There’s a debate about the best Greek island that never really ends. Santorini is the obvious answer. But if you want intense blue water, dramatic cliffs, sea turtles, manageable crowds, and prices that don’t feel like highway robbery, Zakynthos is the correct answer.
I’ve visited multiple Greek islands and keep coming back to Zakynthos. Here’s why — and the specific spots that make it worth the trip.
Navagio Beach — Shipwreck Beach
This is the image everyone associates with Greece: a rusted shipwreck on an impossibly white beach, surrounded by vertical limestone cliffs and electric blue water. The ship ran aground in the 1980s — a smuggler’s vessel caught in a storm — and has sat there ever since, slowly oxidizing into one of the most photographed wrecks in Europe.
The viewpoint is accessible via a marked 5-minute walk from a parking area on the northwest coast. You don’t need a boat tour to see it from above. The beach itself requires a boat — tours depart from Porto Vromi and Zakynthos Town.
Keri Lighthouse Viewpoint
One of the easiest viewpoints on the island — 2 minutes from the parking area, and the views of Mizithres sea stacks and the Ionian Sea are extraordinary. There’s a restaurant at the site (reservations required for dinner). Worth arriving at sunset when the rocks turn gold.
Cameo Island
Located in Laguna Bay, Cameo is a tiny island connected by a wooden bridge, known for sea turtle sightings and white hanging cloths that photograph well against the blue water. Entry is €5 per person and includes beach access and a souvenir keychain. Small scale, but genuinely charming.
Potamitis Windmills, Staircase & Blue Caves
This compound attraction features a famous windmill, a 225-step staircase descending to turquoise water below, and blue caves accessible from the water. Rather than booking a paid boat tour, you can swim a short distance from the base of the stairs to reach the caves for free — the water is clear and the cave interiors glow electric blue in morning light.
Porto Limnionas
White jagged cliffs enclosing cold blue water — 10-minute walk from free parking. The location offers kayaking, snorkeling, and cliff jumping at various heights. The water here is deep and cold even in summer, which keeps crowds slightly lower than the main beaches.
Where to Eat
Mr. Rock — Cliffside family-owned spot with coffee, ice cream, and gyros at ocean views and genuinely affordable prices. One of those places you end up at multiple times during a trip.
Pirounaki Traditional Tavern — Outdoor seating surrounded by grape vineyards and olive trees, live Greek music on weekends, and a fixed-price set menu of traditional Greek food paired with locally produced wine. Book ahead in summer.
When to visit: May–June and September hit the sweet spot — warm water, fewer crowds, better prices. Peak July–August is hot and crowded at the main attractions, though Zakynthos handles it better than Santorini or Mykonos.
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