The beaches in Zakynthos are some of the most sensational stretches of sand not only in the Ionian Sea but in all of Greece. This island is blessed with sunny weather, hidden coves, dramatic cliffs and powdery white sand, so if you’re pertaining to Greece for a beach holiday, this might be the island to choose.
From the Sunsets on charming Tsilivi beach to the world-famous images of Shipwreck Cove, the beaches in Zakynthos (Zante) range from calm bays best for families to spectacular secluded natural harbours surrounded by dramatic cliffs.
In a Hurry finding beaches in Zakynthos?
If you’re trying to find the best beaches in Zakynthos for families, sand, sunsets, couples or parties, or you’re just trying to find the best Zante beach overall, click the links below to swiftly jump to the particular beach on this page and read a lot more about it.
Top 5 best beaches in Zakynthos Overall
1. Navagio Beach
2. Porto Azzuro
3. Banana Beach
4. Gerakas Beach
5. Agios Nikolaos
Beaches in Zakynthos For…
Best beach For Couples: Porto Limnionas
Best beach For Sunsets: Tsilivi Beach
Best beach For Soft Sand: Banana Beach
Best beach For Parties: Laganas Beach
Best beach For Families: Gerakas Beach
We spent nearly two weeks with a rental car (and a rental boat) exploring the island of Zakynthos, trying to discover every secret enclave and Ionian lagoon we passed by. We explored the entire island and swam in the best beaches that Zakynthos has to offer.
Sitting on the sand and soaking up the sun is one of the best things to do in Zakynthos, so in this post, I’m going to break down the top 15 best beaches including the former Blue Flag beaches that you won’t want to miss.
I’ll include the best nearby restaurants, hotels, apartments and facilities on each beach so that you’ll know exactly what to expect before arriving on the sand.
Best Time to visit Zakynthos For Beaches
Peak Season: July & August
High Season: June-September
Shoulder Season: April-May & September-October
Off-Season: November-March
The best time to visit Greece is between the months of March and October, but for beaches, you’ll want to come during the warmer months when the sea temperature rises enough to choose a swim.
Anytime between may and September is best for sunbathing and enjoying the Ionian beaches of Zakynthos, but during the summer high-season months of July and August, the beaches can get uncomfortably crowded, particularly the popular ones like Navagio and Laganas.
The absolute best time to visit in my opinion is in April to may or September to early-October when the Ionian Sea is still a respectable temperature for swimming, but there aren’t so lots of people crowding the beaches.
According To Holiday-Weather.com:
Hottest Month: July ( 26°C / 79°F)
Coolest Month: January (11°C / 52°F)
Sunniest Month: July (12 hours/day)
Wettest Month: December (170mm of Rainfall)
Warmest Sea Temperature: August (26°C / 79°F)
Here it goes. Our list of the best beaches in Zakynthos…
1. Navagio Beach
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Navagio Beach, Zakynthos
? good For: Families, Couples
? type of Sand: White Pebbles
? Facilities: None
Without a doubt, the most visually striking of all of the beaches in Zakynthos, Navagio beach (aka Shipwreck Cove) is a breathtaking white sandy bay surrounded by dramatic 200-meter high cliffs and some of the most electric blue Ionian water that you’ll ever see.
The 157-foot ship that ran aground here during a horrible storm in 1980 still sits frozen in time on the sand — a sight which only adds to the mystic allure of this bewitching beach.
There are two ways to see Navagio Beach, either by boat (the only way to access the beach and swim there) or by car (from a viewpoint on the cliffs 200 meters above the beach itself).
The best way to get to the viewpoint is to rent a car for the day (prices start at €15) while the best way to actually go to the beach, walk on the sand, explore the shipwreck and choose a swim is by joining a day excursion which will take you there by boat.
Day excursions start at around €45 per person and a lot of will also stop at the beautiful Blue Caves for a swim before heading to Navagio Beach. check GetYourGuide for highly recommended trips to Shipwreck Cove.
READ a lot more about NAVAGIO BEACH
Where to stay Near Navagio Beach
Eden Villas: From $180/night (☆9.4)
Lovely modern rooms with king-size beds, an outdoor pool and views of the mountain. Eden Villas is situated in Anafonítria. Navagio beach is 2.7km from the property. complimentary private parking is available on site.Luxury Villa: From $80/night (☆9.1)
Luxury rental property 3min from the popular Shipwreck is situated in Volimai and uses a bar, a garden and a private beach area.
Villa Margarita: From $170/night (☆8.7)
Featuring a garden, an outdoor pool and pool views, rental property Margarita is set in Anafonítria. The air-conditioned accommodation is 2.3 km from Navagio Beach.
2. Porto Azzuro
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Porto Azzuro, Zakynthos
? good For: Families, Couples, Soft Sand
? type of Sand: Soft Golden
? Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Umbrellas, Sunbeds
Porto Azzuro is one of the a lot more popular Zakynthos Beaches. located on the Vasilikos Peninsula about 11 kilometres (a half-hour drive) from the capital of Zante Town, Porto Azzuro is a breathtaking hidden cove probably a lot of popular for the series of stone karsts that jut out from the water directly in view from the sand.
This is a great beach for families and there are plenty of facilities including a great beach bar (Porto Azzuro beach Bar), sunbeds and umbrellas for rent (€12/day for a set of 2 with umbrella), as well as toilets and showers.
There aren’t any watersports available on this beach, which actually makes it much a lot more peaceful than some others on the island. The sand here is very soft and the water is crystal clear, making it a great beach to kick back on the sand and take pleasure in an afternoon.
read a lot more about Porto Azzuro
Where to stay Near Porto Azzuro
Villa Levante: From $32/night (☆9.7)
Villa Levante is located in Vassilikos and has great rooms with private balconies and panoramic views of the Ionian Sea located just a hundred meters from Porto Azzuro beach where guests can use complimentary sunbeds supplied by the hotel.
Villa Contessa: From $35/night (☆9.7)
Opening out to a furnished balcony or terrace overlooking the Ionian, the air-conditioned units of rental property Contessa are fitted with Coco-Mat mattresses and pillows and allergy-free bed linen, as well as some modern amenities like a flat-screen TV, laptop-size safe, a kitchenette with fridge, electric kettle and coffee maker.
Blue house Apartments: From $100/night (☆9.9)
About 150 meters from Porto Azzuro Beach, the family-run Blue house self-catering Apartments in Vasilikos village offer a garden with a terrace and view of the Ionian Sea and garden.
3. Gerakas Beach
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Gerakas Beach, Zakynthos
? good For: Families, Couples, Soft Sand
? type of Sand: golden Soft Sand
? Facilities: None
A popular nesting ground for the beautiful caretta caretta (loggerhead) turtles, Gerakas beach is a stunning, long stretch of golden sand at the end of the southeastern peninsula of Vasilikos — it’s also our much-loved Zante beach due to the calm water.
As part of the Zakynthos national Marine Park, the beach is only open from 7 am to 8 pm because, during the twilight and dark hours, there’s a high chance that turtles will be either hatching or laying eggs at that time.
That doesn’t indicate you don’t have a good chance of seeing these animals at Gerakas Beach. At any time of the day you might come face to face with a turtle, so be sure to bring your snorkel and mask when checking out this beach.
There are some sunbeds and umbrellas for rent on the beach as well (€8 for two chairs and an umbrella for the day), but you won’t be able to bring your own umbrella here and just post up in the sand. That’s because you could be laying ideal on a turtle nest!
There isn’t all that much natural shade here, so you’ll likely have to pony up the cash, but the rangers who rent the umbrellas here are friendly and some of the money goes back to turtle conservation.
read a lot more about Gerakas beach
Where to stay Near Gerakas Beach
Villa Levante: From $32/night (☆9.7)
Villa Levante is located in a lush hillside about a 15-minute drive North of Gerakas beach and about 5 minutes outside fo the town of Vasilikos. rooms are air-conditioned and they also have small apartments with kitchens or kitchenettes and private bathrooms.
Villagio Studios & Apartments: From $67/night (☆9.7)
This is another charming place just 10 minutes drive north of Gerakas beach and just on the outskirts of Vasilikos town. They have an remarkable 9.7/10 from reviews on Booking.com, this complex is also close to Casa Playa beach and just 800 meters from Agios Nikolaos Beach.
Athena Studios: From $67/night (☆9.3)
At just 150 meters from the sand, Athena Studios is one of the closest accommodation options to Gerakas Beach. rooms are bright and modern with local furnishings and light wood accents. They have one and two-bedroom apartments available. All have kitchens, TVs and patios.
Porto Zorro beach Hotel: From $146/night (☆7.1)
We only ate at the restaurant here, but the hotel looked really nice. The rooms were facing over Porto Azzuro beach which is one of the best beaches in Zakynthos and the restaurant on site serves up some really tasty Mediterranean food.
4. Banana Beach
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Porto Azzuro – Southeast Zakynthos
? good For: Families, Couples, Soft Sand, Parties
⛱ type of Sand: golden Soft Sand
? Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Umbrellas, Sunbeds
The beach is located 15.4 kilometers (25-minute drive) south from the capital of Zakynthos Island, Zante town and about 19 kilometers (27-minute drive) from the popular beach town of Laganas. At 2 kilometers, it’s also the longest on the island.
Even though there’s a long, broad stretch of golden sand here, its proximity to Zante town and the lots of complimentary shuttles that can bring you here indicates that a lot of people come to this beach, particularly in the high season (July and August).
There are a few beach bars that line the sand, but our much-loved is Banana Bayan beach Bar which has hundreds of sunbeds and umbrellas available for rent (from €8 per day) and great food and service.
There’s a lot of watersports available on Banana beach as well, making it a popular spot for young people and families. You rent jet skis and Seados here, and you can also hire a boat to take you out tubing, wakeboarding or skiing.
read a lot more about Banana beach
Where to stay Near Banana Beach
Alegria Villas: From $141/night (☆9.6)
Technically this hotel is nearer to St. Nicholas Beach, but Alegria Villas complex in Zakynthos is a great place to stay if you’re trying to find self-catering villas overlooking the Ionian Sea. They have 2 and 3 bedroom rental property units as well as a large duplex for rent.
Arion Resort: From $85/night (☆8.2)
This resort is located just 250 meters from Banana Beach. They have a massive pool and have options for a deluxe, junior suite or classic double rooms. They also have a restaurant on site.
5. Porto Limnionas
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Porto Limnionas, Zakynthos
? good For: Couples
⛱ type of Sand: Rocky Cove
? Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Umbrellas, Sunbeds
While Porto Limnionas can’t really be classified as a “beach” per se (because of the lack of sand), it was still one of our much-loved places to swim around the island. instead of a beach, you have a bunch of rocks to jump off into the clear water.
This is a calm cove on the west side of the island with massive cliffs sheltering it. There’s a respectable taverna with sunbeds for rent and lots of places to hang out on the rock cliffs and in the sun.
This is another one of the beaches in Zakynthos where you’ll absolutely want to bring a snorkel and mask (no rental shops here). The water here is crystal clear and the caves that surround the secluded bay are a fascinating place to spot a variety of fish species.
read a lot more about Porto Limnionas
Where To stay Near Porto Limnionas
Actually, there aren’t all that lots of great hotels near Porto Limnionas, so if you want to stay close enough to this picturesque cove, then I’d recommend staying in Keri town or Laganas and then driving here.
6. Spanzia
QUICK TIPS:
? Location: Spanzia Beach, Zakynthos
? good For: Families, Soft Sand
⛱ type of Sand: golden Sand
? Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Umbrellas, Sunbeds
Spanzia is a small beach between Porto Azzuro and Banana beach in the southern Vasilikos Peninsula about 20 minutes south of Zante town by c