Here’s What to Do on Zakynthos for an Authentic Greek Vacation

If you’re wondering what to do on Zakynthos, I can keep it simple: go, rent a boat, and let the island handle the rest. Ciara and I spent Memorial Day weekend here while stationed in Germany, and the island surprised us in ways I certainly didn’t expect. Every time we tried to plan the day, Zakynthos changed it for us; for the better.

That’s really the best way to “guide” yourself around Zakynthos. You don’t control the itinerary as much as you follow it.

If I had to sum up Zakynthos in one sentence, I’d say it’s that, “I didn’t expect…

• such blue waters.

• to swim with sea turtles.

• the tranquility of a secluded beach.

• dinner overlooking an olive grove at sunset.

• for everyone to be so damn friendly.

On Zakynthos, you’ll find diving with sea turtles to be as easy as jumping in the hotel swimming pool. And in the town of Tsilivi, you’ll find the best homemade Moussaka at the friendliest family-owned restaurant, Avra. After you leave every restaurant on the island, you’ll feel like you’re leaving your grandparents’ house as the staff anxiously awaits your return.

And then there’s the clarity and mesmerizing powers of the surrounding waters. The locals will tell you that Zakynthos has the bluest water in the world, and after experiencing the Gatorade-like phenomenon near Sfogio Beach, I agree.

And finally, the unbeatable Greek culture. These people genuinly want you to have a relaxing holiday. They’re the kind of people that stand up from their chairs and wave at you when you drive by their mom-and-pop stores. They go out of their way to make your day better, no matter what it takes. In short, they might be the best people on the planet.

So, what is there to do on Zakynthos? Well let me tell ya:

Day 1: Arrive and Slow Down in Tsilivi

Most travelers figure out what to do on Zakynthos after they arrive, not before. And I’m here to tell you: that’s perfectly fine. You’re on island time afterall! Ciara and I flew to Zakynthos direct from Stuttgart, and the first thing I noticed was the water. To this day, Zakynthos holds the title for the bluest water I’ve ever seen.

The second thing I noticed was how relaxed everything felt. Cars, people, even the breeze moved without urgency. That pace stayed consistent throughout the trip. We took a cab from the airport toward our Airbnb in Tsilivi with the friendliest cab driver I’ve ever met. The roads were quite bumpy, but the scenery of olive groves and restaurant ecommendations from a true local more than distracted us.

At that point, we still didn’t fully understand what to do on Zakynthos. We only knew we were in paradise.

Settling in

Tsilivi ended up being the perfect place to stay. It had just enough going on without feeling crowded. After dropping our bags at our Airbnb, we stepped back outside and started walking with no real destination other than the beach that was about 15 yards away. That’s something you’ll do often when figuring out what to do on Zakynthos; you don’t always need a plan.

The beach near our Airbnb wasn’t packed, in fact there wasn’t anyone even around. We kicked off our shoes and walked straight into the water. It was calm, clear, and just cool enough to wake you up from a travel day. We didn’t swim much that first evening, more just letting the moment wash over us. Afterall, this was my first real island vacation since being stationed in Germany, so everything felt new.

We soon turned back to explore our home for the next few days. Small shops lined the streets, and restaurants were starting to fill up for the evening. The whole town felt relaxed, like it was just getting started for the season. We had a delicious dinner with a rather interesting waiter (he was 12) before calling it a night. Looking back, that slower start made the rest of the trip better. Zakynthos isn’t a place that rewards rushing, rather it rewards showing up and letting things unfold.

Day 2: The best Day on Zakynthos

Day two ended up being the day that answered almost every question about what there is to do on Zakynthos. It had everything: driving, viewpoints, open water, swimming, and one of the best dinners of the trip that almost became the location of Ciara and I’s wedding.

Drive (or ride) the Island at Your Own Pace

Zakynthos is small enough to explore easily, but large enough to feel varied. Ciara and I rented a small ATV instead of a car, and while it wasn’t fast, it made every drive feel open and flexible. There’s something freeing about cruising around a Greek island in a linen shirt and swimshorts while your skin tans and your tastebuds sense the saltiness of the mediterranean air. Plus, they make parking a breeze!

You might be thinking, “Well, I don’t need a rental because I can just take the bus.” Sure, but even the locals will tell you that the public transportation is washy at best. Heck, the public transportation only departs from the airport five or six times on weekends and even less during the week.

Rentals for a small >100cc scooter start at ~$35 for the entire day; 09:00 to 21:00. If you have a U.S. or Australian driver’s license, you’re good to go; no international driver’s license needed (same for the boats). Simply seek out a tourist adventure/excursion stand all across the island and inquire!

Head Toward Navagio Viewpont

Our first major stop was the Shipwreck viewpoint, located above Navagio Beach. The ride there took us through winding roads and elevated terrain passing olive groves, wild cactus, and even pine trees! At one point, we felt like we were riding through Rocky Mountain National Park like we used to do when we lived in Colorado Springs. Eventually, we reached the viewing area.

Standing at the viewpoint, you finally understand why this place shows up in every search about what to do on Zakynthos. The cliffs drop straight down into bright blue water, and the shipwreck sits in the center of the beach like it was placed there intentionally. Photos don’t quite capture the depth gained from this perspective as the height adds a completely different dimension. We stayed there for a while, taking it in and watching how the light changed the color of the water. To this day, Zakynthos holds the title for the bluest water I’ve ever seen, and it was from this vantage point.

Rent a Boat at Porto Vromi

After the shipwreck, we hopped back on the ATV and made our way to Porto Vromi. The road down to the port twisted through hills and narrow turns. It required a bit more attention, but the views made it worth it. When we reached the bottom, the water came back into full view.

The objective was simple: lounge on the beach for a while, drink a cold cerveza, and maybe do a little snorkeling. While the snorkeling at Porto Vromi wasn’t the best, the lack of other visitors and having the whole cove to ourselves more than made up for it.

Once we had had our fill of swimming, I noticed a man sitting at a table with a simple sign that read “boats for rent”. I was very curious. I asked the gentlemen for details and, well, long story short, I had the keys to a small speed boat for two hours in my hand. Best $100 I’ve ever spent!

If you’re deciding what to do on Zakynthos, renting a boat belongs near the top of the list. Within minutes, the shoreline started to change. Cliffs rose higher, and the water became clearer. It felt like we had moved into a different version of the island; the best version if you ask the Greeks.

Find Secluded Beaches

We took the boat back to the shipwreck beach to get a better view. At the time though, the beach was closed, so we weren’t able to drop anchor and walk around it. No biggie, we were having too much fun crusing around in the boat to even care.

After leaving the shipwreck, we continued along the coastline without a strict plan. That’s when we started finding smaller beaches tucked between cliffs. Some had small patches of sand while tthers were mostly rock with just enough space to step out and explore. We found so much joy anchoring at different ones and jumping right in. No crowds, no noise, just water and sugary-sand beaches. These moments ended up being some of the most memorable parts of the day.

Our first stop was Sfogio Beach, and it was sublime. There wasn’t another soul in sight! We dropped the anchor, popped on our goggles, and dove into deep blue water. Once on the beach, the sand was like flour, and the color mimicked ivory white. We covered our legs and feet with it, exfoliating not only dead skin cells, but the last few weeks of life’s worries as well.

We performed this act three more times at three different coves, never making eye-contact with anyone other than each other.

Swim with Sea Turtles

As we departed one of the beaches, we approached what I thought was a large rock. This far from the shoreline though, it didn’t make any sense. There should’ve been a buoy on it to signal it was there…

Turns out, we were encroaching on a sea turtle! I cut the throttle abruptly, tossing Ciara backward into boat, and killed the engine. Without hesitation, I looked at Ciara and yelled “man the boat!” before throwing myself overboard with my goggles around my neck.

Five breaststrokes later, I was living a dream I never knew I had: to swim with a sea turtle. He didn’t rush away, he just kept moving at his own pace. I approached him slowly to keep from startling him. As I did, he turned his body to reveal these large, beautiful eyes adorned by a deep green shell on his back. For a few moments, we shared the same space without inturruption.

Below me, rays of light ran past my shadow creating the illusion I was trapped in a kaleidoscope. And as peaceful as that moment was, it was at that moment I realized I was terrified of whatever might be lurking below me. The turtle though? Couldn’t have been more at peace. With a flip of his fins, he continued his journey through the vast, blue void; undisturbed and unafraid.

Snorkel in Neon Blue Waters

When you ask locals how blue the water is around Zakynthos, they’ll confidently call it the bluest in the world. That might sound like typical local pride, but after seeing it myself, I get it. The water here glows with a neon, almost unreal shade of blue that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

The best part is how accessible it all is. You don’t need a tour to enjoy it. Right outside our Airbnb in Tsilivi, Ciara and I spotted schools of small fish darting around our feet in crystal-clear water. A simple pair of goggles is enough to turn any quiet beach into a snorkeling spot.

If you want to take it a step further, head south toward the National Marine Park. That’s where things really come alive. We saw sea turtles, sea urchins, and entire schools of fish moving together through the water. At one point, we even found sand dollars resting along the ocean floor, which quickly became our favorite souvenir from the trip

Dinner at Aeras Restaurant

By the time we made it back to Porto Vromi, we were sunburned, salty, and completely content. Still, the day wasn’t over. We got back on our ATV, climbed up the hillside, and stopped at a gorgeous roadside restaurant called Aeras Restaurant for dinner. If there’s one place I’d quietly recommend without hesitation, it’s this one.

The setting alone makes it worth the visit. Perched above the water, the restaurant offers a front-row seat to one of the best sunsets on the island. As the sun dipped lower, the sky shifted through shades of orange, pink, and deep purple, reflecting off the sea below. We ordered drinks, leaned back, and let the moment unfold.

Dinner was probably the best Greek food I’ve ever had. The Moussaka is truely to die for. As for the restaurant itself, it’s the kind of place where you can’t imagine anything other than existing in the moment. Ciara and I even considered this spot to be our wedding venue, that’s how good it felt. We ended up choosing Montenegro later on, but the fact that we even considered it says everything.

I’ll never forget looking into Ciara’s deep green eyes juxtaposed to neon blue waters reflecting the warmth of the sun’s final rays. The sunlight bounced back and forth a million times between the Ionian Sea and the atmosphere before finally landing on her sun-kissed skin.

If you’re mapping out what to do on Zakynthos, don’t just think about activities. Think about moments like this.

Day Three: Catamaran Tours and Hidden Coves

After a packed second day, we took our time waking up. Morning in Tsilivi had its own rhythm, and we leaned into it. Greek coffee came first, of course, followed by watching the town slowly come to life. It was on the patio of that Airbnb smoking a cigar that I realized how much I appreciated staying somewhere a bit quieter. No rush, no pressure, just a calm start to the day.

With breakfast over, we decided we wanted to try an organized tour. We booked a catamaran tour that would pick us up in Tsilivi and take us to our departure point in the town Laganas.

Catamaran Tour from Laganas

If you’re deciding what to do on Zakynthos beyond the northern cliffs, heading south opens up a completely different side of the island. For our catamaran tour out of Laganas, we started spotting sea turtles within minutes of departure! Seeing them up close felt unreal, mostly due to the fact that I’m a mountain boy, not a beach/ocean guy.

The tour took us to the Marathonisi Caves where the water shifted into those same Gatoraid blues we saw the day before. The caves created pockets of shade and light, making the water glow in different tones depending on where you looked. We jumped in more than once, swimming through openings and floating beneath rock formations shaped by centuries of waves.

Experiences like this define what there is to do on Zakynthos. It’s not just about checking off locations like other big cities in Europe, it’s about immersing yourself in the environment.

Cameo Island Footbridge

Back on land, we made a quick stop at the Cameo Island Footbridge. It’s one of those places you’ve probably seen in photos without realizing it. A narrow wooden bridge stretches over shallow water, connecting the mainland to a small private island. White curtains sway in the breeze, framing the view like something right out of a movie.

Walking across it is prohibited as the island is private, but that didn’t stop us from taking a few photos and enjoying the simplicity of it all. It wasn’t a major highlight, but it added another layer to the day.

Dinner in Planos

That night, we kept things simple and stayed closer to Tsilivi, heading into Planos for dinner. After two full days of exploring, we didn’t need anything extravagant. So, we settled on a local spot not because of the menu items, but because of how friendly the staff was.

At first, the restaurant across the stree was playing overly loud EDM music, so upon request, the waitstaff happily moved us to a semi-private table in the back of the restaurant where the noise couldn’t reach. The conversation between us and them flowed easily, helped along by good food and a couple of drinks.

We were having so much fun, they even invited some family members over to converse with us while feeding us shots of a homemade liquor. The Greeks simply are the best!

There’s something about ending a day like that which sticks with you. No rush, no checklist, just time well spent. And honestly, that’s a big part of what to do on Zakynthos: slow down enough to actually enjoy it.

Day Four: Wishing it Wouldn’t End

Our last morning came faster than we wanted. We packed our bags, stepped outside, and took one final walk toward the beach near our Airbnb. The sun was just beginning to rise, creating a sunset only seen in a National Geographic magazine. The same gentle waves from the day we arrived lapped against the same quiet shoreline, creating that same feeling that made us pause whenwe first arrived. We stood there for a while without saying much; there was nothing to add.

A taxi eventually pulled up, ready to take us back to the airport. As we drove away from Tsilivi, we watched the coastline fade in the distance.

Trips like this always leave you with something. For us, it was a clearer understanding of what Greece had to offer and why people keep coming back. It wasn’t just the beaches or the views, tt was the combination of freedom, simplicity, and those unexpected moments that turn into lasting memories.

And just like that, Zakynthos became one of those places we’ll always talk about returning to.

Why Zakynthos Stands Out

After a few days on this island, the pattern will become clear to you. Zakynthos doesn’t rely on one standout feature, rather it builds the experience through small, consistent moments.

Clear water, easy exploration, quiet beaches, and unplanned stops. Nothing ever felt forced on Zakynthos. Even the more popular spots didn’t feel overwhelming if you approached them at the right time. That balance made the trip feel different from other places we had visited in Europe.

In conclusion, if someone asked me what to do on Zakynthos, I wouldn’t hand them a strict itinerary. Instead, I’d tell them to rent a boat, explore the coastline, and give themselves enough time to slow down. Everything else will fill in naturally.