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 The Ionian island of Zante (also called Zakynthos) has been colourfully billed as 'the green island of poetry, song and love', mainly because it was the home of Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the Greek national anthem, 'The Hymn to Liberty'. Arriving in Zante by ferry is certainly a poetic experience. The picturesque town curves around a bay dominated by a Venetian Fortress and the St Dennis Cathedral. Zante town is reminiscent of Venice with its historic St Mark's Square and Solomos Square, lined by reconstructed neoclassical buildings. The Solomos mausoleum is also a museum dedicated to the island's aristocracy of bygone days, while the Byzantine Museum sports splendid icons and frescoes salvaged from the island's beautiful medieval churches, destroyed in the massive earthquake of 1953. The main attraction for visitors, however, is the triangular shaped island's 57 miles (92km) of coastline, particularly on the eastern and southern flanks, which are blessed with beautiful bays. Favourites are the white sandy beaches of Lagana and Geraka, also renowned for being the nesting grounds of the Caretta-Caretta sea turtles. Inland the mountain villages lure holidaymakers away from the beach to sample some local hospitality, good food and wine and explore monasteries tucked away among the greenery. Tourism has become the main income earner for this popular resort island but the rapid development of infrastructure in recent years has not depleted its traditional charm. Zante remains pleasantly poetic.Main Zante Resort reviews
Argassi is becoming more popular each year. With a good variety of restaurants, tavernas and bars plus its character and traditions it has very much become a family resort. The town is clustered around a busy main street has a buzz that comes with being a compact resort, in high season, its bars, restaurants and discos are brimming with young visitors, although hotels outside the resort centre enjoy a quieter atmosphere and appeal to families. Its small, narrow sand-and-shingle beach offers a selection of watersports. Argassi also offers easy access to Zakynthos Town. Transfer time from the airport is around 15 mins by taxi and 30 mins by coach.
Kalamaki is a relatively quiet resort, in complete contrast lo its neighbour, Laganas which is only live kilometres away. Kalamaki's main attraction is its long sandy beach, which is renowned as the nesting site for the rare loggerhead Turtle This is the ideal beach resort with uncrowded beaches and the lively nightlife of Lagana within easy access. Transfer time from the airport is around 10 mins by taxi and 20 mins by coach.
Laganas has got the best beach on the whole of Zante. Not surprisingly. Laganas ranks as Zante's most popular holiday spot with a great number of tavernas. snack bars & restaurants. It is a magnet for lovers of nightlife who are spoilt for choice. Thankfully, many of the hotels are away from the main strip, proving popular with families and couples of all ages. The sandy beach sprawls for three kilometres. It's not really for watersports fans: the famed loggerhead turtles take priority over everything, except pedalos. A trip on a turtle-spotting boat is a popular pastime. Transfer time from the airport is around 10 mins by taxi and 20 mins by coach.
Tsilivi/Tragaki has developed into one of the islands most popular resorts and has quite a buzz in high season. Tsilivi is just six kilometres from Zakynthos Town and is very popular with the locals as well as the tourists. The resort is expanding every year although it has managed lo preserve its village charm whilst still being a fairly lively resort, especially in the height of the season. Families and young couples who enjoy walking, cycling and watersports will love it here. Tragaki is a small village that is relatively untouched by tourism. It's for walkers and cyclists, swimmers and sunbathers. The village has its own small, sand-and-shingle beach. It is also close to the golden sands of Amboula beach. For a quiet evening's entertainment Tragaki has a few tavernas which really do offer a traditional Greek service. Transfer time from the airport is around 20 mins by taxi and 40 mins by coach.
Vasilikos is situated an a Beautiful coastline with some excellent beaches and water sports There are a few tavernas and bars dotted along the coastal road, but this resort is primarily for those looking for a relating, away from it all holiday. The region's best sands are found around Vasilikos, including Banana and Porto Zorro beaches. Car hire is recommended in this part of Zakynthos. Transfer time from the airport is around 30 mins by taxi and 70 mins by coach. Zante Travel Facts: Time:
Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 between the last Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October).
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. A variety of plugs are in use including the European-style two-pin and the round three-pin.
Money: The Euro (EUR) is the official currency, divided into 100 cents. Banks and bureaux de change are widely available and travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining euros. Language: Greek is the national language, but English is widely spoken.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals require a passport valid for the intended period of stay, but a visa is not required. Health: There are no specific health risks in Greece, but visitors who plan to walk through forested areas are advised to consider vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis. Medical facilities in Greece vary; those in major cities are excellent but many of the islands are some distance from a decent hospital. Food and water are safe, but those visiting for short periods should consider sticking to bottled water. UK nationals are entitled to a refund on emergency hospital treatment under a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Greece, and a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) should be taken on holiday for this purpose. Despite this, all visitors are advised to take out medical insurance. Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required for those arriving from infected areas. Bird flu was detected in swans in northern Greece in February 2006, but stringent measures have been taken to contain the outbreak; no human infections have been reported. The risk to people is believed to be very low, but visitors are advised to avoid any contact with caged, wild or domestic birds, and to ensure that all poultry and egg dishes are well cooked as a precaution.
Tipping: The tip is often included in the bill in a restaurant. If not, leave between 10 to 15 percent. For drinks at cafes, round the bill up to the nearest euro. Taxis expect change as do cloak room attendants and porters.
Safety: There is a risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks and visitors are urged to be vigilant in public places, including tourist sites. The bombs that exploded in central Athens outside a police station on 5 May 2004 were not targeted at tourists, but visitors could be caught up accidentally in such incidents. Greece is otherwise considered a safe destination, but the height of the tourist season does usually see an increase in petty theft cases, particularly in crowded areas. Visitors are advised not to carry valuables on them. Violent crime is infrequent, but there have been incidents on some Greek islands and lone visitors are advised not to accept lifts from strangers.
Communications: The international access code for Greece is +30. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). There are often surcharges on calls made from hotels and it is generally cheaper to use OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation) offices for local and international calls. Calls can also be made from public card phone booths and cards can be bought from kiosks or OTE offices. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts and are cheaper than accessing the Internet from hotels. |
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