|
|
|
|
|
Greek Islands
> Ionian Islands
>
Zakynthos (Zante) island
|
Zakynthos
island in Greece
|
Zante related
sites
|
 Zakynthos (Zante) is an idyllic island, whose magic will
remain in your memory forever. An island with emerald beaches, mountains
full of pine trees, wonderful flowers, dreamy caves, traditional
architecture, picturesque little streets with alleys and arches and
inhabitants with a particularly kind and hospitable spirit.
The finesse of Zakynthos in combination with its great contribution to the
arts and culture, from old times, will fascinate you even more. The
Venetians called it the flower of the east (fioro di levante).
Zakynthos is also developed in the field of tourism. Thousands of people
every year prefer and make the isle of Zakynthos their favourite holiday
location |
refreshing the page will bring up more
Zakynthos related sites
|
|
|
|
|
Ancient history
It is believed
that the first settlers on Zakynthos came in the 16th century BC from the
Peloponnese.
The island was
to fall under both Athenian and Spartan rule during the Classic age, and
when Philip II of Macedonia and his son Alexander the Great expanded the
Macedonian borders, Zakynthos became a vassal.
The Romans came
in the 2nd century BC and after them, the island became part of the
Byzantine empire.
Medieval
Zakynthos never
fell under Turkish rule, but Venetian instead. The most prominent leaders
belonged to the Orsini family, and the Venetian rule was to last for 300
years. Because of the harsh treatment of the common people and the high
taxes, the people tried to revolt in 1630, with only more oppression as a
result.
The Napolean
army conquered the island in 1797, and Zakynthos was given more liberty
than before. A year after this a two-year period of Russian-Turkish rule
followed.
It was then
taken over by the British and did not become part of Greece until 1864. |
|
Ecology |
The
beaches of Zakynthos are hosting the last and most important concentration
of Loggerhead "Caretta caretta" nesting sites in the
Mediterranean.
Loggerhead Turtles nest
and lay their eggs on the beaches along the southern shore of the island.
In the evening, female turtles can, at times, be seen resting in the
shallow coastal waters after their journey to the island. The survival of
the loggerhead is becoming threatened. To help ensure their survival there
are a number of important rules that you should adhere to. Carelessly
discarded litter creates a major hazard as turtles can suffocate trying to
eat plastic bags. Loud noise can disorientate female turtles and make them
uncertain as to where to lay their eggs. Bright torch lights and flashing
cameras of tourists seeking a glimpse of the turtles frighten them back
into the sea. There are designated areas of the beaches set aside for the
turtles, ensure you do not wander here and disturb the hatchlings. If you
can make your contribution to the turtles' survival then you will help
keep alive a 90 million year old species.
The organization STPS -
Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece - sends their scouts every summer
to protect them, 24 hours a day. If you want to know more about the
Loggerheads, please jump to the
STPS-web
site. |
|
|
|
Zakynthos island today |
|
| |
The capital of
Zakynthos, this is the only place on the island where local residents
outnumber tourists. Most of the island's population of 35,000 live here.
It's an interesting mix of houses, shops, bars and taverns surrounding a
large harbour. Most of the town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1953 and
the buildings have been rebuilt in the traditional Venetian style.
Although it is never listed in the main holiday brochures, it would make a
good alternative destination for the independent traveller. There are a
good variety of hotels along the main road surrounding the harbour. There
is local beach, but it is small and rocky.
In the south
you will find shingle beaches and nice mountain villages. Proceeding
upwards from the village you reach the Keri Lighthouse, where the views
and sunsets from here are fantastic enough to take your breath away.
Following the
road along the coastline southwards brings you to Marathia, where there is
less tourism, but more expensive. It's a pleasant place to relax.
The Blue Caves
are one of the favourite places to visit by boat. They are situated in the
north of the Island. In thousands of years the sea has shaped these caves.
If you snorkelling inside, you can see the rocks covered by a
mauve-coloured kind of seaweed. The seaweed and the white sandy bottom of
the caves together reflect the incoming sunlight in a very special blue
hue. In the western part of Zakynthos, the caves are much larger than in
the north.Sightseeing
- There is a
museum dedicated to Dionysios Solomos in the town, as well as a museum of
Byzantine art.
- The church of
St Dionysios (Ag Dionysios) holds the relics of Zante' s patron saint.
- At Mt. Bochali
outside Zakynthos town there is a Venetian citadel.
- You can go on
excursions to visit the beaches where the turtles
Caretta
Caretta lay their eggs at night. If you are lucky, you might also
catch a glimpse of the
Monk
Seal Monachus Monachus.
- Another popular
sight is the shipwreck on the beach of Smuggler's Bay.
- The Keri
Sea-Area (Keri-Caves) offers one of the best spots for scuba diving
anywhere in the Mediterranean.
|
|
|
Zakynthos hotels Visit this page to find more about
Zakynthos hotels
or, if you like me to assist you with
your choice, please
send me an e-mail with your questions and enquiries. I will be glad to reply and
assist you, wherever I possibly can. |
|
|
|
|
|
