A Guide to Zante Town: Zakynthos Travel Guide for 2023

Zante Town is the capital and the commercial hub for the entire island of Zakynthos (aka Zante). While it’s a popular destination for visitors staying on the island of the same name, it’s not a beach destination, but instead, a bustling port city, so many people opt for the more sand and sea Mediterranean holiday on other coastal Zante towns like Laganas, Tsilivi and Psarou. Table of Contents However, there is plenty to keep you busy if you want to stay in Zante Town proper. There are plenty of hotels here, great restaurants, fascinating churches and a lovely seafront walkway that stretches on for about 1.5 kilometres along the harbour on the east side of town. There’s also a great pedestrian-only walkway that cuts through the most charming part of the city and a few open plazas and parks to enjoy as well. A Guide to Zante Town All-in-all, Zante Town has a lot of charm and while it may not have the spectacular beaches like Navagio and Gerakas, it’s a great hub for exploring the rest of the island either by your own rental car or in some cases by using the developing public transport system. In this post, I’m going to explain everything you’ll need to know about visiting Zante Town. I spent 10 days there, exploring by land and sea, and I was able to find the best places to stay, the best restaurants, the best places to walk, the best nearby beaches and more. Whether you plan to spend your entire time on Zakynthos in Zante Town, or you’re just stopping here for a couple of hours to visit, this post will have you covered. If you’re planning to visit other parts of Greece, don’t miss our epic travel guide. Read on my for guide to Zakynthos town. About Zante Town Zakynthos town, also known as Zante Town or Zakynthos City (Ζάκυνθος in Greek), is the commercial heart and capital of Zakynthos Island. With a population of around 16,000 (nearly half of the 40,000 that live on the entire island), Zante Town is the most metropolitan place you’ll find in Zakynthos, but it still feels like a small town in many ways. According to Greek myths, the island was named after Zakynthos or Zacynthus, the son of the legendary Arcadian chief Dardanus (the son of Zeus). In more recent history, in 1953 the island was rocked by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake with destroyed many of the buildings in the city. After that, every building in Zante town was reinforced to be able to handle future tremors, however, another 6.4-magnitude earthquake in October of 2018 rocked the city and damaged the pier and the 13th-century monastery. Today the town has recovered from the damage of both earthquakes and is a growing tourism destination in the Ionian Islands. There is an international airport about 4.5 kilometres south of Zante Town. The airport serves daily direct flights to Athens and during the summer months (June-September) there are also direct flights to many major cities in Europe like Rome, London, Amsterdam etc. Where Is Zante Town? Zante Town is located on the eastern coast of the Island of Zakynthos. Zakynthos Island lies 20 kilometres west offshore of the Greece Peloponnese Mainland and around 249 kilometres west of the capital of Athens. Zakynthos Island is in the Ionian Sea and the city of Zante points east facing the mainland. This is the main public transport hub on the island and while it isn’t always easy to get between main villages on the island with public bus, if you were going to try to visit Zakynthos primarily on public transport, this would be the place to base yourself. Best Time to Visit Zakynthos The best time to visit the island of Zakynthos is pretty much the same as the best time to visit Greece as a whole. You’ll want to come here any time between March and early November. On either end of those dates, the sea will be a little bit too chilly for swimming, but it’s a great time to visit because there are much fewer crowds. The peak season for visiting Zakynthos is in July and August when many visit during summer holidays. At this time the island is roasting hot so you may want to spend most of your time at the beach, but it’s still a nice time to stroll down the shady streets of Zante Town. Things to Do in Zante Town While there might not be as much nightlife here as in other places on the island like Laganas, and the beaches near town aren’t blue flag accredited beauties like Navagio Beach and Gerakas Beach, there’s still plenty to keep you busy in Zante Town. Visiting Zante Town is on our list of the best things to do in Zakynthos, so here are a few things to do in Zante town. See Also: The Best Things in Greece You Don’t Want to Miss Walk the Promenade