Back to Zakynthos after 3 years

Hello Greece lovers. Today I will let you know about my latest boat trip to Zakynthos. It took place last October and it was my second time travelling from Kefalonia to Zante after my trip in 2013.
This time I got the chance to join a group of polish tourists from the hotel I was working in and also others from different hotels.

5:30 o'clock in the morning and we are ready to go. The bus is quite small but it takes us fast enough from Kounopetra to Lixouri and we have enough time to grab a coffee while waiting for the ferry.
I'm still half asleep. At 6:30 we are arriving to Argostoli and I am starting slowly to wake up just in time to capture couple of shots of the sun rising behind the hills.

The road to Skala takes almost an hour and the sky is cloudy. As we reach Skala the sun is up. Another coffee and we embark on the "Hermes" boat along other tourists, mainly english.
We leave Kefalonia behind and I get the chance to ride beside the captain. There are 4 of us here: the captain, myself, the polish guide and the english guide who will turn out to be a funny little man. He will make the ride enjoyable despite of the waves that keep on crushing the boat over and over again making some of the tourists feel dizzy.

Zakynthos awaits us with its rough coastline. The sun is fighting to warm the Earth between the moody clouds. I am enthusiast to be again on the Shipwreck beach after 3 years.

Around 9 o'clock we arrive on the beach which is empty. Just a couple of adrenaline junkies jump with the parachutes from the upper edge of the bay landing near the shipwreck.

We spend one hour taking photos and enjoying the view. Too bad most of the time it's cloudy but when the sun hits the surface of the water there is an enourmous pleasure to get lost in its tourquoise colour.

Off we go to the blue caves and its surroundings. The english guide is telling us about the places, the old monasteries and different cliffs with strange forms. People are exciting taking photos and discussing about different trips to Zakynthos and other greek islands.

The weather overall is not favorable for a swim even though we see some other people from smaller boats jumping in the water near the blue caves.
I remember 3 years ago when I was there with my colleagues in August and we enjoyed exploring the caves swimming.

The next stop is Vassiliki harbour where we have a delicious lunch: grilled calamari, greek salad and a cold Mythos beer. I went and bought couple of souvenirs from the shops nearby. The harbour seems a little deserted, probably because the end of the season is here.
On the way back the english tour guide invites the more courageous tourists to enact the favourite Titanic scene when Jack and Rose are on the edge of the boat with their arms wide open.

It's around 2pm when we reach Skala. I am thankful to the captain for the whole experience.
We leave Skala behind. On the road back we feel the humidity rising. The sky is covered with clouds. We arrive at the hotel around 5pm , ready for a refreshing shower, cocktails and dinner.

In conclusion it wasn't the worst experience but I personally wouldn't recommend it. I still believe the best way to explore a place is by yourself in a car. If you have the chance take a smaller boat to Shipwreck beach so on the way back you can have the opportunity to explore the blue caves ans swim there. That's why I invite you to discover more about my previous trip to Zante in 2013 HERE and HERE.
 
Have you been to Zakynthos until now?! Which places on the island are your favourites? What about Kefalonia? HERE are 10 reasons why I think you should visit this amazing island!!

Until next time! Keep on travelling!

Have a great day

Beldi

Cronicile Kefaloniene - ep.9: Excursia in Zakynthos(II)

     Bine v-am regasit! Dupa cum sper ca ati aflat din capitolul anterior incursiunea pe insula Zakynthos continua. Dupa ce am ramas profund impresionati de panorama plajei Naufragiatului si ne-am aventurat prin Pesterile Albastre, seara ne gaseste in orasul Zante. Forfota mare pe strazi in asteptarea paradei organizate cu ocazie celebrarii Sfantului Dionysos, ocrotitorul insulei.

     Toti cu mic cu mare, batrani si tineri, femei si barbati, pe strazi sau la balcoane sarbatoresc. In fata unei biserici alai mare de preoti care escorteaza o caseta de sticla in care sunt asezate osemintele Sfantului. La iesirea acestora din lacasul sfant, undeva in port artificiile tasnesc catre cer de la bordul unei barci. Apoi precesiunea se scurge pe strazile orasului. Vine fanfara urmata de copii si apoi preoti si oameni varstnici, cu totii canta. Pe strazi sunt insirate ramuri de maslin si flori.

      Dupa ce urmarim parada, ne indreptam catre faleza. Toti grecii au iesit la plimbare cu familiile, restaurantele si terasele sunt pline ochi. O ambarcatiune care aduce cu cea din "Piratii din Caraibe" isi primeste calatorii la bord pentru a naviga in timpul noptii catre plaja Naufragiatului. Personalul este imbarcat in haine de pirat, frumoasa idee. Ne continuam promenada catre o piata langa apa unde de-o parte se afla hoteluri moderne iar de cealalta palmieri si o biserica veche.

      Seara se lasa treptat. Nu putem sa rezistam mult timp tentatiei de a cumpara inca o pyta gyros. Dupa o zi plina ne retragem la o cafenea linistita. Nu suntem decat noi si inca o familie la masa alaturata. O prajitura cu ciocolata si liniste , asta e tot ce imi doresc. Insula e foarte intunecata noaptea. Nu exista stalpi de iluminat decat in localitatile principale iar drumurile pot deveni periculoase. Ne intoarcem in Laganas cu gandul ca vom trece si printr-un club, doua insa oboseala acumulata peste zi isi spune cuvantul. In plus strazile sunt pline de liceeni englezi teribilisti iar la intrarea unui club tocmai sosesc pompierii sa stinga un mic incendiu iscat. Ne retragem la hotel unde adorm fara a baga de seama harmalaia de pe strazi.

     Dimineata luam micul dejun si pornim la drum. Trebuie sa prindem feribotul de la ora 9. Lasam Zakynthosul in urma noastra cu promisiunea de a reveni, data viitoare pentru o sedere prelungita. Ajunsi inapoi in Kefalonia, pornim catre pestera Drogarati. Nu atat de spectaculoasa ca Melissani insa diferita, Drogarati se afla in apropierea acesteia, o pestera plina cu stalactite si stalagmite. Temperatura scade cu peste 15 grade odata ce coboram. Suntem norocosi caci nu prindem un numar mare de turisti inauntru cu toate ca este weekend. Ne plimbam in voie pe aleile special amenajate.

     La iesire, un pui de pisica ne astepta speriat. A urmat o sesiune de relaxare la terasa de peste drum de pestera unde exista o piscina, un restaurant si un magazin de suveniruri. Pe drumul de intoarcere ne delectam privirile cu panorama portului Argostoli si a imprejurimilor. Ajunsi in port decidem sa vizitam mausoleum pe care pana atunci il zarisem mereu doar de pe feribot in drumul catre Lixouri.

  

  

  

       In plimbarea noastra trecem si pe la un monument ridicat in cinstea soldatilor italieni cazuti in cel de-al doilea razboi mondial. La intoarcere zabovim la o taverna asezata langa malul marii, in apropierea mausoleumului, si savuram salata greceasca, calamari si caracatita prajita. Suntem plini de energie si gata sa ne intoarcem la hotel unde ne asteapta o seara mare: e timpul pentru "Dance Show". Echipa de animatie este pregatita sa treaca cu brio de aceasta seara in pasi de dans.

     In concluzie am avut parte de doua zile minunate in Zakynthos si Kefalonia. Pentru toti cei pasionati de Grecia, mare, soare si aventura, va recomand calduros sa faceti un tur al Lefkadei, Kefaloniei si Zakynthosului. Sunt atatea locuri frumoase si multe dintre ele deloc promovate, salbatice, insa care va vor opri rasuflarea.
     In episodul urmator va voi povesti despre o alta calatorie cu peripetii in Kefalonia si anume din Kounopetra pana in Skala si inapoi.

Va urma.
B.

P.S.: In jurul Kefaloniei gasesti plaje superbe si sate pitoresti, mai multe detalii AICI! Chiar daca pe insula nu exista transport in comun si in cazul in care bugetul e restrans, nu-ti face griji, intotdeauna exista cineva sa-ti intinda o mana de ajutor. Citeste AICI despre cum am ajuns din Kounopetra in Lefkada si inapoi cu autostopul.