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Zante
Mountains. Meadows. And surfers' sands. Zante is all these things - and then some...
Thomson Destinations
reviews Video tour & customer on.co.uk thoms
This is an island with huge appeal and two names. Zante or Zakynthos - either one will do, whether you're referring to the whole island or its capital town. Small enough to be easily explored, large enough to offer up bags of diversity, Zante is one of those destinations that's got the balance just right. Without a doubt, its trump card is its good looks. Think dramatic mountains. Lush valleys. And turquoise seas. No wonder the Venetians dubbed it the Flower of the Orient'. The star beauty spot is the much talked about Smugglers' Cove. Picture a crescent of deep-piled sand, a half-buried shipwreck and some theatrical-looking cliffs. Just gorgeous. As to places to stay, there's something for everyone. Laganas is the biggest holiday hangout - a 24-hour playground that parties hard. And if you've got the kids in tow, Alykanas is a sure-fire hit. Away from the beach resorts, it's an altogether different story. Rustic stone farms look out over vineyards heavy with grapes. And tall grasses grow among the ruins of old Venetian buildings. Things to see and do Smuggler's Cove If there's one must see on Zante, it's Smugglers Cove. It's certainly the most photographed sight on the island. The story goes that in 1983, a coaster carrying contraband cigarettes smashed into rocks off the island's west coast. Fatally holed, the ship was swept ashore. It couldn't have found a more beautiful resting place - a pristine cove of pale sand, framed by towering cliffs. And there it lies, twenty years on, half buried in the sand. Take a boat trip just to the cove or see it on a round-the-island cruise. The Blue Grotto This is a top tip in more ways than one. Right at the top of the island at the tip of the little peninsula, the Blue Grotto is a cove made up of fascinating rock formations. Think of it as an unfinished artwork sculpted by the sea. And what a sea. Impossibly blue. Crystal clear. Mirroring the vault of the sky. Just beautiful. Zante Town In 1953, the island's capital was totally destroyed by an earthquake. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, it's been totally rebuilt with considerable effort to recapture its former glory. Pretty arcaded streets run alongside the waterfront, where cutesy little fishing boots drop anchor each morning and bring ashore their catch. Down at the southern end of the harbour, you'll find the church of Aghios Dionysios - the resting place of Zante's patron saint. Remarkably, and some say miraculously, the church was one of the few buildings that survived the earthquake. Yerakas The super-soft sands of Yerakas make it a magnet for beach-lovers - but not just the human kind. The protected Mediterranean green loggerhead turtles nest here, their tiny youngsters waiting for moonlight to make their first wobbly walk across the sands towards the silvery sheen of the sea. For the full lowdown on the turtles, check out the open-air information centre that's here. Temple of Artemis A romantic ruin in the centre of the island, this could be the focus of a walk in the hills. Pack a picnic of crusty bread, graviera cheese, olives, tomatoes and juicy fruit. Drive to the sleepy village of Aghios Dimitrios. Park up. And leave the real world behind. Your stroll will take you through sweet-smelling pine forests to green and gorgeous valley views and the remnants of the ancient temple. Perfectly peaceful, you'll probably hear nothing louder than the chirruping cicada soundtrack. Idyllic. Marathonissi Island If you're staying near Lithakia, you can see this gorgeous little islet as you float on your lilo. But it's much better in close-up. Anchored offshore in Laganas Bay, it's an uninhabited paradise of silky soft sands, lush greenery and intriguingly shaped rocks hewn by wind and water.
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Blue Grotto Caves Korythi Agios Nikolaos
Makris Gialos
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Kafirou
Askos
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Smugglers' Wreck Cove
Plemonari
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Psarou Amoudi Tsilivi Alikes Alykanas Kyoneri Akrotiri Katastari ZAKYNTHOS Tragaki 765 Agios Argassi Maries Dimitrios Drakas
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Ag Nikolaos
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Kampi Pantokratoras Lagana
Kalamaki Sekania
Lithakia
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Limni Keriou
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Porto Roma Vassilikos
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Kentinaria
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Zante
Keri Caves Kentinaria
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© TUI 2006
Beaches Zante is a smorgasbord - or should that be meze? - of sun-blushed beaches and bays. The most famous ribbon of sand is probably on the south-eastern shore, stretching west from Kalamaki all the way to Lithakia. Spreading into dunes in some spots, narrowing into golden slivers others, it's well supplied with bars and tavernas. What's more, the soft sands form one of several nesting sites for the loggerhead turtles. If you like to mix up a little bit of activity with your sun tanning, home in on one of these beauties. Vassilikos, where scuba diving adds an extra dimension to its clutch of watersports. Alikes, whose pounding waves at draw surfers to its twin bays. And Argassi, whose narrow hem of sand-shingle-pebble may not be the prettiest waterfront but there are banana rides during summer. Plus the water's wonderfully clear for snorkelling. Quieter shores include Porto Roma and Alykanas - the requisite
taverna in place at each. But we've saved the best til last. It's not often that an inaccessible beach is the star of an island's show, but on Zante, Smuggler's Cove is the undisputed headliner. Make time for a boat trip here to see the shipwreck. Washed ashore on pale powder sands, it lies where the sea left it twenty years ago. Cameras are a must.
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