We’re on Day 3 of recapping our weeklong friends trip to the Greek Ionian Islands and today’s recap is from Zakynthos aka Zante! Previously, we recapped our days in Kefalonia and Paxos. Zakynthos is one of the most unique Ionian Islands: dramatic landscapes, a massive club scene, multiple vineyards, and the famous Navagio Beach shipwreck just to name a few highlights. With so much to do, we decided to spend two days on Zakynthos — here’s a look at how we spent the first day:
A Week in the Ionian Islands: Day 3 – Kefalonia to Zakynthos:
Morning on the Aegeotissa II Sailing to Zakynthos
The Aegeotissa II crew got an early start on our sailing day to Zakynthos, departing from Kefalonia’s Sami port around 6:00 am. We choose an early start because we really wanted to sail by Navagio Beach, Zakynthos’ famous shipwreck beach which is a bit out of the way from Zakynthos port.
Most of us slept in a bit while the boat got underway but when WC and I finally forced our eyes open around 9:30, we were greeted with a spectacular view. I didn’t want to miss another moment so we changed into our bathing suits and headed to the deck for breakfast.
Just after 10 am, the cove that’s home to Navagio Beach started coming into view. Most of our friends made their way to the front of the ship to get a better look.
Since this is probably the most touristy destination on the island, you’ll definitely see a fair amount of boat traffic in the cove. The beach is currently closed to people after several landslides in recent years deemed it dangerous. While you can’t actually go on the beach, boats can pull into the cove and hang out for a bit while guests take photos.
It is such a unique opportunity to see a shipwreck on a beach and reminded us a lot of the Plassey shipwreck we saw on the beach in Inis Oírr, Ireland. Unlike the Plassey, though, the ship on Zakynthos is pretty deteriorated. Our crew told us the boat used to be pretty intact, but in recent years it started rapidly eroding. Chances are in a few more years, there may not be a ship left to look at – even more of a reason to book a trip to the Ionian Islands ASAP!
After about half an hour by the shipwreck, our captain Demetrius turned the yacht around and headed back north. He pulled into a nearby cove with dramatic white cliffs and perfectly clear azure water for our daily swim stop.
After swimming and lunch, we departed again, this time for Zakynthos port on the southeastern side of the island. Some of us used this sailing time to nap or shower. I snagged a lounge chair on the front deck and tucked into a book while the gorgeous scenery rolled by.
Afternoon on Land in Zakynthos
It takes a few hours to get from the swim spot to Zakynthos port, but we made good time and docked around 3 pm.
When we got off the boat, our group split up to explore the port. Some of us headed to nearby Strada Marina Hotel to have a drink at the rooftop bar. It also gave us an opportunity for a birds-eye view of the Aegeotissa II!
It probably goes without saying but summer in Europe is not for the faint of heart. The heat was pretty intense on the Strada rooftop so after a drink a few of us walked over to Manoo, a trendy cocktail and sushi bar. It’s also conveniently across the street from where our boat was docked. We ordered some cocktails and I had to try a sushi roll as a little pre-dinner appetizer.
My favorite photo at Manoo was this hilarious one with my friend Kelly and her tiki cocktail mug.
After a cocktail, WC and I headed back to the boat to start getting ready for dinner. We had a reservation at Utopia restaurant in Argassi Village with our friends Pat and Cyndi. Having a reservation is highly recommended so you can get a waterside table and enjoy the sunset!
Between the four of us, we tried a variety of cocktails, wine, and menu items. Among them: appetizers of shrimp confit, bloody mary watermelon, and damplings. I had the calamarata pasta as my main course. WC and Pat shared a full fish; tsipoura if we remember correctly. Everything was very creative and well presented. Utopia does a unique, upscale take on mediterranean flavors. The shrimp was probably our favorite dish and it was just a few bites!
We had one after dinner cocktail and then I headed back to the boat for a good night’s sleep with some big plans for the following day! WC and some of our friends ventured out to experience Zante’s club scene on the Laganas strip. I’ll share more about this in our next post since I made it out to Laganas the next night — all I’ll say for now is: Zante’s clubs are renowned for a reason!
Need more Greece inspiration?
Check out these blog posts to help you plan your trip to Greece:
- One Week in the Ionian Islands: Day 1 – Corfu to Paxos
- One Week in the Ionian Islands: Day 2 – Kefalonia
- How to Spend 48 Hours in Athens
- 3-Day Mykonos Itinerary
- 4 Days in Santorini, Greece
- What You’ll See with the Athens Multi-Site Ticket
- 10 Things You Must Do in Santorini
- Visiting the First Modern Olympic Stadium
- Hiking from Fira to Oia
- Must Do in Mykonos, Greece
- Guide to Visiting the Acropolis
- Wine Tasting in Santorini: Estate Argyros
- 10 Things You Must Do in Athens
- Sunset at Santo Wines
- Tasting Beer at Santorini Brewing Company
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