Where to stay in Zakynthos: five bases from the Town to Alykes

Zakynthos is a small island with a lively southern coast, a harbor town on the east side and a long, wild west coast. Where you sleep decides whether you spend your evenings on a busy strip, in a quiet bay or at a taverna table by the water. The Zakynthos travel guide covers the whole island, and this page settles the practical question of where to base yourself, with links to the rest of a Greece trip.

The island is compact, but the roads are slow. Laganas Bay and the airport are in the south, Zakynthos Town is in the middle of the east coast, and the northern bays and the famous cove lie farther north and west. A drive to the north coast from the south can take well over an hour with stops. Choose a base for the evenings you want, then rent a car or book boat trips for the sights.

Three things decide the choice. The first is the kind of holiday: a lively beach strip, a family week or a town stay. The second is whether you drive. Without a car, Laganas, Tsilivi and the Town have buses and taxis. The third is the season: July and August are hot and busy, and the most popular strips are loud, while May, June and September are calmer and cheaper. If you plan the boat trip described in our Navagio and Blue Caves guide, check where the boats leave from before you book a base.

Price bands below are per night for a double room: $ is a simple hotel or apartment, $$ a mid-range hotel, $$$ an upscale hotel. Rates swing widely between shoulder months and August, so treat the bands as a guide and check current prices at booking.

Zakynthos Town is the island's capital, with a long waterfront, a main square and lanes of shops and restaurants. It is the arrival point for the ferry from Kyllini on the Peloponnese, so it is the natural base if you come by road and boat from Athens. The town was rebuilt after a twentieth-century earthquake, so it is more modern than medieval, but it has a good harbor, cafes and a walkable center.

It is a convenient base for evenings. You can eat at a harbor taverna, take a walk along the front and be in bed without a taxi. The trade-off is that the beach is not at the door: you take a short bus or taxi ride to Tsilivi or Argassi for a swim. Hotels range from small guesthouses to mid-range hotels near the water. Rooms on the waterfront are brighter and louder, so ask about the street and the floor.

Many visitors treat the Town as a one or two night stop at the start or end of a trip, then move to a beach base. That works well if you arrive on a late ferry or leave on an early flight.

Laganas is the island's busiest resort, a long sandy beach on a wide bay with a strip of bars, restaurants and shops. It is the closest resort to the airport and the most popular choice for groups and younger travelers who want nightlife and water sports. The bay is also a protected area for loggerhead turtles, which nest in summer, so there are rules about beach use and boats; follow the signs and the guidance of your hotel and boat operators.

The strip is loud at night in July and August, and the beach is crowded by midday. If you sleep lightly, ask for a room away from the main bars. On the other hand, it is easy to reach, has plenty of places to eat and offers more choice at the budget end than the other bases. Buses and taxis link it with Zakynthos Town and the south coast.

For a quieter stay, look at the edges of the resort, where the road is calmer, or at the beaches on the nearby Kalamaki side. Check the distance to the beach and the main bars when you book.

Tsilivi is a family resort a few kilometers north of Zakynthos Town, with a long beach that slopes gently into the water, a line of tavernas and a handful of larger hotels. It is calmer than Laganas, with more couples and families, and the buses to the Town are frequent. It is also a good base for the north of the island, which is a short drive away.

The beach has sunbeds, water sports and plenty of space outside the busiest weeks. In the evenings the pace is relaxed, with dinner at a beachfront taverna and a walk along the front. If you want nightlife, you will need to take a taxi to the Town or Laganas.

Hotels include beach hotels, family-run places and apartments. Book early for July and August, and ask about a pool and a shaded area if you travel with children.

Argassi is a beach strip on the east coast, just south of Zakynthos Town and close to the airport and Laganas Bay. It has a narrower beach than Tsilivi, but it is packed with apartments, small hotels and restaurants, which makes it a good value base for groups and short stays. The Town is a short bus or taxi ride away, and Laganas is close enough for an evening.

It is busy in July and August, and the beach can feel crowded. Outside the peak weeks it is relaxed, and the sea is calm. The choice of accommodation is wide, from simple apartments to mid-range hotels, and it suits people who plan to spend their days on boat trips and drives.

If you plan a long stay, check the distance to the beach and the main road, and ask whether the property has air conditioning and a pool.

Alykes is a small resort on the north-east coast, with a long, sandy beach and a quiet, relaxed feel. It is a better base than the south for the northern bays and the cape where the blue caves are, and a good choice for people who want to avoid the busiest strips. Evenings are calm, with a few restaurants and bars along the front.

The trade-off is distance. The airport is about 35 to 45 minutes away by car, and the south coast is a long drive. A car makes the rest of the island easy to reach, and without one you rely on taxis and organized trips. Choice of restaurants and shops is smaller than in the Town or Laganas.

Hotels include small family-run places, apartments and a few larger beach properties. Book early for July and August, and ask about parking and the distance to the beach.

Book early for July and August, when flights, ferries and rooms fill first, and for dates around Greek holidays. June and September give a better balance of warm water, open businesses and lower prices. Some smaller hotels and restaurants close in winter, so check dates before you commit to a base.

Greek hotels add a local per-night charge that is shown separately from the room rate and varies by category and season; our note on tourist taxes in Europe explains how it works, and the final price at booking is what counts.

Book the room first, then the transport. A rental car often decides whether a base works, and cars are limited in summer, so reserve it with the room. The Getting around Greece page covers cars, buses and ferries, and the Schengen 90 in 180 explained page explains how your days count if you combine Zakynthos with other countries. Get an eSIM from our connectivity guide before you go, since signal drops on the west cliffs.

Compare cover in our travel insurance guide, and read Zakynthos or Kefallonia if you are still choosing the island.