Zakynthos

Zakynthos (Zante), the southernmost of the main Ionian Islands, is famous throughout Europe for Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach) — a white sand cove accessible only by boat, enclosed by towering white limestone cliffs with a rusting shipwreck in the centre, arguably the most beautiful beach in Greece. The image has been reproduced on every Aegean poster, but the reality is even better. The island's west coast is defined by the spectacular sea caves and dramatic cliff formations carved by the Ionian waves — the Blue Caves near Cape Skinari in the north are extraordinary when entered by small boat, their white limestone walls reflecting electric blue light from the water beneath. The Keri Caves in the south are similarly beautiful. The turtle beaches of the south (Laganas, Gerakas) are nesting grounds for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) — the area is a marine national park with strict beach access rules during the nesting season. Zakynthos Town, rebuilt after the 1953 earthquake, has a Venetian castle on the hill above and the excellent Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos with rescued icons from earthquake-damaged churches. The villages of the interior — Maherado, Kiliomeno — are authentic and relatively untouristed. The island is heavily developed for package tourism in the south and east coast; the north and west remain quieter. Zakynthos specialities include tsitsibira (local ginger beer) and mandolato (nougat with honey and almonds).