Golden sands, party-style nightlife, traditional charm, beautiful countryside and romantic seclusion – Zante is the full package for a captivating holiday with so much to see and do for couples, groups and families.
Adventure-seekers will find beaches such as St Nicholas and Banana Beach, at Vassilikos, great for watersports and scuba diving, while those aiming to chill out on an all-inclusive Zante holiday will probably prefer quieter Gerekas and Porto Zorro, and anyone looking for a quirky alternative can take a boat trip to Navagio Bay, where the hulk of a wrecked ship lies on the sands.
Popular for weddings and honeymoons – it has been called ‘the green island of poetry, song and love’ – luxury holidays to Zante also offer breathtaking sunsets for an intimate dinner-date and a stroll along the shore on a balmy evening.
There are plenty of restaurants serving authentic island cuisine, like the family-run Olive Tree Taverna, the oldest in Tslvili, cooking with free range eggs and home-grown produce including olives, herbs and lemons. The menu includes ‘five hours spicy shin of beef’ or the lamb shank cooked to Mamma Mary’s traditional recipe.
There’s stunning scenery for nature-lovers to enjoy on a family holiday to Zante, like the cliffs of Keri, with their lighthouse, the rock formations of Myzithres that take their name from Myzithra cheese because of their shape, and the turtle-shaped island of Skinari, which belongs to the Vatican, while real turtles lay their eggs on the neighbouring island of Marathonissi.
The wilder in spirit usually head south to lively Laganas, the party capital, with music and dancing to be found on beaches and yachts, and around pools, day and night.
With clubs and bars glorifying in names like Sizzle, rescue, and Cheeky Tikis, the area known as the Laganas Strip is at the centre of the action, and there is good-quality Greek cuisine amid the great value pizzas.
