Warm sun rays hit your skin, fine wind blows through your hair – ready for an eventful holiday on one of the most beautiful islands in Europe? Today I’m taking you on a journey of discovery through the so-called “Fior de Levante” or “Flower of the East” and showing you the most beautiful sights on Zakynthos. Absolutely breathtaking natural landscapes, fantastic turquoise-blue sea and quaint villages full of character give me the feeling of total light-heartedness and freedom.
Touchdown on Zakynthos! I chose the TUI BLUE Caravel as my accommodation. Here you always get the best tips for great destinations on your holiday. I’m now going to tell you my top sights on Zakynthos. Enjoy reading.
Table of contents
1 Navagio Beach and the shipwreck
My very first excursion tip is the world-famous Navagio Beach in the north-west of the island. Zakynthos is best known for the mystical shipwreck that lies on Navagio Beach. An adventurous boat trip, which starts at the port of Lomvardou, takes you across the beautiful sea to the unique little bay, which is surrounded by metre-high cliffs. A gentle breeze blows through my hair as I slowly sail around the corner of the rocks until I see the golden beach with the rusty shipwreck. Looking out to sea from the bay, there is an indescribably beautiful sea panorama – all worries definitely fade away here. However, the real reason for the numerous visitors to Navagio Beach is the shipwreck stranded in 1980, which you definitely have to see. “Navagio” is Greek and means shipwreck, which is why the bay later got this name. My tip if it’s crowded on the beach: there is a well-maintained hiking trail up to a viewing platform. Don’t worry, no hiking boots are needed 
From here you have a gigantic view of the beach and the wreck. Believe me, up here you’re sure to get the best postcard picture and a cool shot for social media.
2 Turtle Beach
My next excursion tip for your holiday on Zakynthos is definitely the Turtle Beach. Although not the official heraldic animal of Zakynthos, the Caretta-Caretta turtles are super worth seeing and lovely to look at, a must for all marine animal lovers! So here you can easily book a boat trip to Marathonisi from the starting point of your choice and go on a great discovery tour. Once there, I thought I was in paradise: crystal clear sea, untouched nature, a dreamlike environment and here and there the little Caretta-Caretta turtles. This is a must-see sight on Zakynthos! Take your snorkelling equipment with you and go on a fabulous discovery tour. What you should know, however, is that Marathonisi is a nature reserve with the turtles as an endangered species: the animals and nature should definitely be treated with care so that they remain with us for a long time.
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3 Zakynthos Town
In addition to exciting excursions on and in the water, Zakynthos also attracts visitors with its charming towns. Small alleys, beautiful flower displays on the walls of the houses – the flair of Greece can be clearly felt here. Especially for history and culture lovers, Zakynthos Town offers many sights from antiquity to the Byzantine era with Venetian rule and the colonial period under the British. Even today, you can still see the influence of Venetian rule in some of the buildings, as they are actually very similar to the Italian style, such as St. Mark’s Square, which was meant to resemble the same Venetian square. Incidentally, St Mark’s Square is home to the only Catholic church on the island. After a strong earthquake in 1953, some of these buildings were also reconstructed and rebuilt, but ruins of them can still be seen here. Zakynthos Town is also famous for Dionysos Solomos, who wrote the Greek national anthem. His statues and monuments can be seen in several places. Also interesting is the Church of St. Nicholas of Dionysos Solomos Square, built in honour of the patron saint of sailors. Zakynthos is super worth seeing and learning about, both historically and culturally and artistically. An ideal excursion on your Zakynthos holiday for a bit of variety!
4 Keri Caves
My next excursion tip for your holiday on Zakynthos is the dreamlike Keri Caves. Incredibly beautiful caves adorn the deep blue sea in the southwest of the island. Again, you’ll have to book an organised boat tour to get to the caves. Some of these caves can only be reached by swimming, while other openings are large enough to be explored by boat. The Caves are also a magical place for snorkelling fans to explore the sea. The cliffs of Mizitress are particularly beautiful, forming yet another small and private beach of their own. A perfect location for your ultimate Instagram photo at the Keri Caves of Zakynthos!
5 The town of Keri
While you’re at the caves of Keri, you might as well take a detour to the town of Keri. Keri is defined by ancient rocks and picturesque buildings – also wonderfully romantic for a trip on your Zakynthos holiday. Small alleys and olive trees conjure up a magical southern atmosphere. The Panagia Keriotissa church also invites you to pause for a few minutes and breathe in the beautiful surroundings. In addition, you can also climb the famous lighthouse in Keri to capture another great panorama with your eyes and perhaps also your camera.
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6. the village of Bochali
The cute little village of Bochali is also worth a visit. Charming little houses and romantic alleyways are just the thing for a relaxing, pleasant evening out. From Bochali you can enjoy a unique view of Zakynthos Town, especially when the town is glittering and sparkling with lights. I recommend ending the evening in a typical Greek restaurant with delicious mezze to round off your day perfectly!
7 Potamitis Windmill – One-Night Stay
Would you like to spend a night in a special place during your holiday in Zakynthos? Then I can really recommend the Potamitis Windmill. You can take a trip to the north-west of the island to the windmill, which shines in the typical blue and white colours of Greece. It’s not only a beautiful location for your holiday photos, but also a great place to spend the night! There are rooms in the windmill that you can book for one night – an absolute recommendation from my side. Beautiful atmosphere and surroundings meet typical holiday and sea feeling here. The Potamitis Windmill is worth a trip to Zakynthos on your holiday.
Breathtaking sights on Zakynthos and stay at the TUI BLUE Hotel
Zakynthos is definitely one of the most beautiful islands I have ever had the pleasure to visit. The great excursions you can experience here will make your holiday perfect. Whether it’s by boat or on foot, there’s something for everyone on Zakynthos and you can’t say no to this fabulous sea, can you? If you are still looking for a hotel, I can recommend the two TUI BLUE hotels on Zakynthos. I chose the TUI BLUE Caravel, which definitely meets all the requirements and is really fantastic with its direct location on the beach. As an ideal starting point in the east of the island, every excursion invites you to explore the island further. I also visited the TUI BLUE Zante Maris, which is also located directly on the beach in the south of the island and offers excellent service for a carefree stay.
Pack your bags and head off to Zakynthos to discover the island’s best attractions! Tell me about your excursions and which sights you visited and let me know which destination is your favourite!
Discover the other beautiful Greek islands – you can also get tips on them on the blog.