Zakynthos, Zante or Fioro of Levante (= The Flower of the East) is one of the Ionian Islands’ famous Greek islands. You will have no issues finding where to stay in Zakynthos since the island has amazing beauty that you can enjoy during the summer and the rest of the year. It is no coincidence that the rare loggerhead turtles chose it for their spawning. It is the eleventh largest Greek island, and the population is 40,758 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are called Zakynthians, or Zakynthians.
You can travel to Zakynthos island using 3 ways of transportation. You can use the local airport and book a flight directly to the Ionian island, book a ferry from Kilini port( which is more or less a 1hour trip ) or book a ferry from Piraeus to Zante if you are near Athens. You can also get to Zakynthos from Kefalonia island if you enjoy an island-hopping journey to the Greek Islands. Must see on this famous greek island is the navagio beach or else known as the shipwreck beach and the caretta caretta turtle.
Best area to stay in Zakynthos Greece
No matter where you go on Zante, you will love every bit of it. The people are very warm & friendly. You can stay at various in Zakynthos which you will really enjoy the boutique hotels. Be sure to pick among Alykes and Alykanas, Tsilivi, Zakynthos Town, Argassi, Vassilikos, Kalamaki, Laganas beach and Keri.
Zakynthos Town
For first-time visitors to the island, your safest choice is to find accommodation in Zakynthos Town. It will be easy to go to all the other locations using the local bus line, a taxi or even rent a car. You will also find most of the hotels located there.
During your stay, you will enjoy walking the streets, shopping around the local shops, and eating traditional Greek food in a local taverna (restaurant). The beach is not great but you can have a nice swim there.
You will find many accommodation options. The best hotels in Zakynthos town are Phoenix Hotel and Diana Hotel especially if you are looking for a boutique hotel.
Apart from Laganas, which is very crowded and ofter a lot of nightlife and clubbing, the rest of the island offers balanced locations which awesome beaches, hotels, and restaurants.
Where to stay in Zakynthos for couples
• Where to stay in Laganas
Laganas is possibly the most famous location in Zante, especially among the younger travelers and couples who want to combine their holidays with nightlife and sandy beaches with turquoise waters.
You will find several different options to spend your night at Laganas since several bars and beach clubs have very long opening timetables. The streets are also crowded during the summer nights, and you should be cautious at night since a lot of drunk youngsters will be there.
In Laganas, you will find a lot of options to book your stay. There are different lodging options such as luxurious hotels with swimming pools, studios and for budget travelers and nature lovers, there is also camping available.
The best resort to stay in Laganas is the Mediterranean Beach Resort which feats an amazing swimming pool with a cocktail bar along with great sun loungers.
Where to stay in Zakynthos for families with kids
If you are looking for a location on the island that’s not too lively but has enough interesting locations & activities ( like a private boat tour to the Navagio Shipwreck beach ) and has access to great restaurants/beaches, you should stay in Kalamaki or Tsilivi beach. Alykes is the less developed location and will be perfect for everyone who, more than everything, wants to chill out. You will easily find there from a nice budget 3 star hotel up to a luxury hotel.
• Where to stay in Kalamaki
Kalamaki is the best place to stay in Zante with your family. You will find the beach great for your children which stays knee-deep for about 30m and which also results in warm waters that your children will really enjoy. If you are lucky enough you will be able to see the turtles resting on a pedalo!
In the area of Kalamaki, you can find a great choice of hotels and apartments that range from small family businesses, Air Bnb’s to medium size Hotels like Hotel Exotica. Many of them will feature a beautiful beach, a private pool, and a calm sea view.
If you book a hotel on the main strip of Kalamaki it will be quiet during the night. The noisiest part is on the main road where all the bars are located.
All the restaurants ( Taverna’s in the Greek language ) are quite family-friendly and will really look after you
The best hotels to book your holidays are the beachfront Venus Hotel and the Vanessa Hotel
• Where to stay in Tsilivi ( Planos )
Like Kalamaki, Tsilivi is a perfect place to stay with your family, especially if you have young children. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and bars to enjoy your holidays. Most important though is the fun park, mini-golf, lots of play areas and of course the ionian sea where your children will really have a nice time. The area is big enough, and you have plenty of options on where to stay without being too far from the center.
You will have also access to various tours that include turtle spotting, cave swim, and visits to different sand beaches.
Keep in mind that it would be better to avoid Argassi and the main part of Laganas as these will be packed with youngsters on party mode vacations. Feel free to explore the rest of the island as, in general terms, Zakynthos is a family-friendly island.
The best seafronts hotels in Tsivili are Contessina Hotel and Zante Maris Suites
• Where to stay in Alykes and Alikanas
Around this picturesque village, you can find various eco activities like helping on picking olives from a biological farm, ride a horse with your family or explore the ways local families are cooking their meals.
Alykanas is a quiet place with not so much happening at night. You should visit it if you want to relax and stay in a peaceful location. You can have a drink while chilling out during the summer nights and enjoy the calmness of Alikanas.
Apart from the long and sandy beaches of the Ionian sea which are very safe for the kids, there is a very nice water park at Sarakinado that childer will like to spend some time there!
The best hotels to stay in Alykes are Koukounaria Hotels and Suites and Oscar Villa & Studios
