And… we’re here! After months of planning and rounding up the troops, the family has arrived on the sunny island of Zakynthos, Greece. I’ll post a full guide to the island’s ins and outs but for now, here’s what we have been up to so far.
Landing in Zakynthos
Catching our first glimpse of land on the way into Zakynthos, we were lucky enough to be able to see the rocky outcrops and separate Turtle island looming in the distance. Luckily for us, we had caught a morning flight so we had the perfect view of the turquoise water and the spectacular Zakynthos island beyond it.
It was an absolute dream drifting down to be able to see it so close. With the airport being so close to the coast, the plane is already quite low over the ocean so you get quite a decent view. Although passengers on the left of the plane supposedly got sight of Kefalonia, being on the right-hand side of the plane we had the perfect spot to view our destination.
Our Resort
Having arrived in our resort, we got ourselves ready to head right on out into the sunshine. Something we all definitely needed after England’s recent cold spell. We’d spent around £50 extra to upgrade our room when booking so got our first ever experience of a swim-up room! (Aren’t we posh!)
Having always made the journey down with flip flops and towels from the room, having the luxury of being able to dip right off our terrace into the water was AMAZING. What a beautiful set up it was too!
Kalamaki
Taking a wander out of the hotel, we hit the main strip of Kalamaki. A lovely seaside town on Zakynthos island, it is made up of one main street where everything you could need lives.
From tour companies to handmade leather goods, postcard shops to an amusement park, you can easily pass an afternoon or evening checking out the area.
Take a stroll and you will instantly be met by the sounds of the friendly Greek businessmen and ladies calling you in for some proper Greek grub or even a cocktail or two in the colourful-looking restaurants and bars. Just watch where you are walking, one of the multi-storey shops had a glass floor, causing one or two people to take a jump back when they looked down!
Beach Days in Zakynthos
Heading away from the town of Kalamaki, we headed towards the beach. This area is protected as it is a site for nesting turtles. In peak season, you can spot lots of cordoned off dunes protecting the nests from visitors. When we got there however, there was just sea, sand and a tiny scattering of people across the beach. Heaven!
Taking a dip in the waters here was perfect. The water stays quite shallow for a fair way so you can wander out for a long stretch without the water going much past your waist. Keep an eye out and you might just spot a few tiny fish swimming in the shallows.
If it’s a cove-like spot you are after, this beach is perfect, with the rocky surrounds forming the perfect cradle for the sands. You can rent an umbrella and two beds for £7 a day here. However, we simply popped to one of the nearby shops and bought a beach mat for £3 to last us a few beach trips wherever we ended up.
Next up we’ll share our adventures exploring Zakynthos town, so stay tuned!
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