Zakynthos is where the Ionian Sea puts on its most dramatic show — turquoise waters so clear they look like liquid glass, a coastline carved into sea caves and hidden coves, and scenery that draws travellers from across the world. Beyond the famous Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves lies an island with its own food culture, warm hospitality, and a holiday rhythm that suits couples, families and independent explorers alike.
Destination Overview
Zakynthos is where the Ionian Sea puts on its most dramatic show — turquoise waters so clear they look like liquid glass, a coastline carved into sea caves and hidden coves, and scenery that draws travellers from across the world. Beyond the famous Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves lies an island with its own food culture, warm hospitality, and a holiday rhythm that suits couples, families and independent explorers alike.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos delivers some of the most visually striking coastal scenery in the Ionian — from the iconic Shipwreck Beach framed by towering white cliffs to the electric blue glow of the sea caves along the northern coast. But the island is more than its postcard moments: fertile inland villages, a strong local food identity, and a holiday atmosphere that ranges from lively resort nights to quiet coves where the only sound is the water. It is the kind of destination where the sea shapes the entire rhythm of the trip, and where the best memories often come from the moments between the famous spots.
Home to iconic spots like Navagio that define the Greek island experience.
Exploring the island by boat is an essential part of the trip.
The raw beauty of its coastal edge leaves a lasting impression.
A destination that works perfectly for couples, families, and summer travelers alike.
Zakynthos
The island's capital and a practical base for travelers who want a more local feel, access to restaurants, and an easier connection to the island's wider road network.
One of the island's most popular holiday areas, especially for travelers who want an easy beach base with restaurants, family-friendly options, and a balanced summer atmosphere.
Vasilikos offers a softer, greener, and often more relaxed side of Zakynthos. It suits travelers who want beaches, quieter surroundings, and a more laid-back holiday base.
Laganas serves those who want an energetic summer scene, while the northwest coast is essential for dramatic scenery and boat-based highlights.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos is defined by its coastline — a dramatic stretch of white sand, turquoise water, and limestone cliffs that has made the island one of the most photographed destinations in Greece. From the world-famous Shipwreck Beach to the hidden swimming spots along the Keri coast, the island's attractions are almost entirely shaped by the sea that surrounds it.
The island's most famous landmark. Even when access conditions vary, the viewpoint and the surrounding scenery remain major highlights.
One of the best-known natural attractions in Zakynthos, especially popular through boat trips and sea excursions.
A beautiful sandy beach known for its natural setting and its connection to the island's sea turtle environment.
Scenic swimming spots that are more about a dramatic setting and unique water experiences than classic sandy beach days.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos sits in the Ionian Sea, a region whose food culture is distinct from the rest of Greece. The centuries of Venetian rule — the Ionian Islands were under Venetian control from the 14th century until 1797 — left a visible and delicious mark on the island's gastronomy. The food here is sweeter, more aromatic, and more layered than the simple grills of the Aegean, with influences that travelled from the Italian peninsula to this green corner of western Greece. Local cheeses preserved in olive oil, slow-cooked meat dishes scented with cinnamon and allspice, almond-based sweets brought by the Venetians, and a wine-making tradition that dates back to antiquity all come together in a cuisine that rewards the curious traveller. What follows is a complete guide to eating your way through Zakynthos — from the tavernas of Zakynthos Town to the mountain villages of the interior, from the catch of the day along the coast to the sweet shops selling handmade mandolato.
Ladotyri is the signature cheese of Zakynthos and one of the most distinctive cheeses in Greece. It is a hard, salty cheese made from sheep's milk — sometimes blended with goat's milk — that is aged and then preserved in olive oil. The name itself means oil-cheese, and the preservation method is not just for show: the olive oil seals the cheese, continues to mature it slowly, and infuses it with a subtle fruity character from the local oil. The result is a cheese with a sharp, tangy flavour and a crumbly texture that works beautifully on its own, grated over pasta, or sliced alongside a plate of cured meats. Ladotyri is produced in small dairies across the island, and the best versions are still made by traditional methods. You will find it on most taverna menus as a meze, often served with a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of homemade marmalade. Seek it out at the morning market in Zakynthos Town or at deli shops in the villages — vacuum-packed ladotyri also makes an excellent gift to take home.
Fritoura is the Zakynthian version of the Greek keftedes — and like everything on this island, it has its own character. These are small, golden-fried meatballs made from a mixture of pork and beef, seasoned with local herbs, garlic, and a touch of cinnamon that hints at the Venetian influence. What sets fritoura apart is the texture: the meat is ground finely and mixed with bread soaked in milk, giving the meatballs a light, almost airy interior while the outside stays crisp. They are served hot, often with a wedge of lemon and a side of tzatziki or a simple tomato sauce. You will find fritoura in nearly every taverna on the island, but the best versions come from the tavernas in the inland villages — Volimes, Katastari, and the settlements around the slopes of Vrachionas. Order them as a starter, and if the taverna offers a variety of mezedes, let fritoura be part of a spread that includes ladotyri, tirokafteri, and grilled local sausages.
Sartsa is the quintessential Zakynthian comfort dish — a slow-cooked meat stew that belongs on every visitor's list of foods to try. Traditionally made with veal or beef, the meat is simmered for hours in a rich tomato sauce infused with garlic, bay leaves, allspice, and a stick of cinnamon that gives the dish its distinctive warmth. The sauce reduces to a thick, almost jammy consistency that clings to the meat and begs to be mopped up with crusty bread. Some versions add a splash of local red wine or a spoonful of tomato paste from the sun-dried tomatoes of the island. Sartsa is a dish that tastes of the Zakynthian countryside — slow, deliberate, and made with ingredients that have been grown or raised on the island for centuries. You will find it on the menu at traditional tavernas in the interior villages, especially on Sundays when it is the family meal of choice. Pair it with a glass of Avgoustiatis, the local red wine, for the full Zakynthian experience.
Skordostoubi is a dish that comes from the mountain villages of Zakynthos, and it could not be further from the tourist-oriented menus of the coastal resorts. It is a robust, garlic-heavy pork stew — chunks of pork shoulder slow-cooked with whole cloves of garlic, vinegar, bay leaves, and a generous amount of black pepper. The name comes from skorda (garlic) and stoubi (a type of clay pot used for slow-cooking), though today most tavernas use regular pots. The long cooking time transforms the garlic into something sweet and mellow — nothing like the sharp bite of raw garlic — while the vinegar cuts through the richness of the pork. The result is a deeply savoury, tangy dish that pairs perfectly with a glass of the local Verdea wine. Skordostoubi is not always easy to find on restaurant menus — it is more commonly served in homes and in tavernas that specialise in traditional Zakynthian cuisine. If you see it on a menu in Volimes, Exo Chora, or Agios Nikolaos, order it without hesitation.
Mandolato is the sweet soul of Zakynthos. This traditional nougat has been made on the island since the time of Venetian rule, and the recipe has changed very little over the centuries. It is made from three simple ingredients — almonds, honey, and egg whites — whipped together and set into thin sheets between layers of rice paper. The result is a soft, chewy, honey-sweet confection studded with whole almonds that snaps when you bite into it. What makes Zakynthian mandolato special is the quality of the local honey — the island's wild thyme and pine forests produce a honey with an intense floral aroma that carries into every bite. You will find mandolato in sweet shops across Zakynthos Town and in every village. The town of Katastari is particularly famous for its mandolato production, and several families have been making it for generations. It is sold in flat rectangular slabs, often wrapped in colourful paper, and makes the perfect souvenir — though you will be tempted to eat it before you leave the island.
Pasta flora is another gift of the Venetians to Zakynthian cuisine — a buttery shortcrust pastry filled with homemade fruit preserves, most often sour cherry or apricot. The pastry is crumbly and delicate, the filling tart and sweet at the same time, and the whole thing is typically cut into diamond shapes or small rectangles. It is served with afternoon coffee or as a dessert after a meal, and every bakery on the island has its own version. Beyond pasta flora, Zakynthos has a rich tradition of baked sweets: amygdalota (almond cookies dusted with icing sugar), kourabiedes (buttery almond shortbread), melomakarona (honey-soaked Christmas cookies), and the local koulourakia (twisted butter cookies flavoured with vanilla or ouzo). The island's sweet shops are a destination in themselves — stop at any bakery in Zakynthos Town, Katastari, or Volimes and you will leave with a box of something delicious.
While ladotyri is the star, Zakynthos produces several other cheeses worth seeking out. Feta is produced locally from sheep and goat milk, and the island's version is creamier and saltier than the mass-produced varieties from the mainland. Mizithra — a fresh whey cheese — is used in both savoury and sweet dishes: served as a soft, spreadable cheese with honey for breakfast, or grated over pasta in its aged form. Anthotyro is another fresh cheese, milder than mizithra, that appears in salads and pies. The island's tiropita (cheese pie) is made with local phyllo and a blend of feta, mizithra, and sometimes a touch of ladotyri for extra depth. Visit any bakery in the morning and you will find trays of golden, bubbling tiropita that make the perfect beach-day breakfast. For cheese lovers, a stop at a local dairy — many of which are found on the road between Zakynthos Town and Volimes — is worth the detour.
Zakynthos is an island, and the sea provides a significant part of its table. The waters around the island are rich in fish and seafood, and the local fishing fleet supplies tavernas with whatever was caught that morning. The most common fish you will encounter on menus is tsipoura (gilt-head bream), lavraki (sea bass), and the excellent local barbouni (red mullet), which is simply grilled and served with olive oil and lemon. Octopus is dried in the sun and grilled over charcoal — a meze that tastes of the sea itself. Squid and calamari are fried to golden perfection, and the local garides (shrimp) from the gulf of Laganas are sweet and plump. For a more rustic seafood experience, look for psarosoupa (fisherman's soup) or kakavia — the traditional Greek fish soup made with the catch of the day, potatoes, carrots, and a generous splash of olive oil. The best seafood tavernas are clustered along the coast at Agios Nikolaos, Porto Vromi, and the harbour of Zakynthos Town, where the boats dock practically at the restaurant door.
Olive oil is the foundation of Zakynthian cooking, and the island produces some of the finest extra virgin olive oil in Greece. The hillsides of Zakynthos are covered with olive groves, many of them planted centuries ago, and the local variety — known as the throumba or locally as the zakynthou — yields a fruit that produces a mild, buttery oil with a subtle peppery finish. The olive harvest takes place from October to December, and during this period you will see nets spread beneath the trees across the entire island. Many of the island's olive mills offer tastings and sales directly to visitors — the cooperative in Agios Nikolaos and the private producers around Volimes are particularly welcoming. When you sit down to eat in Zakynthos, the olive oil on your table is not an afterthought — it is the ingredient that ties every dish together, from the ladotyri to the sartsa to the simplest horiatiki salad. Drizzle it generously and taste the difference that local production makes.
Zakynthos has a wine-making tradition that stretches back to ancient times, and the island's indigenous grape varieties produce wines that are unlike anything you will find elsewhere in Greece. Verdea is the signature white wine of Zakynthos — a crisp, aromatic wine made from the local Goustolidi grape, sometimes blended with other varieties. It is light, citrusy, and slightly herbal, with a finish that carries a hint of sea salt. It is the perfect accompaniment to seafood, ladotyri, and the island's lighter mezedes. Avgoustiatis is the island's red wine, made from the grape of the same name. It is a medium-bodied red with notes of dark cherry, plum, and a distinct earthiness that comes from the island's limestone soil. It pairs beautifully with sartsa and other meat dishes. Goustolidi (the grape) is also used to produce a dessert wine of remarkable quality — sweet but not cloying, with flavours of dried apricot and honey. Several wineries on the island offer tastings, including the cooperative winery in Zakynthos Town and smaller producers in the interior. A wine-tasting afternoon is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a day away from the beach.
Kumquat — the small, oval citrus fruit that looks like a miniature orange and tastes like a cross between an orange and a tangerine with a hint of bitterness — has become one of the most recognisable products of Zakynthos. The fruit was introduced to the island in the 19th century and found the perfect climate in the Ionian: mild winters, plenty of sun, and fertile soil. Today, Zakynthos produces the vast majority of Greece's kumquat crop. The fruit is used to make a bright, aromatic liqueur that is served ice-cold as a digestif after meals. It is sweet but not syrupy, with a clean citrus finish that cleanses the palate. Beyond the liqueur, kumquat appears in marmalades, spoon sweets, chocolates, pastries, and even in savoury sauces served with pork or duck. The kumquat shops in Zakynthos Town — especially along the main street leading to Solomos Square — offer tastings of everything from the liqueur to kumquat-flavoured chocolates. A bottle of kumquat liqueur is the single most popular souvenir from the island, and for good reason.
Zakynthos produces exceptional honey, thanks to the island's diverse flora — wild thyme, pine, heather, and the aromatic herbs that cover the hillsides. The thyme honey of Zakynthos is particularly prized: light amber in colour, with a floral aroma and a flavour that carries hints of the herbs growing wild in the mountains. It is drizzled over yoghurt, ladotyri, and fresh fruit, and it is the key ingredient in mandolato. Spoon sweets (glyka koutaliou) are another Zakynthian specialty — whole fruits preserved in a thick sugar syrup until they become translucent and jewel-like. The most common are kumquat, sour cherry, fig, and green tomato, but you will also find more unusual varieties like walnut and bergamot. Spoon sweets are served on a small plate with a glass of cold water as a traditional gesture of hospitality — and in Zakynthos, that tradition is still alive. Visit any cafe in the interior villages and you may be offered a spoon sweet with your coffee, a taste of the island's old-fashioned generosity.
To understand Zakynthian food culture at its deepest level, you need to understand the Sunday table. In Zakynthos, Sunday lunch is a ritual — a long, unhurried meal that brings extended family together around a table loaded with dishes that have been prepared since early morning. The meal typically starts with a spread of mezedes: ladotyri, fritoura, tirokafteri (spicy feta dip), and perhaps some grilled local sausage. The main course is almost always a slow-cooked meat dish — sartsa or skordostoubi, depending on the family's tradition and the season. The table is never without a horiatiki salad, made with tomatoes that actually taste of tomato, cucumbers, locally caught olives, and a slab of feta that is anointed with the family's own olive oil. Wine flows freely — Verdea for the lighter palates, Avgoustiatis for those who prefer red. And the meal always ends with mandolato or pasta flora and a small glass of kumquat liqueur. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Zakynthian home on a Sunday, you will leave with a full stomach and a deep appreciation for the island's food culture.
Zakynthos offers a wide range of dining experiences, from simple beachfront tavernas to elegant restaurants in Zakynthos Town. In Zakynthos Town itself, the old harbour (to limani) is lined with seafood tavernas where you can eat grilled fish while watching the fishing boats. The Plateia Agiou Markou area offers more refined dining with a mix of Greek and international influences. In Tsilivi, the main strip is packed with restaurants catering to holiday crowds, but a few streets back you will find family-run tavernas serving honest, affordable Greek food. Vasilikos is the place for relaxed, beach-adjacent lunches — tavernas here serve simple grilled meats, fresh salads, and the day's catch in a setting that is pure summer holiday. The inland village of Volimes is the destination for traditional Zakynthian cuisine — this is where you will find the most authentic sartsa, skordostoubi, and ladotyri, served in tavernas that have been feeding locals for decades. For a truly memorable meal, drive to Agios Nikolaos in the northwest — the tavernas here overlook the harbour and the sunset, and the seafood is as fresh as it gets.
A meal in Zakynthos is often enhanced by the setting — and the island has some of the most beautiful sunset dining locations in the Ionian. The terrace tavernas of Volimes offer panoramic views across the northern coast, with the sun setting behind the distant mountains of Kefalonia. In Agios Nikolaos, the harbour tavernas serve fresh fish as the sky turns shades of orange and pink over the sea. Porto Vromi has a single taverna right at the water's edge, where you can eat after a boat trip to Navagio. The Keri Caves area in the south offers cliffside dining with views over the endless blue of the Ionian. And the rooftop restaurants of Zakynthos Town — particularly those overlooking Solomos Square — provide a more urban sunset experience, with the lights of the town coming on as the sky darkens. For the most romantic dinner on the island, book a table at one of the cliffside tavernas in Volimes or Keri at sunset — the combination of good food, good wine, and a sky on fire is hard to beat.
For travellers who want to take a piece of Zakynthian gastronomy home, the island offers a wealth of local products. The morning market in Zakynthos Town — held daily in the square near the harbour — is the best place to find fresh produce, local cheeses, olives, and honey. The kumquat shops on Alexandrou Roma Street offer every conceivable kumquat product, from liqueur to marmalade to cosmetics. The olive oil cooperatives in Agios Nikolaos and Volimes sell directly to the public, and many will let you taste before you buy. For mandolato, the sweet shops of Katastari are the island's centre of production — look for the family-run workshops where you can see the nougat being made. The wineries of the island offer bottle sales and tastings, and the wine cooperative in Zakynthos Town has a shop where you can sample and purchase Verdea, Avgoustiatis, and the sweet Goustolidi wines. And for a truly local experience, visit the small deli shops (pantopoleia) in the mountain villages — they stock homemade ladotyri, hand-pressed olive oil, and jars of spoon sweets made by families who have been producing them for generations.
For travellers who want to go deeper, several local organisations and private hosts offer cooking classes focused on Zakynthian cuisine. A typical class takes you through the preparation of a full Zakynthian meal — starting at a local market to source ingredients, then returning to a kitchen (often in a family home or a small cooking school) to prepare dishes like fritoura, sartsa, and mandolato under the guidance of a local cook. You will learn about the ingredients that define the island's cuisine: the local olive oil, the cheeses, the wild herbs that grow on the hillsides, and the techniques that have been passed down through generations. Some classes include a visit to an olive oil mill or a winery. The experience usually ends with the group sitting down together to eat the meal they have prepared, accompanied by local wine. A cooking class is not only a memorable day on the island — it is a skill you take home with you, and a way of understanding Zakynthos that goes far beyond the beaches.
While Zakynthian cuisine is known for its meat and cheese dishes, the island offers plenty for vegetarian and vegan travellers. The classic Greek horiatiki salad is available everywhere, and in Zakynthos it is made with local tomatoes that are sweet and flavourful, cucumbers, green peppers, red onion, Kalamata-style olives, and a generous slice of feta (ask for it without). The island's wild greens (horta) are foraged from the hillsides and served boiled with olive oil and lemon — a simple, nutritious dish that tastes of the earth. Dakos — a Cretan-origin dish that has spread across the islands — is a barley rusk topped with chopped tomato, herbs, and olive oil. Grilled vegetables, stuffed peppers and tomatoes (gemista), and vegetable stews (ladera) are standard on most taverna menus. The island's olive oil, honey, and spoon sweets are all naturally vegan. And the legume dishes of Zakynthos — particularly the local fava (yellow split pea purée) and the giant beans (gigantes) baked in tomato sauce — are hearty enough to satisfy any appetite. Most tavernas will gladly accommodate dietary preferences if you ask.
Zakynthos celebrates its food culture through a calendar of festivals and events that bring the island's communities together. The most famous is the Mandolato Festival in Katastari, held in late summer, where local producers set up stalls offering tastings of their nougat alongside music and dancing. The Kumquat Festival in Zakynthos Town celebrates the island's signature fruit with tastings, cooking demonstrations, and live music — usually held in early autumn when the kumquat harvest begins. Olive harvest festivals take place in the mountain villages from October to December, where you can participate in the harvest, visit the mills, and taste the new season's oil. Easter on Zakynthos is a culinary event in itself — the traditional magiritsa soup after midnight mass, the roast lamb on Easter Sunday, and the braided tsoureki bread that every bakery produces during Holy Week. The island's patron saint feasts (panegyria) in the villages are another opportunity to experience local food in a festive setting — long tables are set up in the village squares, and everyone shares in a communal meal of grilled meat, wine, and music that often lasts until dawn.
A few practical notes to help you navigate the Zakynthian food scene. Peak dining hours are later than in northern Europe: lunch is served from 13:00 to 15:30, and dinner rarely begins before 21:00 in the summer months — many tavernas do not even open until 20:00. Reservations are recommended for the popular seafood tavernas in Agios Nikolaos and the sunset spots in Volimes, especially in July and August. The bill (logariasmos) in most tavernas includes a small charge for bread and the cover (sometimes listed as a flat fee per person) — this is standard practice across Greece. Tipping is appreciated but not compulsory: leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Many tavernas in the more touristic areas offer English menus, but in the mountain villages you may need to rely on pointing and smiling — the effort is always rewarded. And perhaps the most important tip of all: in Zakynthos, the best meals are often the simplest ones — grilled fish by the harbour, a plate of fritoura and a glass of Verdea in a village square, mandolato eaten with your hands on a bench overlooking the sea. Trust the island, order what the locals are eating, and let the food be part of your Zakynthos story.
Zakynthos
Where you stay in Zakynthos will shape the tone of your holiday quite a lot. Each area has a distinct personality — from the resort convenience of Tsilivi to the village charm of Volimes — and choosing the right base can make the difference between a good trip and a great one.
You want an easy and popular beach base, you like convenience, and you are traveling as a couple or family.
You prefer a more local and practical base, you want town life, and you plan to explore more of the island by car.
You want a quieter and greener part of the island, and your trip is more about beaches and relaxation.
You specifically want a lively summer atmosphere where nightlife is an important part of your trip.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos is one of the islands where sea-based activity is a major part of the experience. The island works best when you do more than stay in one beach area.
Visiting the Blue Caves and exploring scenic coastal spots is essential.
Enjoy coastal drives and take in the dramatic landscapes from above.
Combine boat experiences with independent exploring and relaxed evenings in your base area.
Zakynthos
Especially attractive for travelers who want warm weather with a slightly more balanced pace.
Peak summer months with the busiest beaches and strongest holiday energy.
Work very well for visitors who care about sightseeing, coastal drives, and a more relaxed atmosphere.
Zakynthos
Yes. Zakynthos is one of the most visually attractive Ionian islands and is especially rewarding for travelers who love beaches and coastal experiences.
It is best known for Navagio Beach, the Blue Caves, turquoise waters, and its dramatic coastal scenery.
Yes. Some parts of the island, such as Tsilivi and quieter beach areas, can work very well for families.
No. While some areas are lively, the island overall offers much more than nightlife, including scenic beaches, relaxed stays, and boat trips.
A few days are enough to enjoy the highlights, but the island is more rewarding when you have time to combine beach days and slower exploration.
It can be very useful, especially if you want to explore different beaches, viewpoints, and regions of the island at your own pace.
