Tourist Attractions
This mix of beautiful scenery; good beaches; and access to an equally stunning underwater world, filled with hidden caves and colorful fish, which is perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving, has made Zákynthos one of the top tourist destinations in Greece.
Shipwreck Beach (Navagio Beach)
Probably the most photographed and, arguably, beautiful beach in all of Greece, Shipwreck Beach lies in the so-called Smuggler's Cove on Zakynthos' west coast. Made up of fine white pebbles backed by cliffs, the beach takes its name from the wreck of a contraband cigarette smuggling ship that washed up here in 1980.
Zakynthos Town (Zante Town)
On the island's east coast, extending in a wide arc along the gently sloping shores of a bay, Zákynthos Town is the capital of Zákynthos. Many of its Neoclassical buildings were demolished by the 1953 earthquake, but its paved streets and squares, filled with bakeries, cafés, boutiques, and jewelry stores, are still a joy to explore on foot.
Byzantine Museum
On the main square in Zakynthos Town, this purpose-built museum displays religious icons, frescoes, and sculptures from the island's churches and monasteries, dating from the 12th century onwards. You'll see Byzantine icons carved into wood and there are two rooms dedicated to 18th-century oil paintings. There's also a scale model of the town from around 1950, giving you some idea of how it looked before the devastating 1953 earthquake.
Roma Mansion
Built in the 1660s, this proud mansion is one of the few old buildings to have survived the 1953 earthquake, which wiped out most of Zakynthos Town. It is owned by the Roma family, who decided to renovate it and opened it to the public in 2007. Inside, you can see period furniture, paintings, and books, giving you some idea of how local aristocrats lived in the centuries prior.