Askos on Zakynthos: Chapel and Island Culture

Askos is in the north of Zakynthos. The village of Askos is home to a chapel dedicated to Saint Gerasimos. The region also offers a wide range of attractions, from historical collections and buildings to protected areas, coastal locations and a ferry connection.

Religious Heritage and Nature in Northern Zakynthos

The chapel in Askos is dedicated to Saint Gerasimos. Another feature of northern Zakynthos is Askos Stone Park. Around 170,000 naturally seeded plants grow there, including shrubs and trees; hundreds of animals also live in their natural habitats. The park also contains old stone structures, including stables and water cisterns carved into the rock many centuries ago. Plant and animal habitats thus coexist with traces of traditional stone construction. The contrast between the living elements of the landscape and the cisterns carved into the rock makes the park’s different aspects particularly vivid.

Museums and History on Zakynthos

The museums on Zakynthos each focus on different aspects of cultural history. 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, the mausoleum at the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. Thus, artworks spanning several centuries are presented alongside a memorial dedicated to the two poets.

Another historical attraction is the Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna in Volimes, founded in 1535. Together with the museum collections, it offers another perspective on Zakynthos’ cultural history: here, art movements and icons; there, a monastery with a specific founding year. This offers a distinction to consider when planning according to your interests: art-historical collections versus a historic religious building.

Protected Areas, Coastline and Views

The natural attractions on Zakynthos also differ considerably. Lake Keri is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the Zakynthos National Marine Park. Here, the focus is on conservation status. The Blue Caves offer a different geographical landmark: they are located in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Keri Lighthouse, meanwhile, is known for its panoramic sunset views over the Ionian Sea and the rocks of Myzithres. The region thus encompasses protected areas, coastal formations and a viewpoint with a named landmark in view.

Volimes: Ferry Connection and Ladotyri

In Volimes, the port of Agios Nikolaos connects Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry and serves as a seaport access point. If this connection is important for your plans, check the current timetable. Zakynthian ladotyri is also part of Volimes’ local identity: the cheese is made in dairies and home workshops and sold as a local product. Individual producers may change. The ferry connection and cheese-making represent different aspects of the place: a link to another island and a locally made food product.

Discover more destinations: Agios Leon, Laganas, Zakynthos Town, Kallithea, Kalamaki, Korithi, Skinaria, Zakynthos.

For the main travel overview: Zakynthos.