Zakynthos City
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Zakynthos City

Zakynthos City

Zakynthos island capital and ferry port, rebuilt after the 1953 Ionian Islands earthquake.

Zakynthos Town (also called Zante Town) is the capital and main port of the island of Zakynthos, built on the eastern coast where ferries arrive from Killini on the Peloponnese. The town was almost entirely destroyed by the 1953 earthquake that struck the Ionian Islands, and was rebuilt in a neoclassical style that gives the central streets a relatively uniform and orderly look. The harbour esplanade is the most pleasant part — lined with cafes and tavernas, with views across the strait to the Greek mainland.

The central Solomos Square is named after Dionysios Solomos, the 19th-century poet who wrote the Greek national anthem and was born on the island. The Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians is on the square. The nearby Byzantine Museum has an important collection of ecclesiastical art salvaged from churches damaged or destroyed in the 1953 earthquake.

The town serves as the main base and service centre for the island — most accommodation, transport connections, and services are here. Many visitors use it as a base for reaching the beaches on the west and north coasts.

Guide

Eating Out

Zakynthos Town has a better range of eating options than most of the resort strips around the island. The harbour esplanade is lined with tavernas serving grilled fish, octopus, and the usual Greek meze. For a more local experience, look for the narrow streets behind Solomos Square where smaller restaurants cater mainly to residents rather than tourists.

Zakynthian cooking has its own traditions distinct from mainland Greek food, with Venetian influences showing up in dishes like sofrito (beef braised in white wine and garlic) and pastitsada (slow-cooked meat in tomato and spice sauce). Look for these on menus in the more traditional tavernas.

Guide

Things to Do

Most of Zakynthos Town's sights are concentrated around Solomos Square and the harbour esplanade. The Byzantine Museum is the outstanding cultural stop; the Solomos Museum appeals to those interested in Greek literary history. The hilltop neighbourhood of Bochali, with the Venetian castle ruins above, is worth the walk or taxi ride for the views over the town and strait.