Zákynthos – City History, Museums and Churches

If you’re looking for a hotel in Zákynthos, you can also get a sense of the city through its cultural highlights. Arcades, churches, collections and local celebrations offer different points of interest: from the architecture of old Zakynthos to traces of several centuries of history, as well as musical events at the harbor and in the streets. This can help you decide which themes you’d like to shape your stay before you start looking.

Arcades and the architecture of old Zakynthos

The broad arcades along the central streets of Rouga and Strata Marina are a surviving feature of the architecture of old Zakynthos, which was destroyed in 1953. The two street names and this architectural detail give that historical connection a tangible place in today’s cityscape. For a cultural overview, it is not only the history itself that matters, but also the surviving architectural feature that gives it a concrete point of reference.

Museums, libraries and collections

The Roma House Museum on the waterfront houses mementos from the 15th to the 20th century, directly connected with the modern history of Greece. It also has a library with more than 10,000 rare editions, manuscripts, maps and prints. Together, the mementos and library holdings offer different ways to explore history: through personal belongings as well as written and visual materials.

The Public Library of Zakynthos is located in the cultural center at Solomos Square in the city center. Its holdings include valuable books, newspapers and printed materials dating from before the earthquake. Its focus on older printed works complements the varied collections of the Roma House Museum with another perspective on written records.

The Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians at Agios Markos Square in the city center houses the tombs of Solomos and Kalvos, manuscripts by the national poet, and personal belongings of prominent Zakynthians, including Xenopoulos and Romas. The Museum of Zakynthos has a different focus: it displays religious icons of the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism from the 15th to the 19th century. Literary and personal records, on the one hand, and religious images and art, on the other, are thus presented as distinct collection highlights.

Churches and historical landmarks

The Church of Agios Nikolaos tou Molou was founded in 1561 by the guild of sailors. The church and its bell tower were restored to their pre-earthquake appearance. The Catholic Church of Agios Markos was founded in 1518 and retains its pre-earthquake appearance on the outside. These two churches are notable both for their different founding dates and for their preserved exterior appearance.

Celebrations and the wider destination of Zakynthos

Festivals, musical events and local celebrations take place in Zakynthos Town at the harbor and in the narrow streets. If you’d like to plan a trip around a celebration, check the specific event date in advance.

In the wider destination of Zakynthos, nature and scenery complement the city’s cultural attractions. The Blue Caves are in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Keri Lake is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. The Keri Lighthouse is known for its panoramic sunset views over the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rocks.

Places and products in Volimes are also part of this wider destination. The Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna was founded there in 1535. The harbor of Agios Nikolaos in Volimes is a seaport access point and connects Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry; check the schedule before your trip. Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese is also made in Volimes in dairies and home workshops and offered as a local product. These examples offer a different focus from the city’s museums and historic churches: nature, harbor connections, religious heritage and local production.

When choosing a hotel, this distinction can help you decide whether to focus mainly on the city’s history and collections or also take into account the wider destination. If a celebration or the ferry connection is important to your plans, check the specific event dates or ferry schedule in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vasilikos, Askos, Agios Leon, Alikanás, Romiri, Kallithea, Kampíon, Kipseli.

Back to the main travel overview: Zakynthos.