South of Kefalonia and connected to it by ferry, Zakinthos is a popular island. Along with gorgeous sandy beaches and an interesting capital, the island possesses one unique asset: it is the principal nesting site in the Mediterranean of the green loggerhead turtle.

The island's capital, Zakinthos town, was almost entirely wiped out in the earthquake of 1953 but has been tastefully rebuilt in a mostly successful attempt to recreate the original style. It has a very pretty waterfront, with lots of little fishing boats alongside the large inter-island ferries.

Behind the waterfront are some attractive shopping streets, colonnaded to provide protection from sun in summer and rain in winter. They show the influence of the Venetians. They built a city here that was even finer than Corfu town, until the faithful earthquake razed it to the ground.