Where to stay in Zakynthos

Zakynthos Town is the capital and the port, with Solomos Square, the Agios Dionysios church and Bochali hill above the harbour; the airport is about 6 km away. Tsilivi, about 6 km north of the town, is a resort on a long sandy bay.

Laganas, on the long beach of Laganas bay, is the island's party resort, and Kalamaki, next to the airport, is quieter. East of them the Vasilikos peninsula has villas and beaches such as Porto Roma, Banana, Dafni and Gerakas.

In the north-east, Alykes and Alykanas sit around a long bay with salt pans, 14 to 16 km from the town. In the south-west, Limni Keriou lies on its bay below the hill village of Keri, whose lighthouse road ends above the Mizithres sea stacks, about 17 km from the town.

Zakynthos Town has changed its streets since 2025. From August 2025 a block of central streets became permanently pedestrian, and further changes followed on 29 March 2026, including a reversed one-way direction on Klavdianou Street. The municipality has opened free car parks around the town, at the Old Hospital, at Kaminia by the KTEL bus station and at Kydoni by the Jumbo store, and runs a free bus from them to the centre every day from 07:00 to 23:00, about every 20 minutes. Paid parking with resident spaces has been planned for the centre; whether it was in force in September 2026 is unverified.

In the south, the National Marine Park of Zakynthos protects the beaches where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs. On the nesting beaches, among them Kalamaki, Laganas bay, Dafni and Gerakas, the public may stay from 07:00 to sunset, and cars, motorbikes and bicycles are not allowed on the sand. Sekania is closed to the public, and Gerakas and Dafni allow no umbrellas beyond the endorsed ones.

For the resorts no official parking information was found, so ask the host whether a space comes with the booking. GetCar's guide Driving in Zakynthos: the Airport, Zakynthos Town Parking, Island Roads, the Marine Park, Ferries and the Rules covers the island roads and the ferries.

Greece charges a climate resilience fee per night and per room or property, paid by the guest and collected by the host before departure. Article 44 of Law 5177/2025 sets it: from April to October EUR 8 in a short-term rental, EUR 15 in a detached house over 80 m2 or a tourist villa, and EUR 2 to EUR 15 in hotels by star rating; from November to March EUR 2, EUR 4 and EUR 0.50 to EUR 4. Tax press lists the same amounts for 2026.

Hotels and professional hosts also charge the municipal visitors' fee on the price of stays under six months, which the guest pays: 0.5% under national law, and private hosts who let one or two properties do not charge it. Councils may raise it to 0.75%; no Zakynthos council decision doing so was found on Diavgeia as of September 2026.

Every short-term rental must show its 11-digit AMA, the registry number from the tax authority AADE, on every platform and advert, and licensed properties show a 16-digit ΕΣΛ or a 7-digit ΜΑΓ number instead. Zakynthos has no ban on new holiday rentals; the 2026 bans cover central Athens and central Thessaloniki only. Since 1 October 2025 each short-term rental must also have smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit under Law 5170/2025.

From November to March the climate fee falls to EUR 2 a night in a short-term rental. The airport's published operating hours run to 22:00; for an early departure, Kalamaki, Laganas and the town are 3 to 6 km from the terminal.

In the town, the free car parks and the free bus make a car workable, so a town stay can be booked without a parking space included. In the villages of Vasilikos, Alykes and Keri, confirm the parking before paying.

A town, the ferry port and a month: Zakynthos Town.

A family beach near the town: Tsilivi.

Nights out: Laganas. A quiet beach by the airport: Kalamaki.

Villas and turtle beaches: the Vasilikos peninsula.

A quieter bay in the north-east: Alykes and Alykanas.

Cliffs, walks and a small bay: Keri and Limni Keriou.