Luxury villa guide to Zakynthos
Lush pine forests and towering chalky cliffs rise out of the azure blue Ionian sea, with sandy beaches and small pebbled coves in every hue of green and blue. This is Zakynthos, or Zante, whose allure has attracted the Venetians, Byzantines, French, and English to its shores.
Here even the local dialect is musical, with a love of summer festivals, singing and dancing, while the fertile soils provide nourishment for a cuisine and viticulture famed across Greece. There are dozens of native grape varieties that produce the intensely flavoured Verdea wine, and treasured zakynthian currants, which make a perfect pairing with creamy Prentza cheese.
Nature is also abundant, with a multitude of ecosystems where rare creatures find shelter and thrive in many wildlife sanctuaries.
A week or two on Zakynthos provides time to unearth the island’s wonders, explore its deserted coves and sleepy stone villages and, when you are feeling sociable, plan nights out in Zakynthos Town, the island’s capital, with its vibrant nightlife and up-and-coming restaurant scene.
With availability still for summer 2023, we recommend a Butterflies villa, three exceptional contemporary villas with direct access to the beach, new to the rentals market this year.