An ideal all-round holiday destination, Zakynthos caters to family holidaymakers and young independent visitors alike. The beaches are perhaps the best location in terms of broadness of appeal, offering an ideal mix of relaxation and water activities. Numerous boat tours can be booked from hotels and local travel agents, and they offer visitors the chance to see some of the sights around the island.

Beaches
Zakynthos has some gorgeous beaches with beautifully soft fine sands and picturesque coastal scenery. Parents with small children in particular will enjoy the opportunity to relax while the little ones busy themselves with sand and sea activities. Gerakas and Laganas are considered the best beaches on the island but can also be the busiest.

Boat Trips
Local tour operators run boat trips from the main beaches out to nearby destinations such as the Blue Lagoon and Blue Grotto, Keri Caves and Smugglers' Cove, as well as to other islands such as Kefalonia. Tours by the friendly Captain Spiros are especially well known and well suited to family visitors.

Hiking
There are numerous locations around the city that offer ideal hiking terrain; however, the areas around the mountain villages of Koilomeno, Lithakia, Keri and Maherado are considered the best. The villages themselves are pretty little places at which hikers can stop and enjoy local hospitality before or after an energetic walk.

Turtle Trips
Though the beaches on the island of Zakynthos are known for being home to the Mediterranean’s highest concentration of turtle nesting sites, the giant loggerhead turtles are an endangered species. For a chance to see these magnificent reptiles, of which there are only around 800 or so left, visitors can take a trip on a glass-bottomed boat into the waters off Laganas Beach.

Zante Water Village
Located on the southeast part of the island and covering an area of 40,000 square metres, Zante Water Village is a fun-packed, family-friendly attraction offering a plethora of pools, slides and watery rides. Highlights include the imaginatively entitled Boomer Bowl, Boomerango, Superbowl, Turbo Tube and Kamikazi.
Phone: +30 26950 65150; www.zantewatervillage.gr

Water Sports
Not all of the island’s beaches allow water sports on account of turtle conservation projects; however, those that do promise plenty in the way of fun and thrills for folk who like to get wet. Argasi and Tsilivi beaches are among the best, offering activities such as windsurfing, waterskiing, jet-skiing, paragliding, scuba diving, banana boats and pedaloes.

With an emphasis on museums, Zakynthos offers a good selection of cultural attractions, giving visitors plenty of opportunity to learn something of the island’s history and heritage. Covering topics such as literature, hagiography and fine arts, the island’s various museums present a broad picture of Zakynthos’ most significant cultural characteristics.

Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos
Artefacts and documents dating from Byzantine times to the 1800s comprise the collection at the impressive Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos, the former including various religious sculptures, icons and statues collected from churches across the island. Religious writings by authors such as Kandounis, Doxaras, Tzanes and Koutouzis are among the documental exhibits. 
Phone: +30 26950 42714

Cultural Centre of Zakynthos and the Public Library
Located inside an attractive building adjacent to the church of Agios Nikolaos, the island’s cultural centre and public library has a collection of over 50,000 books as well as small art space, an exhibition of dolls in traditional costume and the historical archives of the island. 
Phone: +30 26954 8128

Museum of Dionysios Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians
Founded in 1959 by a group of locals wanting to promote appreciation of the island’s fine arts scene, this museum is best known for housing the tombs of Zakynthian poets Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos. The first floor exhibits a large collection of portraits of famous Zakynthian scholars, while elsewhere in the museum are sculptures, traditional handicraft works and ancient musical instruments. Weapons and items of clothing from Greek aristocratic families are also on show. 
Phone: +30 26 9504 8982

Vertzagio Cultural Museum
The small and tranquil village of Pigadakia provides the picturesque setting for this modest but interesting museum. Recreations of traditional Greek rooms, including original furnishings, offer visitors a glimpse of what life was like for rural residents in days gone by. The traditional kitchen, with its original stone oven and cooking utensils, is especially impressive. 
Phone: +30 26950 28982

Xenopoulos Museum
Located on Odhos Gaita in Zakynthos Town, this relatively new museum focuses on the life and works of Gregorios Xenopoulos, a famous Greek novelist and playwright. Set in a house that was formerly the Xenopoulos family home, the museum displays original drafts and literary documents, as well as personal items that belonged to the writer.

Cuisine on Zakynthos incorporates all the typical Greek gastronomic traits as well as some specific local characteristics, making dining out a rich and satisfying experience. Dishes to try include: choriatiki, a salad made from feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives, and ntolmadakia, vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat. Also well worth sampling is the delicious savoury pie with cheese known as tyropita.

There are numerous eateries spread across the island though you’ll find the highest concentration in the bigger resorts, such as Laganas and Tsilivi, and in Zakynthos Town. Prices are reasonable across the board, especially if you head to establishments off the beaten track that are frequented by locals. Authentic cuisine is not hard to come by and even the restaurants in the busiest tourist areas adhere closely to traditional recipes.

For shopping, Zakynthos is a good place to find interesting jewellery, ceramics, carpets, leather goods, carvings and various handicraft items. In Zakynthos Town, Alexander Street is the main shopping centre and where you’ll find everything from souvenirs to angling supplies.

Other goods to look out for if you want to buy something typical of the island include honey, almonds, figs and the delicious locally made cheeses. The sweet nougat known as mandolato can make a good gift to take home to friends and family. The local wine is considered reputable by enthusiasts, so you might want to consider using up some of your duty-free allowance to stock up on a bottle or two.