Zante - Greek for idyllic
The sheer pleasure that a holiday to Zante delivers is easy to sum up - sun, sea, and that famous Zante nightlife. Picture sun-kissed golden sand, turquoise sea lapping at tiny horseshoe bays, blue skies that seem to go on forever, the tinkle of goat bells and, of course, all that food and nightlife the Greek Islands are so famous for.
Zante in Greece (or when you're in Greece Zakynthos), is the third largest of the Ionian Islands and is around 20 km west of the Greek (Peloponnese) mainland. To the north lies the island of Kefalonia about15 km away. All the resort areas are on the eastern half of the island on a flat plain, with long sandy beaches, with the occasional hilly outcropping - for example, Bochali - overlooking the city, and the peninsula of Vasilikos jutting out into the ocean. Just ask Holiday Supermarket for a resort recommendation.
A lot of the Greek Islands have those postcard good looks that end up in the tourist brochures, but the 'postcard gotcha' for your holiday in Zante really is special! The most famous landmark on the island is the Navagio beach area named after a shipwreck. You can get to it only by boat, but it's well the trip because the white pebble beach, the horseshoe bay and the incredible waters are something you'll remember for a long time.
Other sights include the "Blue Caves", which cut into the cliffs around Cape Skinari and are only viewable by boat. The beaches are on the northern and eastern coastline and they're long, sandy and delightful. Perfect for a day's sunning. The main resorts are here and the biggest is called Laganos with a beach that goes for 10km or so. Zante Kalamaki is also a renowned resort as is Zante Tsilivi.
The nightlife in Lagonos is notoriously loose and uninhibited. If that's your thing, this is your place. It goes off and is fast taking up the mantle left behind by Rhodes and Crete. It's there if you want it, and like most places, if you don't want it, you don't have to have it!