Hiking Zakynthos: the best routes and the Zakynthos Trail

Zakynthos is a limestone island in the Ionian Sea, the third largest of the Ionian Islands, with a flat and relatively busy east and south coast and a quieter, higher west that ends abruptly in steep cliffs. The contrast between those two worlds is striking.

The interior is a patchwork of olive groves, vineyards, cypresses and fruit trees, cut through by narrow lanes leading to villages that, outside the high season, you will largely have to yourself. Stone chapels and monastery buildings appear along the paths; at times you look out over the Ionian Sea to the west and the Bay of Laganas to the south at the same time.

Worth knowing in advance: Zakynthos is not a waymarked hiking island like Crete or Madeira. There is no network of signposted walking routes across the whole island. Many hikes follow quiet paved roads, unpaved country tracks and old paths, and navigation is your own responsibility. That makes it more authentic than a course lined with marker posts, but you do need to take it into account when you prepare.

Zakynthos lies in the south of the Ionian Islands, off the west coast of the Peloponnese. You fly into Zakynthos airport, which in season has direct flights from across Europe, including the UK. If you travel via Athens, you can also take the ferry from Kyllini on the Peloponnese to Zakynthos Town.

On the island, local buses run between Zakynthos Town and the larger resorts, and taxis are available everywhere. If you want to combine different starting points for day hikes, a hire car is handy, but it is certainly not necessary for the multi-day trail. The Zakynthos Trail starts and finishes in Zakynthos Town, so getting to and from the island is your only logistical task.

These are the five hiking areas that best show the character of the island. They form the core of every hiking route on Zakynthos, whether you are doing individual day hikes or walking the multi-day trail.

Vasilikos and Skopos

The Vasilikos peninsula stretches south-east of Zakynthos Town and is greener and quieter than the rest of the east and south coast. Skopos is the distinctive ridge that dominates the peninsula, with the Panagia Skopiotissa monastery on its summit. From up there you look out over the Bay of Laganas and its turtle beaches on one side and over the harbour of Zakynthos Town on the other. This is the area for hikers who want to combine height and views with a manageable climb.

Keri and the south-west coast

Keri is a village at the south-western tip of the island, with a lighthouse on the cape and views out to sea. The walk to Cape Marathia runs along cliffs that drop sheer into the sea. Close by is Lake Keri, a wetland that belongs to the National Marine Park. This is rugged, quiet coastal scenery, far from the resorts.

The hill country around Agalas

Agalas is a small village in the hills of the south-west, surrounded by terraced fields, vineyards and olive trees. Country tracks and paths run around the village with views back over the Bay of Laganas. If you are looking for the quiet of the Greek interior without big changes in elevation, this is the place for you. Agalas is also where day 3 of the Zakynthos Trail ends.

Vrachionas and the north-west

Vrachionas is the highest upland area on Zakynthos, with villages such as Gyri and Anafonitria on the ridges. Anafonitria has a monastery that is well worth a visit. From near Anafonitria you can walk to the famous viewpoint above Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach: the beach itself can only be reached by sea, but the clifftop above it gives a spectacular bird's-eye view of the stranded ship and the turquoise water. It is one of the most photographed spots on the island.

Bochali and Zakynthos Town

Bochali hill rises directly above Zakynthos Town and is crowned by a small Venetian castle. The climb from town gives you a panorama over the harbour, the town and the Vasilikos peninsula. Late afternoon, when the light is low, is the best time. On the final hiking day of the Zakynthos Trail you come back into town over Bochali.

The Zakynthos Trail is a self-guided trip: you walk alone or with your travel companions, without a group or guide, at your own pace. We book the accommodation in advance and you will find everything you need in our app: route descriptions, hiking maps, GPS navigation and the practical details of your trip. The maps also work offline, so you can find your way even without signal.

The six-day Zakynthos Trail has four proper hiking days, with the first and last days being arrival and departure days in Zakynthos Town. In total you cover 61.1 kilometres and climb around 1,010 metres, which works out at an average of 15.3 kilometres per hiking day. The start and finish are both in Zakynthos Town.

To describe its character honestly: a large part of the route follows quiet paved roads, village streets and unpaved country tracks. This is not a rugged mountain trek, but a village-to-village circuit that shows you the island the way the islanders know it. There is no luggage transfer on this trip; you carry your own things all week.

Day 2: Zakynthos Town – Laganas (8.9 km, +20 m)

The shortest day and a gentle start. You set off from the centre of Zakynthos Town, walk past the harbour and through residential streets to the flat south coast. The route passes the airport and goes through Kalamaki to the Bay of Laganas. You finish in the busy resort of Laganas, after a day without any significant change in elevation.

Day 3: Laganas – Agalas (12.6 km, +430 m)

Now you leave the coast. Via Lithakia you climb into the hills and leave the resorts behind. Along the way you look back over the bay with the turtle beaches of the National Marine Park. You finish in the hill village of Agalas, a good deal quieter than Laganas.

Day 4: Agalas – Alykanas (22.1 km, +290 m)

The longest day of the trip and the real crossing of the island. You walk past vineyards and olive groves towards the central ridge near Vrachionas, then make a long descent to the north coast. This is the day that asks the most of your fitness, but it also offers the most variety.

Day 5: Alykanas – Zakynthos Town (17.5 km, +270 m)

The last hiking day closes the circle. You walk past the salt flats and fishing harbours of Alykes, head inland past citrus groves and vineyards, pass Tragaki and Tsilivi and finally climb to the Bochali viewpoint. From there the path descends back to the harbour of Zakynthos Town.

This is a real walking holiday on Zakynthos, seeing the island the way few people get to see it: from village to village, along country tracks and old paths, with a different village to sleep in every night.

If you are staying in one place, or have an extra day before or after the trail, these are the five hikes worth doing. For most starting points you will need a car, taxi or bus.

Climbing Skopos

The Skopos Trail starts in Argassi and leads to the Panagia Skopiotissa monastery on the summit. It is one of the best-known hikes on Zakynthos. The path can be steep, but it requires no climbing technique. At the top you have views on both sides. Suitable for anyone with average fitness who wants a more challenging morning hike.

Cliffs and lighthouse at Keri and Marathia

From the village of Keri you follow a country track to the lighthouse on the cape. The cliffs at the edge are impressive and you can see far out over the open sea. A shorter walk for anyone who loves rugged coastal scenery. Lake Keri is close by and is part of the National Marine Park.

From Zakynthos Town to Bochali

Set off from the town centre, follow the road uphill via Agios Markos Square and walk to the ruins of the Venetian castle on the hill. A short town walk with a panorama as your reward. The best timing is late afternoon, when the light is low.

The viewpoint above Navagio

From near Anafonitria you walk to the clifftop above Navagio Beach. The beach itself lies at the foot of the cliffs and can only be reached by sea. What you see from above, though, is spectacular enough: the stranded ship in the turquoise water, surrounded by white cliffs. A short walk with a big impact, suitable for everyone.

Around Vrachionas and the mountain villages

From Gyri you can do circular hikes through the highest upland area on Zakynthos, past small villages that hardly any tourists visit. It is the quietest part of the island, where you plan your own route.

Zakynthos is a moderate hiking island. It is not high mountain terrain and there are no technically difficult sections on the Zakynthos Trail or on most day hikes. Technically the level is easy: no scrambling, no exposed ridges.

What makes the trip harder than the figures suggest is the combination of heat and little shade on open stretches, hard surfaces on tarmac and concrete paths, and the fact that you navigate yourself. Hiking on Zakynthos therefore asks for a little more independence than a waymarked mountain path in the Alps. Day 4 of the Zakynthos Trail, at just over 22 kilometres, is the toughest day for most people and calls for normal hiking fitness.

The trip is suitable for hikers with some experience, including people who want to walk a multi-day trail abroad for the first time. You do not need to be a seasoned mountain walker. What helps: lightweight hiking shoes with good cushioning, good sun protection and plenty of water for the longer days.

Spring, from April to June, and autumn, from September to November, are the best periods for hiking on Zakynthos. In spring the island is green, the wild flowers are in bloom and the paths are quiet. In autumn the sea is still warm, the light is beautiful and the crowds of the summer season have gone.

July and August are hot and busy. Hiking is certainly possible then, but plan to start early in the morning and expect more traffic on the roads and busier accommodation.

In winter the island is wet and windy, and many places to stay are closed. Hiking is less pleasant then and harder to organise in practice; for a Mediterranean island walk in the winter months, look at hiking in Malta and Gozo instead.

The Zakynthos Trail can be booked roughly from April to the end of November. Current departure dates and availability are on the Zakynthos Trail product page. The best month for hiking on Zakynthos is May or October: pleasant walking weather and quiet paths.

The National Marine Park of Zakynthos has existed since 1999 and protects the Bay of Laganas, one of the most important nesting areas for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean. Besides the bay, Lake Keri and the Strofades islands are also protected by the park.

On days 2 and 3 of the Zakynthos Trail you walk along and above the Bay of Laganas, the heart of this protected area. That is what makes the trail special: you see the nesting beaches from above and understand why the marine park exists.

During the nesting season in the summer months, restrictions apply to visitors on the nesting beaches. Always keep your distance from nests and follow the signs and the park's instructions on site. The National Marine Park itself publishes the exact rules for each season and each beach; check that information before you walk the trail.

Apart from the turtles, the vegetation on Zakynthos consists largely of maquis (low, fragrant scrub), olive trees and cypresses. In spring Mediterranean flowers bloom along the paths, and above the hills in the west you will see birds of prey.

On the Zakynthos Trail you stay in hotels, guesthouses and guest accommodation with a private room and en-suite bathroom where possible. You spend the first and last nights in Zakynthos Town; the nights in between are in Laganas, Agalas and Alykanas. Breakfast is included where available; you sort out lunch and dinner yourself in the villages and resorts along the route.

You navigate with our app: route descriptions, hiking maps and GPS navigation, with maps that also work without mobile signal, plus the practical details of your trip.

Important to know in advance: there is no luggage transfer on this trip. You carry your own things all week. So pack light: a 30 to 40 litre rucksack is more than enough if you pack selectively. Not included in the price are flights or the ferry to and from the island, taxis and buses along the way, travel insurance and the tourist tax, which you usually pay in cash locally.

The Zakynthos Trail costs from 450 euros per person based on two travellers (as of October 2026; the current price and available dates are on the product page).

Helping you choose: Have you planned a base and want to add one or two active days to a beach or island holiday? Then individual day hikes are the logical choice. Skopos and Bochali combine well with a stay on the east coast; for Keri and Navagio you will need a hire car or taxi. Do you really want to get to know the island, from village to village, and deliberately walk four days in a row? Then the Zakynthos Trail is the right choice. There is no guide and no group; you walk at your own pace. The combination option works well if you have a day to spare after the trail and want to tick off Skopos or the Navagio viewpoint.

Want to hike more of Greece after Zakynthos? Our overview of hiking in Greece compares the Zakynthos Trail with the Crete Trail, the Corfu Trail, the Menalon Trail and the ascent of Mount Olympus, so you can choose what suits you best.