Zante Town Holidays

If you think the island is only about neon lights and fishbowls, Zante Town (or Zakynthos Town to the locals) is here to prove you wrong. It's a gorgeously rebuilt Venetian-style hub where the piazzas are grand, the churches (and sunsets) are stun, and the vibes are sophisticated.

Highlights of your holidays to Zante Town

• Solomos Square - The fabulous main square, rebuilt in Venetian style after the 1953 earthquake, with and the kind of piazza atmosphere that makes you feel like you've accidentally wandered into Italy.

• Bohali Castle - The Venetian fortress on the hill above town with panoramic views over the harbour, the town, and across to the Peloponnese. Free entry, pine-shaded paths, and a sunset that's worth the short walk up.

• St Dionysios Church - The island's patron saint church with a bell tower that dominates the skyline, silver reliquaries, and a ceiling covered in painted frescoes. Locals celebrate the saint's feast days in August and December with proper island-wide festivities.

• The Harbourfront - A long waterfront promenade lined with bars, restaurants and cafes, where fishing boats bob alongside ferries and the evening passeggiata is a properly social affair.

• The Real Zante - This is the island's working capital, not a tourist resort. The shops, bakeries and kafenia are for locals, which means the prices are lower, the food is more authentic, and the atmosphere is genuinely Greek.

Good to Know

• ☀️ Weather - July and August hit 30°C+ with long, dry days. The Ionian Sea keeps things a touch less scorching than the Aegean islands. Shoulder season sits in the low-to-mid 20s with warm seas well into October.

• 💶 Money - Zante Town is noticeably cheaper than the resort strips. A taverna meal runs €10-€15, a beer €3-€5, and a coffee €2-€3. The harbourfront restaurants are pricier than the backstreet tavernas, but still good value.

• 🎵 Fun Fact - The Greek National Anthem was written on Zante. Dionysios Solomos composed "Hymn to Liberty" on Strani Hill overlooking the town in 1823, inspired by the view of the besieged fortress of Messolonghi across the water. You can visit the spot, which has a bust of the poet and views that explain the inspiration.

What are the best beaches to visit on your Zante Town holidays?

While the town is a bustling port, you are never more than a hop, skip, and a jump away from some of the most famous sandy stretches in the world.

• Zante Town Beach - The local dip - A narrow, pebbly stretch right by the town that is more than ideal for a quick cooling swim after a day of shopping.

• Argassi Beach - The nearby favorite - Just a short stroll south, this sandy spot is packed with bars and watersports for a buzzing day out.

• Tsilivi Beach - Family-friendly gold - A mahoosive sandy bay a few kilometres north that is a total hit with families and kiddos thanks to its shallow water and chilled vibes.

• Kalamaki Beach - Turtle territory - A stunning, wide beach where you might spot a loggerhead turtle if you are lucky! Who doesn't love turtles?

🏨 Hotels

Zante Town's hotel scene is compact but varied. See all hotels in Zante Town or browse our top picks below...

💑 Couples

• Diana Hotel. Family-run hotel with the Rosto Roof Garden bar, a seasonal pool, and spacious rooms with balconies. The cocktail bar has a properly atmospheric evening feel, and the rooftop views over the town are the best in the area. A short walk to Solomos Square and the harbour.

• Palatino Hotel. Four-star with junior suites, a restaurant doing a solid Mediterranean breakfast buffet, and a location that puts Solomos Square and the harbour within a five-minute walk. Clean, contemporary, and well-run.

• Avalon Hotel. Buffet restaurant with Greek and Mediterranean cooking, a panoramic bar with views, and rooms with sea, mountain or garden balconies. Just 1.3km from the town centre.

🎉 Groups

• Palatino Hotel. Family rooms and junior suites give groups flexibility on room types, the restaurant handles big breakfasts, and the central location means the harbourfront bars are walkable.

• Avalon Hotel. The panoramic bar is a natural gathering point, the buffet restaurant keeps everyone fed, and the proximity to town means groups can split and regroup through the day.

• Diana Hotel. The Rosto Roof Garden is made for group evenings, and the pool area (16+) gives the adults a proper chill zone. Walking distance to the harbour restaurants.

💰 Value

• Zefyros Eco Resort Hotel. Set among vineyards and olive groves 6km from town, with a pool, Zakynthian home cooking at the restaurant, and a peaceful countryside setting. You'll need transport to get to town and the beaches, but the prices and the atmosphere make it a strong value pick for anyone with a hire car.

• Avalon Hotel. Buffet restaurant, bar, balcony rooms, and a location close enough to town without the premium. Solid base for exploring the island.

• Diana Hotel. Family-run warmth, rooftop garden, and prices that make sense for a town-centre hotel. Breakfast is generous and the cocktail bar is a bonus.

👉 All hotels in Zante Town | All hotels in Zante

Local Lingo

Greek is the language in Zante Town, with English widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist-facing businesses. The town has a more local feel than the resort strips, so a few Greek words earn you genuine warmth and possibly a free carafe of wine.

• Yassas, YAH-sas (Γειά σας), Hello (formal/plural)

• Efharisto, ef-hah-ree-STOH (Ευχαριστώ), Thank you

• Parakalo, pah-rah-kah-LOH (Παρακαλώ), Please / You're welcome

• Stin iyia mas, stin ee-YAH mas (Στην υγειά μας), Cheers (to our health)

• Ena kafe, parakalo, EH-nah kah-FEH pah-rah-kah-LOH (Ένα καφέ, παρακαλώ), One coffee, please

Travel Guide - Zante Town Holidays 2026/2027 - Things to do

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Walk up to Bohali Castle in the morning when it's cooler, let the kids explore the fortress walls and pine-shaded paths, then head back down for ice cream on Solomos Square.

• Take the family to the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians on the square, which tells the story of the island's literary heroes and has enough visual interest to hold kids' attention for an hour.

• Catch a bus or taxi to Kalamaki Beach for a day of shallow-water paddling and potential turtle spotting. The beach is part of the National Marine Park, so it's clean, protected and family-friendly.

• Book a boat trip from the harbour to the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach (Navagio), one of the most photographed spots in Greece. The boat ride is half the fun.

💑 Couples

• Find a harbourfront table at sunset, order grilled octopus and a carafe of local Verdea wine, and watch the fishing boats come in as the town lights up.

• Walk up to Strani Hill in the late afternoon for the view that inspired the Greek National Anthem. Bring a bottle of wine and stay for the sunset over the Peloponnese.

• Explore the backstreets behind Solomos Square, where tiny churches, local bakeries and traditional kafenia give you a feel for Zante beyond the tourist strips.

• Take the ferry from the harbour to Kefalonia for a day trip to the neighbouring island, with its dramatic coastline, Melissani Cave and mountain villages.

🎉 Groups

• Start on the harbourfront with a long seafood dinner, then work your way along the bars towards Roma Street for cocktails and a few hours of bar-hopping.

• Book a group boat trip to Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves from the harbour. Full-day trips include swimming stops and usually an open bar on the return leg.

• Rent a car and drive to the Askos Stone Park in the island's green hills for a morning with deer, peacocks and goats, then hit Alykes Beach for an afternoon swim and taverna lunch.

• Head to Laganas for a night out on the strip if the group wants the full party experience. Taxis back to Zante Town are cheap and plentiful.

More Destinations

• Zante - Everything from Shipwreck Beach and turtle-spotting to Laganas nightlife, family resorts and the full hotel range across the island.

• Tsilivi - Sandy Blue Flag beach north of Zante Town with a good strip of restaurants, family-friendly hotels, watersports and enough evening entertainment to keep things lively without going full Laganas.

• Kalamaki - Turtle-nesting beach on the south coast with calm shallow water, a relaxed village atmosphere and good-value tavernas. One of the best family bases on the island.

• Kefalonia - The neighbouring Ionian island with dramatic coastline, Myrtos Beach, Melissani Cave and mountain villages. Reachable by ferry from Zante Town harbour.

• Greece - The full country page covering the islands and mainland, from Crete and Corfu to Santorini, Mykonos and beyond.