the capital was rebuilt after the destructive earthquake in 1953. Its setting is superb,
on a bay facing Peloponnese, with the ancient acropolis hovering above,
with a fertile central plain, with the one side flanked by a wooden hillside and the
other by Mount Skopos.
Places of great interest include the Neo-Byzantine Museum (near the
town hall in Platia Solomou) with a splendid collection of Ionian art rescued from
churches, the church Kyra tou Angelou which was built in 1687 with icons
by Panagiotis Doxaras, the Faneromeni church (15th century),
the Solomos Museum with mementoes of the poets, the Venetian Fortress
with excellent views.
Zakynthos (Zante) Island or fiore di levante - the flower of the East
as it was called by the Venetians, is a fertile island with olive trees, vineyards
and a rainbow of flowers, and offers to the visitors an easy going pace of life,
vibrant night life coupled with small friendly resorts with excellent beaches. It is the perfect
playground for adults and children too.
Getting There
