Getting into Greece – Zakynthos – Part 1

At the beginning of May I found myself back in Zakynthos (or Zante as it is commonly known). This marked my third time to the Island and my husbands billionth (or so it seems). This trip was a family affair with two young adults and an 81 year old Grandfather accompanying us. We were all set for 6 days of sun and scenery and amazing Greek food. Let’s just say two out of three aint bad.

We arrived early afternoon on Easter Sunday. We anticipated it to be quiet, after our recent trip to Kefalonia, where we discovered nothing happens until after Easter in the Islands. We weren’t wrong, there was absolutely nothing open, which was fine as it was a major religious holiday and pretty much everyone was roasting lamb in the front gardens.

We stay in the Kaminia Villas  which is a set of three 2BR villas just outside of the village of Lithakia. It’s lovely there with everything you would want or need. And so, so quiet.

That evening we dined at Taverna Vardiola, as it was nearby and open. We had visited before and did not enjoy it very much but thought we would give it another chance. Our opinion did not change. This is an overpriced waste of anyone’s time. The food is ‘OK’, the staff are charmless and rude. The view is nice but there are many nice views in Zakynthos.

The worst part about Day 1 was the dark and gloomy clouds that had blanketed the Island. My husband used to work here 25 years ago and would be on the Island from May – September and in the five years he worked here and the two previous years we have visited it has never rained. That was all due to change.

We awoke on Easter Monday to more grey nothingness in the sky. I had my pool swim and we headed off to Keri for a coffee. Keri is a beautiful little beach village not far from Lithakia. I’ve only ever seen this village ‘off-season’ but I can only imagine how lively and vibrant it must be in the Summer.

Whilst drinking our beverages and watching the kids play cards the heavens opened up and covered the Island in the heaviest rain I had seen in awhile. This did not bode well for the rest of the day as we had planned a drive up the East side of the Island, including a place I had desperately wanted to swim at.

The rain stopped and we shot up the mountain chasing the sun. Our first stop was Porto Limnionas the most

beautiful place on the Island in my opinion. This is where I wanted to swim having not done so the last two times for various reasons. Alas, upon arrival it was so incredibly windy I just couldn’t do it. The water temperature wasn’t that bad but the thought of getting out into the freezing cold wind was not
something I wanted to do.

We headed off to the Shipwreck lookout on the North East of the Island and this is probably the most tourist worthy place of the Island. If you come to Zante you have to come here. It’s a no-brainer. After our touristy snapshots we headed back through a few villages, stopped off and picked up some village wine and olive oil soap and took in the fading afternoon in Porto Vromi.

Dinner that night was at the legendary Dennis Taverna, in Lithakia. This is my husband’s favourite place in the world and I’m quite fond of it as well.

It has a great selection of classic Greek food and bountiful servings. The staff are all amazingly friendly and welcoming and I could seriously eat here every day for the rest of my life.