The Town of Keri Zakynthos in Greece: A Travel Guide for 2023

The town of Keri Zakynthos is a charming little place set up high on the cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea. There are a few restaurants and accommodation options here, some beaches nearby, and plenty of fun things to do in Keri Zakynthos.

There are actually two towns of Keri in Zakynthos, one of them is a beach town on the southeast coast of the island known as Keri Beach, while the other one, the one I’ll mostly be focusing on in this guide to Keri, is on the Cliffs of Keri overlooking the southwest part of the island.

I spent 10 days traveling around Zakynthos and Keri was one of my favorite spots. I didn’t expect to spend more than a few hours in town, but I found a nice hotel and some really nice places to eat, which I’ll describe later in this Keri Zakynthos travel guide.

A Travel Guide to Keri Zakynthos in Greece

If you’re searching for things to do in Zakynthos Island in Greece, you’ll likely find that the village of Keri Zakynthos and the Keri Cliffs are on pretty much every travel itinerary, and for good reason.

In this travel guide to Keri Zakynthos, I’m going to break down all of the things to do, places to eat, where to stay and more to make sure that you make the most of your trip. Whether you’re stopping by as part of a road trip or tour around the island, or if you’re planning to stay in Keri Zakynthos for a few nights, we’ve got you covered.

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About Keri Zakynthos

The town of Keri Zakynthos (Greek: Κερί) is a Greek community on the southern edge of Zakynthos island in Greece (one of the best places to visit in Greece). The town is situated on steep cliffs that look out over the Ionian Sea. As of a census done in 2011, the population of this tiny town was just 469, with 788 souls counted for the entire community, which also includes the nearby towns of Limni Kerious, Marathias, and Apelati.

The village of Keri Zakynthos was struck massively by the 1953 Ionian earthquake which measured a 6.8 and caused widespread damage throughout the area, including mainly the islands of Kefalonia and Zakynthos. Between 400-800 people were killed by the earthquake and many older buildings were damaged or destroyed during the tremors.

Today obviously the town and the island as a whole has completely recovered from the disaster and is now a popular tourist destination. While not a lot of people actually choose to stay in Keri and instead opt for some of the other places to stay in Zakynthos (like the more equipped Laganas Beach area and Insilivi), the town is still a popular stop-off on road trip and tour itineraries around the island.

Where Is Keri Zakynthos?

The town of Keri is located on the island of Zakynthos. Zakynthos is a small, popular tourist island in the Ionian Sea of western Greece. It’s around 20 kilometres west of the westernmost part of the Greek mainland, and about 249 kilometres west of the city of Athens, Greece.

Keri Zakynthos is a town that’s located on the southernmost point of the island known as Cape Marathia. Keri Zakynthos is 6 kilometres south of the town of Lithakia and about 15 kilometres southwest (about 26 minutes by car) from the capital of Zante Town.

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Things to Do in Keri Zakynthos

There are actually many things to do in Keri Zakynthos even though it’s a small little town. The town itself has enough going on to keep a visitor busy for a few days and it makes for a decent base for exploring the rest of the island.

The Keri Lighthouse

Keri Lighthouse is the most famous landmark in the city. It’s a 30-meter high lighthouse about 1 kilometre (15-minute walk) from town. There’s a rich history surrounding this lighthouse and it has fantastic views of the Ionian Sea. More about the Keri Lighthouse later in this post.

The Cliffs of Keri

Rising a staggering 300 meters (984 feet) from the Ionian Sea are the breathtaking cliffs of Keri Zakynthos. You can easily walk to the viewing area of the cliffs from the town of Keri, or you can drive here as there is a parking lot close to the edge. Like Navagio Beach, be careful when walking around these cliffs because there have been some deaths in the past when people get too close to the edge.

The Keri Caves

The Keri Caves are one of my favorite places to visit in Keri. They’re located right on the water on the southernmost tip of Zakynthos Island. You can swim in them and they’re great for snorkeling too. They’re only accessible from the water, so you’ll have to rent a kayak or take a tour to get there. There’s no doubt that they’re one of the best attractions in Keri.

Virgin Keriotissa Church

This church is the best place to come for views over the town of Keri Zakynthos. Most of what you see nowadays is the result of renovations in the year 1745. The church was again renovated in 1953 after being heavily damaged by the earthquake. At the church, you’ll find a gold-plated baroque-style temple that was added in 1750 by Ioannis Gropas and Nikolaos Logothetis.

The Biggest Greek Flag in the World

That’s right, Keri is home to the largest Greek flag in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. You can see the enormous flag blowing in the wind from pretty much anywhere in town. The flag was originally erected by a nearby restaurant to try to get attention to the tiny village of Keri and it worked.

Watch the Sunset

One of the best things to do in Greece is to get a glass of wine and watch the sunset. The cliffs of Keri are probably the best place to watch the sunset in all of Zakynthos and there are plenty of taverns around the lighthouse and around town where you can buy drinks and watch the sun hit the Ionian. If you don’t want to pay for restaurant priced drinks, consider heading to a safe place on the cliff with your own bottle of wine and a couple of glasses.

About the Keri Lighthouse

One of the most popular things to see in Keri is only 1 km from the village. The lighthouse of Keri offers a great view to the eternal blue of the Ionian sea, on top of a 300-m high cliff. This lighthouse has guided ships for more than a century. The view from there is really breathtaking! The rocky landscape and the steep cliff match perfectly with one of the most spectacular sunset views.

The lighthouse is 9 meters (30 feet) tall and was built in 1925. This is one of the most photographed Keri attractions and it’s a great spot to go for a stroll or just take some photos of the Ionian.

About the Keri Zakynthos Cliffs

If you’re coming to Keri Cliffs in Zakynthos, then I recommend coming for sunset. This is a spectacular lookout point and because it points west, you can see the sun dip into the Ionian Sea from here at the end of the day.

The cliffs themselves are 300 meters (984 feet) high and in the sea, you’ll see two large cliffs jaggedly pointing out of the sea below you. There is a viewing and photo platform at a nearby tavern, but you have to buy food or drink to make use of the platform. 

Beaches Near Keri Zakynthos

Because the coast near Keri is guarded by enormous 300 meter high cliffs, you have no beach access from Keri Zakynthos town. If you want to go to a beach then you’ll have to hop in your car and drive to one of the nearby beaches.

Zakynthos actually has some of the best beaches in Greece and while the most famous one is Navagio Beach in the north of the island, there are some lovely ones down south near Keri as well.

Here are a few of the best beaches in Zakynthos that are on the southern coast and therefore not too far to drive to.