Wednesday 25 April 2012

ZAKYNTHOS ISLAND, GREECE

Zakynthos or Zante, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, on the Western part of Greece. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It covers an area of 410 km2 and its coastline is roughly 123 km in length. The island is named after Zakynthos, the son of a legendary Arcadian chief Dardanus. The name, like all similar names ending in -nthos, is pre-Mycenaean or Pelasgian in origin. Zakynthos has a population of 41,000 people (2011) and a thriving tourism industry.

The capital, which has the same name as the prefecture, is the town of Zakynthos. It lies on the eastern part of the northern coast. Apart from the official name, it is also called Chora (i.e. "the Town"). The port of Zakynthos has a ferry connecting to the port of Kyllini on the mainland. Another ferry connects the village of Agios Nikolaos to Argostoli on Kefalonia.
Bochali hill above the Zakynthos town contains a small venetian castle, and offers panoramic views onto the town. Strani's hill, located on the other side of Bochali, is the place where Dionysios Solomos, called "Our National Poet" by the Greeks, wrote Greece's national anthem.

The most famous landmark of the island is the Navagio beach. It is a cove on the southwest shore, isolated by high cliffs and accessible only by boats. The beach and sea floor are made of white pebbles, and surrounded by turquoise waters. It is named after a shipwreck (MV Panagiotis) which sunk on the shore around 1980. The ridge area from Anafonitria has a small observation deck which overlooks the shipwreck and there is a monastery nearby.

Numerous "Blue Caves", are cut into cliffs around Cape Skinari, and accessible only by small boats. Sunrays reflect through blue sea water from white stones of cave bottoms and walls, creating interesting effects. Northern and eastern shores contain numerous wide sandy beaches, many of which are packed with tourists in summer months. The largest resort is Laganas, whose beach stretches around 10 km.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Water World Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme.
The capital of Zakynthos - Zakynthos or "Chora" 
View of the city from Bochali Hill
The Venetian Castle
One of the buildings inside the castle
View to the Northwest from the Castle
The church of St Dionysios in the City 
Fishing is a major industry on the island and delicious fresh fish are available in all of the local taverns and restaurants
Statue of Dionysios Solomos, Greece's "National Poet" and composer of the lyrics of Greece's national Anthem, "Ode to Liberty"
Evening view of the bay from the city 
Navagio ("Shipwreck") Cove
The shipwreck can be seen on the white sands of Navagio Cove. It is only accessible by boat
Water sports, swimming and sailing are popular activities on the island
The Blue Caves region offers a coastline where numerous sea caves can be seen by boat
Blue Caves region
Interior of one of the blue caves
One of the small fishing villages that dot the coastline

16 comments:

  1. Wow, wonderful series of beautiful shots!
    Love to see photos from Greek Islands, although I've never visited Zakynthos.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Mette

    ReplyDelete
  2. The water looks so clean, do the households have water treatment plants before releasing them to the sea? Thanks for the tour Nick!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful photos of a beautiful place, wish I could visit Greece some day. I love that second one the most.

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow, these are breathtaking photos! the Navagio Cove is amazing---love your vantage point. thanks for taking me here.:p

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the tour Nick, I really enjoyed the aerial feel of the views! Those caves are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah, such romantic photos! It looks prosperous, one wonders why Greece is broke...

    ReplyDelete
  8. These are fantastic and makes me want to go on a trip to Greece! The water looks amazing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a beautiful place, such stunning pictures. I can't get over how blue the sea is.

    Herding Cats


    http://seathreepeeo.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a beautiful island and so beautifully photographed, Nick.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow these view are fantastic. How I wish I could visit this place and enjoy the wonder of nature. Love it! Thanks for joining Water World Wednesday I do appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, wow, wow. Amazing views of an island! Thanks for the tour :)

    www.1sthappyfamily.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fabulous photos of a beautiful place!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awesome....wish I could visit this place for real.
    Joyce M

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a gorgeous place to live, and oh, how I would love to visit there. The waters are beautiful and the caves are out of this world. I had never heard of a water cave until I read your post. They are so interesting. The views of the city from above are so romantic. This is such a grand post. genie

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think you must have been to all the beautiful places on this earth!

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you, so please comment. I appreciate constructive criticism as it improves my skills as an amateur photographer.