Take an off-road jeep tour to the highest mountain on the island
Another fun activity you can do in Zakynthos is to take an off-road jeep tour. You can take a jeep tour up to the highest point in the centre of Zakynthos. It’s about 750m above sea level. And on a nice day, the views are great. And the jeep ride up to the top of the mountain is super fun. An experienced driver will drive off-road, negotiating the rocks and puddles in the road to get to the top.
If you’re interested in taking this tour, I recommend booking this off road jeep tour in Zakynthos (affiliate). I did this tour, and it was great fun. It was a great way to see a slightly different side of the island.
24. Drink local beer in Solomos Square in Zakynthos main town
The local beer in Zakynthos is called Mythos beer. You can get it at almost every cafe and restaurant in Zakynthos. There are some great cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating in Solomos Square in Zakynthos main town. On a hot day, it’s lovely to sit with a cold beer at the outdoor restaurant and watch the people go by all around you.
25. Ride horses through the sand dunes
As well as riding horses in the sea in Zakynthos, you can also ride horses through sand dunes. It’s another amazing experience for anyone who enjoys horse riding. You don’t need to be an experienced horse rider, as the horse riding tours will only involve walking. But it’s a great way to see even more of the island. I loved riding the horses through the sand dunes.
If you’re interested in horse riding in Zakynthos, I definitely recommend Laganas Horse Riding. It’s definitely a great place to try horse riding, with beautiful well-cared-for horses.
26. Watch the fancy yachts in Zakynthos main town
Zakynthos main town has a beautiful waterfront. You can walk along the waterfront and watch the boats. There are often some really nice yachts and big fancy boats moored up alongside here. I really enjoyed walking along the waterfront and looking at the yachts. You can walk along the edge of the water, right out to a small lighthouse. The views are lovely, and the yachts are great. I couldn’t help dreaming of one day being rich enough to have my own yacht and go sailing around Zakynthos…
27. Go souvenir shopping in Kalamaki
Zakynthos island is a popular tourist destination, so there are plenty of tourist souvenir shops around. My favourite souvenir shops were in the town of Kalamaki. The main street in Kalamaki is full of restaurants and souvenir shops. Take some time to wander along the main street and browse the shops. The main theme of souvenirs in Zakynthos is definitely turtles – you can get lot s of different turtle souvenirs.
28. Visit the Venetian Castle of Bohali
If you’re looking to learn a bit more about the history of Zakynthos, I recommend visiting the Venetian Castle of Bohali. It’s definitely one of the top things to do in Zakynthos for history lovers. You can get to the castle from Zakynthos main town. It’s a 45 minute walk uphill from the main town. But the walk isn’t too difficult.
The castle is mostly ruins now, but you can still get a sense of what it would have looked like. The castle is mostly from the 17th century, when the Venetians ruled the island. However, parts of the castle date back to the Byzantine times, and a lot of the castle was also modified by the British rules in the 19th century. The castle has been damaged over time by weather and also earthquakes. But the ruins are still nice to walk around. And the views from the top of the castle are really nice as well.
29. Swim in the sea on Kalamaki Beach with turtles
The beach at Kalamaki is a really beautiful beach. There’s a really gentle slope into the sea, so it’s a great beach for children or anyone who isn’t super confident in the sea. You can walk a long way out before the sea gets too deep. But it’s definitely worth heading out to the deeper water. In the deeper water, you can often see turtles in the sea. You can see, and hear, the turtles as they come to the surface to take a breathe. It’s an amazing experience to be swimming in the sea and then see a turtle poke it’s head above the water to breathe, really close to you.
30. Drink Greek coffee in the mountain villages
Another drink you have to try in Zakynthos is Greek coffee. Greek coffee is really strong, dark black coffee. It’s so nice. If you’re a coffee lover, you definitely need to try Greek coffee. Head to a cafe in one of the cute mountain villages for a morning cup of coffee, to enjoy while looking out at the beautiful mountain scenery. The coffee is really strong, so I definitely recommend drinking it in the morning, and not in the evening!
31. Visit the Zakynthos Monastery of Spiliotissa
Another of the less visited attractions on Zakynthos is the Monastery of Spiliotissa. It’s a small monastery in the mountains in the centre of Zakynthos. There aren’t many tourists here, but it’s a beautiful place. And they’re always happy for visitors to come to look around. You can see the bright yellow monastery building from the outside, and also look inside as well. The small church inside is really pretty, with beautiful decorations and also a great painting that was found in a nearby cave. The views of the mountains around the monastery are great as well.
32. Drink cocktails in the sun at your hotel pool
The last of my top things to do in Zakynthos is to drink cocktails in the sun at your hotel pool. There are so many amazing activities and things to see on Zakynthos, you can have some busy days sightseeing and doing fun activities. But a holiday to Zakynthos needs to include some relaxing time as well. Take some time to relax in the sun, drink cocktails, and think about the amazing adventures you’ve had on your trip to Zakynthos.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to the top things to do in Zaknythos! Make sure you also check out my ultimate itinerary for one week in Zakynthos, and also the best Greek food and restaurants in Zakynthos. For more adventures on beautiful Mediterranean islands, why not check out my guide to visiting Malta without a car, or my itinerary for one week in Sicily.
