Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With transport, you can reach the raw terrain of the far southwest of the island. Bey-
ond the traditional village of
Keri
, a tiny road leads (past a taverna claiming the biggest
Greek flag in the country) to
Cape Keri
and its lighthouse above sheer cliffs.
Scenic and sometimes happily confusing roads lead north from here through beautiful
wooded hill country where locals sell honey and other seasonal products. The route leads
to the few land-accessible west-coast coves such as
Limnionas
or
Kambi
and to inland
gems like
Kiliomeno
, whose church of
St Nikolaos
features an unusual roofless campan-
ile. The bell tower of the church in
Agios Leon
was formerly a windmill. Lovely
Louha
tumbles down a valley surrounded by woodlands and pastures.
Exo Hora
has a collection
of dry wells and what is reputed to be the oldest olive tree on the island.
Volimes
is the
unabashed sales centre for traditional products.
The east coast north of Zakynthos Town is filled with resorts but the further north you
go, the more remote and charming the island becomes. The road narrows at the ferry vil-
lage,
Agios Nikolaos
, where development is slight. Carry on to reach pastoral, breezy
Cape Skinari
.
Boats leave from Agios Nikolaos and Cape Skinari for the
Blue Caves
, sea-level cav-
erns that pierce the limestone coastal cliffs. Boats enter the caves, where the water turns a
translucent blue from 9am to 2pm when sunlight shines in.
The boats also go to famous
Shipwreck Beach
, magnificent photos of which grace
every tourist brochure about Zakynthos and even Greece. It is in
Navagio Bay
, about
3km west of Volimes at the northwest tip of the island. In low season it is, indeed, gor-
geous, but in high season some say it feels like a D-Day beach landing at Normandy, so
crowded are the waters. Go early in the day. From land, a precariously perched
lookout
platform
(signposted between Anafonitria and Volimes) gives great views.
Potamitis
Nikolaos)
run boats (Blue Caves €7.50, Shipwreck Beach and Blue Caves €15).
AT LOGGERHEADS
The Ionian Islands are home to the Mediterranean's loggerhead turtle(Caretta car-
etta),one of Europe's most endangered marine species. The turtles bury their
eggs on large tracts of clean, flat sand, unfortunately also the favoured habitat of
basking tourists. Zakynthos hosts the largest density of nests, an estimated 1100
along the 5km Bay of Laganas area, part of the
National Marine Park of Zakyn-
Strict regulations limit building, boating, fishing and water sports in designated
zones. During hatching (July to October) conservation agencies place frames with
