Undoubtedly Greece is a popular holiday destination for many reasons, but Zakynthos Island also known as ‘Zante’ is one of the diverse islands we’ve visited in Greece. If you’re not aware, far from the well-known islands like Mykonos and Santorini, Zakynthos is a small but beautiful island located in the Ionian Sea of western Greece offering some of the best beaches and a whole new Greek island experience. We hope this Zakynthos Itinerary for 3 days acts as a perfect guide to Zakynthos Greece and helps you plan a perfect jaw dropping vacation. 3 Days in Zakynthos is just perfect to give you enough time to cover all the best things to do in Zakynthos.
While in Zakynthos you have to forget about the white washed houses with blue dome churches, but this island is blessed with abundance of natural beauty, blue lagoon, secluded beaches, limestones cliffs, unexplored caves, sea side fine dinning restaurants overlooking the far horizons of the Ionia, and lot more that would make up for anything and everything. This island is truly dreamy…
Covering an area approximately 405km², you can find all the ingredients for a diverse holiday under the sun. Most beaches here are best seen by boat unlike other Greek Islands, which are very least explored. Hence it can be super fun destination for bachelor’s party, friend’s trips, family summer holidays and its no surprise why this island is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the country.
Zakynthos exceeded our expectations in every possible ways, so lets dive in!
Below are the list of things you need to know before you visit Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
1. How to reach Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
We boarded direct flight(Aegean Airlines) from Athens to Zakynthos and it took nearly 2hr30min to reach. However there is no direct ferry to Zakynthos from Athens. The ferry to Zakynthos departs from the port of Kilini and the trip takes about 1 hour, and you can reach Kilini by bus from Athens. While flying is the fastest and more efficient option rather taking the ferry to Zakynthos.
2.Greece Currency : 3 Days in Zakynthos
You can easily use Euro which is accepted everywhere. If possible, try to carry some hard cash as most of the local shops don’t accept plastic money apart from few big stores. You would even find ATMs at every corner so don’t have to worry much if you run short of cash.
3. Language in Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
As Zakynthos is quite a touristic place, almost everyone speaks and understands English. However, Greek is by far the most spoken language in the city.
4. Best time to visit Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
Zante endures Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters. Summers are best time to visit Zante which is between May and September when you can enjoy perfect sunny days and cooler evenings. As Zakynthos is one of those few island which is not overcrowded with tourists yet, you would find the island easy to explore with bearable tourists flocking in. But keep in mind that it might get bit touristy from late June onwards.
5. Is Zakynthos safe : 3 Days in Zakynthos
Greece as a country is very safe to travel around, even if you are a solo traveller or travelling with friends & family. Still you must take good care of yourself and people around with you as safety should always be the first priority. We felt absolutely safe around every nook and corners.
6. Greece Mobile Networks : 3 Days in Zakynthos
We always prefer using a local SIM card wherever we travel, which makes it easier to remain connected and to also avoid international roaming rates.
You can get a Greek SIM card for 5 EURO from Vodafone and other authorized stores which are mostly of similar rates. We collected our SIM cards from Athens International Airport (ATH).
7. How to apply for an E-visa for Greece
You need to apply for Schengen visa to enter Greece. Find out whether you need to apply for a Greece Visa or not. However U.S. citizens may enter Greece without a visa for stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. Visit your nearest Greece embassy for further information.
8. Transportation in Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
Getting around in Zakynthos is really accessible without too much of hassle. If you are an independent traveller like us, you will find that it is quite easy to go around on your own either on public buses, rented cab or even on foot.
Buses here are the most convenient and the cheapest way of transportation to get around from one place to another.
9. Self driving in Greece : 3 Days in Zakynthos
You may need an international licence to hire and self drive on Greek roads. One must apply and possess International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive legally and if you don’t have one you might be charged with additional penalties if caught by the police.
10. Best areas to stay in Zakynthos : 3 Days in Zakynthos
We choose to stay at the bustling capital in Zakynthos Town, located on the east coast of the island which is a popular cultural centre. Mostly the density of accommodations can be found in the south and east of the island having plethora of shops,restaurants and bars. While in the north of the island there are barely any accommodations that has direct access to beaches.
However if your idea of a perfect holiday is sandy beach and nightclubs then Laganas towards the south, can serve as a great stay option for you. But if you’re here to relax and discover epic scenery, than leave Laganas to the party crowd.
Zakynthos itinerary for 3 Days
- Day1: Arrive in Zakynthos and explore the little town on foot.
- Day2: Sun bask at Kalamaki beach, Laganas beach and spend the day at chill.
- Day3: Go for a half day island tour on the north side of Zakynthos that includes Navagio beach or Shipwreck beach, Blue caves, Keri caves and see the Shipwreck from above the cliff.
Below is the complete breakdown of days on how you can utilize your 3 days in Zakynthos.
Day 1: Arrive in Zakynthos
We booked our stay at the island’s capital, Zakynthos town that is extremely close to the harbour and is the largest city on the island. We stayed at ‘YRIA’ hotel with bare minimum facilities and it was absolutely perfect for a budget stay. Keeping the day at ease we explored the nearby things to see, and honestly the area was so fascinating we just felt like strolling around.
This island is all about picturesque cobbled stone alleys, taverns and amazing cafes. Walk around the street and gaze at the beautiful Virgin Mary Faneromeni Church, the Venetian Citadel and the Basilica of St. Dionysius. Even you can watch the gorgeous sunset, sitting at your favourite corner by the harbour.
Day 2: Visit and relax at Kalamaki beach and Laganas beach
We started our day pretty early and post breakfast, walked down to the city bus station to board bus for Kalamaki beach. Unfortunately the bus service wasn’t operational that day, so we hired a cab(10 Euro). There are so many beautiful beaches around with white-sand nooks framed by soaring cliffs with views of crystal-clear water that stretch for miles. You can hardly go wrong with any of the magnificent beaches in Zakynthos, but here are a few to get you started.
Kalamaki beach
Kalamaki is a long sandy beach, located on the southern side of Zakynthos island which is just 5 km away from Zante town. This is a crystal clear long stretched beach with shallow water, which is great for swimming and snorkelling.
Almost every year in the month of September more than 200 turtle nests are laid on this beach making it the best spot to watch turtle nesting and hatching. Typically, the first stretch of beach is always crowded so we climbed up the small cliff towards the end, and found more tranquil spots all for ourself. Even you can do the same and enjoy the beach from a height.
Laganas beach
After spending some amazing time at Kalamaki beach, start walking alongside the shore towards south and reach Laganas. It is absolutely possible to walk to Laganas from Kalamaki which would take 40-50 min depending on your speed. This beach is slightly more developed than some of the others giving it that quintessential “European Summer” vibe which is filled with amazing bars and clubs.
Turn on your google map and explore few more slice of paradise on earth:
- Dafni Beach
- Plakaki Beach
- Korakonissi Beach
- Porto Limnionas Beach
- Porto Vromi
- Xigia beach
- Gerakas Beach
- Filippoi Beach
Day 3: Take a half day island tour on the north of Zakynthos, and visit the Shipwreck beach and Blue caves.
From Zakynthos town we hired a cab and drove till St. Nicholas harbour from where our boat departed and took us to the Blue caves and Shipwreck beach. The round trip would cost approximately 50 Euro, depending on the season(shared basis). And opting for a private boat might range up to 50-100 Euro.
All over the town you would see agencies who can arrange these excursions for you. We booked our day trip from Get Your Guide which was a combined Navagio Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves Boat Tour.
Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach (from the coast)
Navagio beach is located on the north-western shores of Zakynthos and a must see shipwreck landmark. This bay is famous for beautiful sandy beach and sparkling crystal clear water surrounded by towering white cliffs, making it so surreal and dreamy. The Shipwreck beach is one of the most photographed beach destination in Greece.
However there are two ways to see the beach- one is from the cliff above the beach and looking down for that iconic view, the other is to take a boat and making it till the white sand. Don’t forget pack your meals and water along from St. Nicholas harbour itself, as it would be a long 3-4 hours trip to and fro.
Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach (from the cliff)
This is a must visit view point and is the main highlight of the trip. All you need to do is drive or take a cab to the viewpoint. Simply turn on your google maps and search for “Navagio Beach View Point” to get the exact directions. Once you reach the official viewpoint, you’ll find a barricaded area with safety railings from where you would get a glimpse of the Shipwreck beach far down below offering a breathtaking view of the beach, the bay, and the Ionian Sea beyond.
But for the best view ever you have to walk a little more may be for another 10-15 min along a rocky path toward the foreland. You will reach a vantage point and eventually a bench that serves as a memorial for someone who might have fell from the cliff. Please be extremely cautious while taking pictures and don’t go to close to the cliffs. Be sure to stay within the blocked off area as many tourists have slipped from the cliffs and lost their lives.
Explore the Blue caves of Zakynthos
One activity you definitely need to do in Zakynthos, is going for a boat ride in between the caves. The Blue Caves can be found at Cape Skinari in the north of the island making this region absolutely visit worthy, its beautiful!
Once we entered through the caves our eyes almost popped out. Passing through endless caves that has cliff arch formations looked insanely gorgeous and its a perfect place to click lots of pictures. With the clear and blue water, impressive rock formations and a bizarre scenery everything looked so dreamy, we just loved it. This ended up being one of our favourite time of the day in the entire trip.
Finally it was time for us to depart from this beautiful island the very next morning and head Mykonos via Athens.
Estimate Budget for Zakynthos
Hotels.
Three-four star hotels starts from 60-200 Euro in peak season, although you can usually search for Airbnb’s which are cheaper starting at 20-80 Euro per night. Also prices are comparatively low during the off-season.
Food.
Food is expensive in this island, especially if you want fine dining experience it would cost you 12-20 Euro for main dish and 5-7 Euro for a glass of wine. However we tried to cut down our budget on food and survived just by eating Gyros 3-4 Euro. It’s the best in town we had in a while. As breakfast was served in the hotel, for lunch and dinner we made it for 8Euro per person.
Transfers within the island.
Exploring Zakynthos on hired cabs would cost around 10-15 Euros, however you can try to bargain a bit. However travelling by bus would be cheaper 2-4 Euros.
Island tours and sightings.
For island tours it would cost between 25-50 Euro per person.
That’s all about it, things you can do in Zakynthos in 3 days. So guys hope you find this blog helpful planning yours, and if you have any queries please write it down in the comment section below. We would try to help with the best of our knowledge.
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