Beaches
It's said that you can find some of the Ionian islands' best beaches in Zante, and said beaches are without doubt the island's major attraction.
Alikes and Alikanas beaches run for three kilometres along Zante's northeast coast, close to Smugglers' Cove and the Blue Caves. Both popular beaches, they are ideal for children as their sandy shorelines shelve gently into the sea.
Caretta-Caretta is home to the loggerhead turtles, and the beaches of Laganas and Gerkas are popular with tourists. Gerkas beach has garnered a reputation as the best beach on the island, with The Times newspaper voting it as one of Europe's top ten beaches. Water sports are carefully controlled in the area to avoid disturbing the turtles, and the beaches are also part of a National Marine Park set up to protect this endangered species. However, with 25km of sandy shoreline there is space enough for everyone to enjoy this lovely stretch of coast.
Moving south, the beach of Argassi is a good spot for water sports enthusiasts, while Porto Roma, on the southeast of the island, is a great place to go if you want an unspoilt location to soak up the sunshine in.
Finally, the beaches of Porto Koukla and Tsilivi are both highly rated, the latter having been awarded Blue Flag status.
Nightlife
Nightlife on Zante is as relaxed or as lively as you want it to be. For those who want to party, then Laganas, Argassi, Tsilivi and Alykes are the liveliest resorts, with a good selection of bars, restaurants, discos and clubs.
One of the most famous and popular clubs on the island is Barrage Nightclub in Argassi. It's open all summer until the early hours and has regular appearances by guest DJs. Zero's in Lagunas is another hit with clubbers, boasting the biggest bar in Greece as well as a state of the art sound and lighting system. It's big enough to welcome 1,600 guests, and a memorable night out is guaranteed!
Elsewhere on the island, evenings are a chilled-out affair, with visitors relaxing over a good meal and glass of wine while taking in the lovely scenery and unforgettable sunsets.
Food Drink and Shopping
Food and Drink
For those of you looking to sample the delights of the local cuisine, one thing to start with is gryos, a speciality meat (be it chicken, beef or lamb) roasted and sliced in a pita bread. Souvalki, skewers of meat served with tomatoes, onions and fried potatoes, are also very popular, not to mention tasty.
The Greeks are huge fans of seafood, and everyone will have heard of kalamari (deep-fried battered squid rings). If you haven't, try it! A Greek salad, perhaps the most well known of all Greek culinary exports, accompanies this dish perfectly.
Moussaka (aubergines and minced meat cooked with tomato then layered with herbs, bechamel sauce and cheese) is another popular old favourite and tastes great with either Cretan bread or dakos (bread cooked with grated tomatoes, feta cheese, onions, olive oil and oregano).
Finally, try one of the traditional sweets like mandolato, a locally-produced nougat, or pasteli, caramelised sesame seeds covered in honey. Wash it all down with mastelado, Zante's semi-dry wine.
Shopping
Shopping is at its best here in Zante Town, where you'll find the biggest selection of shops selling souvenirs, clothes and food, as well as traditional products like pottery, woollen garments and jewellery.
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