ynthos is one of the most beautiful Ionian Islands lies to the west and it boasts being a superb sailing destination. It's one of the largest and lushest islands steeped in myths, legends and history with fossils having been found on the island that date back to the Palaeolithic period. There’s a lot to explore around the coastline and inland when sailing through these glorious azure waters on a yacht charter in Greece.
Planning a sailing holiday in the Ionian Islands means spending quality time in an exceptionally beautiful part of the world and with a choice of bareboat yacht charter or skippered boats if you prefer, Zakynthos is an ideal place to start an adventure if you want to explore the gorgeous Peloponnesian Peninsula and the beautiful Aegean Sea. The sea breezes are typically gentle although it can pick up in the afternoons sometimes reaching gale force especially at the beginning of the year during the months of February and March.
The Superb Giostra di Zante
Before setting off, however, there's a lot to explore inland and if you plan a holiday when the Giostra di Zante is taking place, you're in for a thoroughly enjoyable experience from the moment you arrive in the lovely town of Zante. But the festivities are not just restricted to the capital because it's an island affair which sees a carnival atmosphere being enjoyed wherever you happen to be during the two weeks the event takes place.
Today, the Giostra di Zante sees the entire island come to life with dancers, theatrical performances, gorgeously clad men on horseback and colourful parades taking place all over the island. Visitors from far afield travel to Zakynthos to take part in a carnival that dates back to Venetian times and the influence is still very obvious in today's festivities with people wearing fabulous masks and costumes to match. It's an event that's steeped in tradition and which was only recently revived. Every year the crowds drawn to the island grow larger and larger, showing just how popular this festival is today as it was back when the Venetians ruled the island.
There are many highlights to the carnival which keeps everyone who attends totally captivated and enthralled, but the best has to be when knights on horseback do combat to win the day before parading his “lady” on horseback with him. It’s a brilliant event to watch and which allows visitors to the island to witness and be part of the wonderfully colourful history of Zakynthos.
Exploring Inland
Other things definitely worth taking the time to visit when ashore in Zakynthos are the Mycenaean tombs which are carved out of solid rock on a superb hillside that overlooks a lush and fertile valley. Sailing the dramatic coastline where limestone cliffs drop down to beautiful clear wate ocers and along to stunning sandy beaches is a real pleasure and if you are a windsurfer, the seas along the beaches of Tsilivi and Planos offers some of the best in the region, especially in the late afternoons when the breezes tend to pick up.
If you’re looking for a sailing holiday with a difference, opting to charter a skippered yacht charter in Greece to cruise the beautiful waters of the Ionian Sea sees you spending quality time in an area of the world that boasts outstanding natural beauty paired to a welcoming atmosphere that’s so typical of the Greek islands which all adds up to a dream vacation in paradise.
