By Glen M. Cole 
The island of Zakynthos in Greece is famous for its picturesque wreck beach, but there are also many other things to do and see on this picturesque island in the Ionian Sea.
Zakynthos offers steep limestone cliffs, white pebble beaches and some of the bluest waters you will see in your life. You can explore the sights of this island by boat or by land, and it is relatively easy to get from Athens to Zakynthos.
To be honest, this island has become a very popular summer destination in Greece these days, so you can’t escape from tourists, but it’s still worth a visit to visit attractions and photo strike.
In this travel blog you will find out what to do on Zakynthos, how to get there, where to stay and everything you need to know before you go!
Best sightseeing packages in Zakynthos
The coast of Zakynthos is full of sea caves, beaches and other stunning sights that can only be seen with a boat trip.
We recommend GetYourGuide for boat trips to Zakynthos! They offer highly rated tours to the best attractions such as Navagio Beach, Blue Caves, Turtle Island, etc. These tours usually include a free pick-up and drop-off from the hotel from most popular areas of Zakynthos.
We have used this company for many day trips and activities all over the world, and they are great! Highly recommended.
First you need to take a 4-hour bus ride from Athens to Kyllini (which costs 25 ), and then get on the ferry there. The boat trip from Kyllini to Zakynthos takes about 1 hour and costs about 12 .
If you want to do island hopping in Greece and want to see more than just Zakynthos, you can also mix the itinerary a little.
For example, you can go to Zakynthos for a couple of days, take the ferry to Kefalonia, and then return from Kefalonia to Athens. We did that and it worked very well!
Some remote roads on the west side of the island may still be gravel with occasional potholes, but even these roads are improving quickly as the island becomes more accessible and popular with travelers.
The main difficulty is to drive in the city of Zakynthos, where there is more traffic and the roads are narrow, and there are a lot of cars parked on both sides. Drive slowly through the city and stay alert. For the most part, as soon as you leave the city, the roads navigate smoothly.
Greeks drive on the right side of the road, as in the USA and Canada. Locals like to drive fast, often ignoring speed limits and driving over double yellow lines. Just be conscious of it and move to make it happen.
Since the amendment of the law in 2021, foreign tourists from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States no longer need an international driving license (ICP) to drive in Greece.
The current wording of the new law (in Greek)is in Law 4850, art. 25 para. η, page 10697, and this was also confirmed by the US Embassy in Greece.
Nevertheless, it does not hurt to have an IDP for Zakynthos in matter the authorities or your local car rental company cause confusion. Many people in Greece still seem to ignore this change.
The coast of Zakynthos is incredibly beautiful and many of the best sights of the island are worth a visit by boat. You can rent a boat or take part in a joint tour to one of the many ports of the island or book online tour packages that include free pick-up and drop-off from the hotel.
Things To Do In Zakynthos In Greece
* Perspective of Navagio
This famous wreck beach first put the island of Zakynthos on the bucket list of so many travelers. This is probably one of the most famous travel photos in the world!
Navagio is a beautiful, secluded beach surrounded by turquoise waters and dramatic, winding cliffs. In the middle of the beach there is a smuggler’s boat that ran aground in stormy weather in 1980.
If you mainly want to see the iconic postcard view and take a picture of it, you can do it from a vantage point on the cliffs above the beach.
Travel guide for the island of Zakynthos in Greece Zakinthos Zante shipwreck viewpoint at Navagio Beach
Navagio Perspective
You can get to the Navagio viewpoint yourself by car or book a sightseeing package that includes the viewpoint, as well as several other sights of Zakynthos.
Remember that it is not possible to reach the beach itself from the viewpoint. There is no way to the beach, as the cliffs are too steep. The only option for walking on the beach is a boat trip, which will be discussed in more detail below.
However, the viewpoint is still one of the best sights in Zakynthos, so you should definitely add it to your itinerary!
* Monastery of Agios Georgios Krimnon
This is a small monastery that you will pass on the way to the Navagio viewpoint. In fact, it is only a 5-minute drive from the viewpoint!
It was founded in the XIX century and is still a functioning monastery, where monks live and work. Remember to dress appropriately if you want to go inside, although many beautiful photos can be taken from the outside.
It is free to visit the monastery, and they have a small workshop where they make mosaics and other works of art.You can buy their goods if you want, but they do not insist. Mosaics are very beautiful.
Behind the monastery there is a hiking trail that will take you to a cross with a magnificent view of the Ionian Sea, and there is also a stunning sunset.