Alikanás: Beach, small fishing harbor, and older coastline

Understanding Alikanás and Alykes along the beach

Alikanás is considered an extension of Alykes. When walking along the beach that connects the two settlements, it is difficult to tell them apart. Alikanás Beach also continues Alykes Beach. This connection is important for finding your way around the area: the names alone do not mark clearly separate stretches of beach here. The specific differences along the coast therefore provide a better point of reference when getting to know Alikanás.

The beach and the older coastline

Alikanás Beach ends at a small harbor for fishing boats; its final section is considerably deeper. The harbor and the deeper section are two specific points of reference along the beach, giving a more precise picture of the coastline than a general description of the shore.

The older beach of Alikanás lies farther south along the coast and outside Alykes Bay. It is smaller than the better-known beach of Alikanás and has clear water and fine sand. In a direct comparison, the two stretches first differ in location: the better-known beach continues Alykes Beach, while the older one lies farther south, outside the bay. They also differ in the older beach’s smaller size and the characteristics of its water and sand. When weighing up the beach areas for your stay, you can consider their location, size, and respective coastal features rather than treating the two stretches as the same.

Beach activities and destinations on Zakynthos

Possible activities at Alikanás Beach include boat trips to the Blue Caves and water sports. Check in advance which activities are available during your trip. The Blue Caves are part of the wider destination of Zakynthos, in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. This activity therefore broadens your view from the beach in Alikanás to another destination on Zakynthos.

Culture, nature, and local interests

The wider destination of Zakynthos offers both nature-related and art and history attractions. The Museum of Zakynthos displays works from the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons, and works of Ionian Naturalism dating from the 15th to the 19th century. On the ground floor of the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians, a mausoleum has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. The museums focus on different things: one presents art movements spanning several centuries, while the other preserves the memory of two poets. Lake Keri offers another regional perspective on Zakynthos. It is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura area, and a nature reserve within the Zakynthos Marine Park.

Volimes is also part of the wider destination of Zakynthos. The Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna was founded there in 1535. Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese is made in dairies and home workshops in Volimes and sold as a local product. These regional attractions complement Alikanás’s coastal features with history, art, nature, and a local product. When choosing your destination, you can consider which of these interests matter for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Agios Kirikos, Bochali, Agios Leon, Anafonitria, Kampíon, Kalamaki, Kipseli, Lithakia

For the wider travel guide: Zakynthos.