The most beautiful drive on Zakynthos

A shipwreck, blue caves and the bay of the sea turtles

Zakynthos, the southernmost of the large Ionian islands, is the island of the spectacular coast: white cliffs above deep blue water, sea caves that glow blue, a shipwreck in a hidden cove and, in the south, the protected beaches where the loggerhead turtle lays her eggs. This loop of about 145 kilometres threads together the six finest places, from the Venetian capital along the northern tip and the west coast to the bays of the south.

Unique to Touren.app: you do not have to start in Zakynthos town. Tap "drive this as a loop from your location" and we spin the round so it begins at the point nearest your hotel and returns you there, whether you are in the town, Laganas, Tsilivi or Alykes.

The route on the map

A schematic overview by Touren.app, not a navigation map. The exact route opens under “Drive this route” or in Google Maps. Map orientation: north is up.

Plan your own route

The 6 places along the drive

1. Zakynthos

Start · the Venetian town

Zakynthos town was rebuilt in the old Venetian style after the 1953 earthquake, with arcades, the broad Solomos Square and the church of the patron saint Dionysios with its free-standing bell tower. Above the town, on Bochali hill, lie the remains of the Venetian castle with views over the bay.

Practical: park at the harbour or by Solomos Square and walk into town. For the view, drive up to Bochali. From here Touren.app also spins the loop from your own hotel.

2. Blue Caves

the blue caves · Cape Skinari

At the northern tip of the island, at Cape Skinari, the sea has cut caves and arches from the white limestone. The water is so clear that it glows blue from below, hence the name Blue Caves. Small boats take you through the arches and caves from Agios Nikolaos or the cape.

Practical: park at Agios Nikolaos or the little harbour on the cape; the boat trips leave from there. Come in the morning for the clearest blue. The steps to the jetties are steep.

3. Navagio

the shipwreck · Navagio

Navagio, the Shipwreck Beach, is the most photographed place in Greece: a strip of white sand in a cove enclosed by high white cliffs, with the rusting wreck of a smugglers' ship that ran aground in 1980. You look down on it from the viewing platform high on the cliff; the beach itself is reachable only by boat.

Practical: the viewing platform is off the road above the cove; follow the signs and park at the top. Stay behind the railings, the cliff edge crumbles. To reach the beach, take a boat trip from Porto Vromi or the town.

4. Anafonitria

the monastery · Anafonitria

In the green north-west lies the fifteenth-century monastery of Anafonitria, with a squat defensive tower and a quiet courtyard. Here lived Saint Dionysios, the island's patron, and here the namesake icon of the Mother of God is kept. It is a cool, calm stop among the olive groves.

Practical: small car park at the monastery, free entry, shoulders and knees covered. The surroundings are rural and quiet; a fine break away from the coast.

5. Keri

the cliffs and sea caves · Keri

In the south-west rise the cliffs of Keri, hundreds of metres above the sea, with sea caves at their foot and, just below, the loose rock stacks of the Myzithres. From the lighthouse and viewpoint you look over the whole west coast; at sunset it is at its finest.

Practical: drive up through Keri village to the lighthouse and viewpoint. The Keri sea caves are visited by boat from the little harbour below. Bring something warm for the wind up top.

6. Gerakas

the turtle bay · Gerakas

Gerakas, in the south-east, is one of the loveliest beaches on the island: an arc of golden sand beneath soft cliffs, and at the same time one of the most important nesting sites of the loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean. The beach lies within the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, with rules that protect the nests.

Practical: park in the laid-out spot and walk the last stretch; the rear of the beach is closed off for the turtles. No sun umbrellas in the sand, and the beach closes in the evening. Respect the marine-park signs.

Practical: for the rental car, convertible and motorbike

Where to start: the route begins in Zakynthos town, but you need not start there. Tap "drive this as a loop from your location" and Touren.app spins the loop to the point nearest your hotel, whether you are in the town, Laganas, Tsilivi or Alykes.

The roads: Zakynthos has no motorway. The flat east and south drive easily; the mountain roads to Navagio, Keri and the northern tip are narrow and winding, so drive gently. Driving is on the right, as at home, and there are no tolls.

The sea turtles: the bay of Laganas and Gerakas form the National Marine Park. The loggerhead turtle lays her eggs here in summer. Follow the rules: no umbrellas on the nesting sites, no beach after sunset, and boats go slowly. That keeps the place as it is.

Best time: May, June, September and October are ideal: warm water, quiet roads and clear light in the caves. In July and August it is hot and busy at Navagio; come early there. The turtles nest from May to August.

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