The ultimate one-week itinerary to Zakynthos, paradise in Greece!

Ready to explore Zakynthos island in Greece? With this ultimate one-week itinerary to Zakynthos, you will see the best of ALL parts of the island in just 7-8 days. Including all the 50-shades of blue waters you can wish for, sandy beaches, the neoclassical buildings of Zakynthos town, green hills, and cute, traditional villages. Obviously, based on my own experience.

Day 1: Exploring the Town & Beaches

• Zakynthos Town Stroll: Begin your journey with a leisurely walk through Zakynthos Town. Immerse yourself in the local architecture. A swim can be taken on Plaz, the town beach. There are also several museums you can visit during the morning. For a full list, check my Zakynthos guide.
• Church of Agios Dionysos: A must-visit, this church stands as a testament to the island’s rich history and religious significance, as St. Dionysos is the patron Saint of the island. There’s a little Ecclesial museum next to the church as well.
• Bochali village: Drive up to Bochali village and be mesmerized by the panoramic views it offers over Zakynthos town. If you do not wish to swim, or have already done so, stay here for dinner and a cocktail.
• Kalamaki beach & Plane spotting: Head to Kalamaki beach and relax on the sandy shore. On the far side of the beach (near the Crystal beach hotel) it is quiet and you can see the bay in all its beauty without the crowds of the Laganas area. Near this beach you can spot planes at sunset time from the Airport cafe.

• Boat tour or rental: Embark on a boat trip at Keri or Agios Sostis that takes you to the Keri Caves, Myzithres, Piscines Beach and the enchanting Cave of Love. The bluest ever, crystal-clear waters are out of this world. Till Myzithres you can also drive yourself when renting a boat up to 30hp, if you want to go to Piscines and the Cave of Love you have to hire a skipper.
• Swimming with turtles: At the end of the tour, pass by Marathonisi (Turtle Island) and the Laganas bay. If you’re lucky you can swim with turtles!
• Discount with my Zakynthos Travel Guide: with my Zakynthos Travel Guide you get a 10% discount on the renting price of a boat (with or without skipper) when renting with The Big Blue Zakynthos in Keri. Alternatively, you can book a Turtle island & Turtle Spotting trip for only 30 euros per person on Getyourguide.
• Keri Lighthouse & Myzithres viewpoint: As the day comes to an end, drive to the Keri Lighthouse and the Myzithres viewpoint and witness a breathtaking sunset. You can either romantically dine here (Keri Lighthouse), or go to the cute Keri village for dinner, or for a sweet at Nitzi cafe.

Day 3: Road Trip Adventures – day 1

Time for a proper road trip! Get in your car or on your other vehicle and choose from the following spots. Or visit them all:

• Olive Press Museum: Dive into Greek olive oil by a visit of the Olive Press Museum, near Laganas. Here you can see how olive oil was once produced and is produced now. Also, you can taste different oils for free and of course, buy them as as souvenir.
• Winery Visit: Indulge in some wine tasting and discover the rich flavors of Zakynthos, which has got many wineries. Closeby the Olive Press Museum, one of the best wineries to visit is Grampsas. The finger food served with the tasting is of high quality as well. A complete list of wineries can be found in my Zakynthos Travel Guide.
• Have a swim at Porto Limnionas or Porto Roxa: Spend the rest of your day lounging on one of these beautiful beaches, which are actually rocky swim spots. Porto Limninonas is perfect for snorkeling and jumping off some rocks, while Porto Roxa offers a wooden diving board to jump into the sea from.
• Dinner at Ambelostrates, or one of the west coast’s sunset taverna’s. The winery Ambelostrates is one of the cutest and most atmospheric dinner spots of the island. You will dine on one of the terraces surrounded by trees and with a view of the vineyard. Kiliomenos, the village in which it is located, is also a must visit! Alternatively, you can choose to have a sunset dinner at one of the many restaurants on the west coast of Zakynthos that offer a sunset view. One of the most popular spots for this is L’été sunset bar. A complete list of sunset spots can be found in my Zakynthos Travel Guide.

Day 4: Vasilikos peninsula

Disover the wonderful sandy beaches of the Vasilikos peninsula

• Gerakas & the Turtle Rescue Center: Gerakas is a must-visit on the Vasilikos peninsula, because this is an area where the endangered Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs. Therefore behind Gerakas beach you can find the Turtle Rescue Center which explains all about the species and how people on the island are trying to protect them. The long, sandy bay of Gerakas with a stunning backdrop of green & clay cliffs also is not to be missed.
• Watersports and amazing beach clubs at Banana Beach: If you like it all organized, do not miss out on Banana Beach. A long, sandy bay with some great beach bars, watersport options and beach parties in high season. There is a free bus line even during the summer months from Argassi and Laganas. If you like a smaller bay with a modern beach club, try NOE beach club at Mavratzi beach.
• Natural Clay Mask at Porto Zoro: on the far side of Porto Zoro beach, you can find rocks that when wet, provide clay you can put all over your body to enjoy a natural clay mask. Free spa!
• Quiet bays: Looking for a less touristic or busy beach on the Vasilikos peninsula in Zakynthos? Try Dafni beach or Porto Roma.

Day 5: Shipwreck day!

On day 5 it is finally time to visit the most famous beach of Zakynthos, Navagio or Shipwreck beach. From below and from above!

• Shipwreck beach boat tour: Drive to the stunning beach of Porto Vromi and embark on a 3-hour boat tour to Shipwreck beach. You’ll have the chance to swim at the amazing White beach and Porto Steniti as well. And discover some caves. This cruise can be booked through Porto Vromi Maries Cruises and with my Zakynthos Travel Guide you will get a 20% discount!
  Alternatively, you can book a full-day Shipwreck, Blue Caves & east coast boat tour leaving from Zakynthos town.
• Shipwreck beach viewpoint After the tour, drive up to Shipwreck viewpoint to see the amazing beach from above. On your way, make a stop at the Anafonitria Monastery.
• Sunset dinner no. 2: As you are residing once again on the west side of the island this day, choose another sunset spot for dinner. Such as Sunset Michalis Taverna.

Day 6: Road trip adventures – Day 2

Time for another proper road trip. Pack your vehicle and get on the road. You can choose from the following spots:

• Cheese Factory Visit: Discover local delicacy ‘ladotiri’ (spicy goat cheese) and see how it is produced at the Agrodesmos traditional cheese factory.
• Oldest olive tree: Go to the super cute village of Exo Hora, where you will find colorful buildings from before the 1953 earthquake, as well as the oldest olive tree (over 2.000 years old) on the island. There are some nice shops selling traditional products and souvenirs and cafes to sit at.
• Swim at Korakonisi: if you are a snorkeling fan, you can not miss the Korakonisi swim spot. It is in fact a rocky islet with a large stone arch in it, and a stroke of water between the islet and the land which looks like a natural, emerald-green swimming pool. The entrance is via a set of stars on the side of the rocks. So not suitable for people who have a hard time walking. If you are even more adventurous you can take a proper hike to another such swim spot, called Plakaki.

Day 7: Roadtrip of Northeast Zakynthos to end the ultimate one week itinerary

I think the northeast part of Zakynthos is the most beautiful. Therefore you should definitely reserve a full day to explore this area.

• Askos Stone Park: Askos Stone Park is a must-visit for anyone, but especially for families with children! This is a park and ‘zoo’ where you can take a 1-hour walk through nature, feed and pet some animals like deer and even a raccoon. It is purely beautiful to see what they have created here.
• Potamis dive spot & the Blue Caves: Visit the Potamis Dive Spot and take a short and cheap boat tour with the Potamis Brothers to the stunning Blue Caves.
• Discover all the hidden bays with crystal clear, blue water. There is endless options to choose from on this side of the island. All the bays have white pebbles and stunning blue waters. Do not miss out on Xigia Pelagaki, and Makris Gialos!
• Have dinner at Nobelos: Nobelos is a beachfront bio restaurant with delicious food and an even better view. If you want to spend the day here, on a sunbed or in a hammock on the beach, you can do so as well when you spend a minimum of € 50 per person.

Want to know more? Check out my other Zakynthos blogs or get my Zakynthos Travel Guide:

Thank you for reading this blog ”One week in Zakynthos: the ultimate itinerary to see the whole island”. Happy Travels! 🌊🌞🇬🇷, enjoy your holiday in Greece!