Cheap holiday Zakynthos
Zakynthos (Zante) is the Ionian island of the famous Navagio shipwreck beach, protected sea turtles and turquoise bays. Direct flight from Eindhoven in about 3 hours, a week from €450 per person.
✈️ Plan your trip to Zakynthos →When is the best time to go?
May, June and September are ideal: 24 to 29 degrees, a warm sea and fewer crowds. Turtle season runs from May to August, when loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on the southern beaches. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, especially in Laganas. Note: direct flights from the Netherlands only operate in the summer season, roughly from May to the end of October.
The best places in Zakynthos
- Zakynthos Town The Venetian-Greek capital with Solomos Square, the church of Saint Dionysios and a lively waterfront in the evening. Central, and authentically Greek all year round.
- Tsilivi A family resort on the northeast coast with a long sandy beach and calm, shallow water.
- Laganas The island's nightlife strip, on the same bay where sea turtles nest. Lively, but packed in July and August.
- Vasilikos & Gerakas The green, quiet peninsula in the southeast, inside the marine park: this is where the island's most beautiful quiet beaches are.
- Volimes & the north Mountain villages, the little port of Agios Nikolaos (departure point for the Blue Caves) and the viewpoint over Navagio.
Top 5 things to do in Zakynthos
- Navagio (Shipwreck Beach) The iconic beach with the rusting smugglers' ship. Honestly: the beach itself has been closed since 2023 due to landslide risk; you view it by boat (vessels stay 40 metres offshore) or for free from the viewpoint near Anafonitria.
- Blue Caves Glowing blue sea caves near Cape Skinari. Boat trips leave from Agios Nikolaos from about €15 to 25 per person (1 hour), with a swimming stop.
- Marathonisi (Turtle Island) An uninhabited islet in Laganas Bay where you often spot loggerhead turtles. Water taxi around €15; a half-day tour including the Keri caves €30 to 45.
- Gerakas Beach The most important nesting beach in the Mediterranean, free to visit until 7pm (closed after that for the turtles).
- Bochali & Xigia The Bochali viewpoint above Zakynthos Town is free; insider: little Xigia beach has natural sulphur springs in the sea, a free spa.
Flights + transport from the Netherlands
From Eindhoven you fly direct to Zakynthos (ZTH) in the summer season in about 2 hours 55 with Transavia and Corendon; from Schiphol in about 3 hours 10 with Transavia and TUI fly. The airport is only 4 kilometres from Zakynthos Town. KTEL buses run in season between the town, Laganas and Tsilivi for €1.80 to 3.60 per ride; a taxi from Laganas to town costs around €15. For the north (Navagio viewpoint, Blue Caves) a rental car is best (from about €30 per day).
What does a trip to Zakynthos cost?
Budget hotels cost €30 to 60 per night, mid-range €60 to 120. A gyros costs €4 to 5, a taverna meal €14 to 18. Budget from €450 per person for a week including a direct flight. Tip: go in late May or early June; you combine warm swimming water with the start of turtle season and hotel prices up to a third lower than in August.
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Frequently asked questions about Zakynthos
Can you still visit Navagio shipwreck beach in Zakynthos?
The beach itself has been closed since 2023 due to landslide risk. You can see the shipwreck on a boat trip (boats stay 40 metres offshore) or for free from the viewpoint near Anafonitria.
When is the best time to visit Zakynthos?
May, June and September: 24 to 29 degrees, a warm sea and less crowded than in July and August. Turtle season runs from May to August.
How do I get to Zakynthos from the Netherlands?
In the summer season direct from Eindhoven to Zakynthos (ZTH) in about 2 hours 55 with Transavia or Corendon, or from Schiphol with Transavia or TUI fly.
What does a holiday in Zakynthos cost?
From €450 per person for a week including a direct flight; budget hotels €30 to 60 and mid-range hotels €60 to 120 per night.
🗺️ Where do you want to stay in Zakynthos?
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