Flower of the Orient to the Venetians, Zakynthos to the Greeks or Zante in English; whatever you call it, it is the most southerly of the Ionian Islands. Distinguished by its natural beauty and rich cultural tapestry, Zante ascends to mountainous peninsulas, grows lush pine forests and olive trees, and curves into sandy coastlines and dizzying limestone cliffs.
Zakynthos Town is known as the Venice of the south. Its infrastructure was devastated in an earthquake which shook Zante and its inhabitants to the core in 1953. Due to diligent rebuilding, most of its architecture and archives were preserved. An enduring cultural hub, the town forms a treasure trove of the Roman, Byzantine and Venetian periods. The Museum of Byzantine Art holds religious artefacts and relics of the island from before the earthquake hit. To the south of the town is the Church of St Dionysios, home to a si
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