Latest news with #Zante
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Ciara Kelly: As a veteran of Magaluf 2018 and Ios 2021, here are the three dangers I'll be warning my child about before this year's Leaving Cert holiday
We're in the eye of the storm in Leaving Cert terms. The hideous build up ended last Wednesday with English paper 1, and by Friday we'd hit a kind of rhythm that's actually preferable to the pre-exam limbo. In fact, for many this stress fest will be over in a few days. Which brings me to the real issue: the Leaving Cert is bad enough, but nothing compares to the dread of the Leaving Cert holiday. I'm a veteran at this stage, having survived Magaluf 2018 and Ios 2021. I should get a medal, or at the very least a wet T-shirt. Zante is our next roll of the 6th year holiday dice — and I hate it. I genuinely wonder why all of us parents pay for these holidays, when everyone I know is terrified. And not without good reason. Yes, the vast majority of kids will come home relatively unscathed, but sadly there's always tragic exceptions to that rule. So how can you minimise risks?
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Uncovering the best of the Greek islands
In this week's TravelSmart, the Greek islands are under the spotlight, from the pretty ports and fascinating history of Crete to Zante's hilltop towns, soaring mountains and exceptionally blue waters. Travel Correspondent Simon Calder shares some of the best bits of the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos, while The Independent's Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman reveals which spots will allow you to escape the tourist crowds for a more authentic experience, including Symi and Chalki. Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Why this infamous Greek party island is shedding its reputation and going upmarket
Shipwreck Beach on the island of Zante (also known as Zakynthos) is one of Greece 's most photographed spots, with the skeletal remains of a ship lying in the centre of its golden sands. We're whizzing towards the shore on a speedboat tour of the southernmost of the Ionian islands, to which Corfu and Kefalonia also belong. It's a beautiful location surrounded by high limestone cliffs that attracts thousands of holidaymakers, many taking day trips from the resort of Laganas with its bars and cheap hotels popular with young Britons. Yet there's another side to Zante that remains virtually untouched by tourism: a patchwork of olive groves and farms covering large parts of the island linked by quiet lanes and one-track roads. Devastated by an earthquake in 1953, many islanders left Zante - and much of the landscape has remained undiscovered ever since. But not Shipwreck Beach. It's become such a popular attraction you're no longer allowed to swim off the sands due to restrictions to control overtourism. Instead, on our early morning visit we escape before the main daily crowds arrive and head to a nearby beach for a dip in the aquamarine waters, and then cruise into the Blue Caves. Here we leap into the vivid, teal-coloured water, created by sunlight reflecting off the limestone walls, giggling at the sight of our legs and arms glowing Smurf-blue beneath the surface. Our watery tour is part of discovering the other side of Zante including a new wave of luxury hotels whose owners hope to change the island's reputation and encourage visitors to explore beyond the southern coast resorts. Our first base is the recently opened King Jason Zante, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort where the big draw is the Maldivian-style rooms, many with terraces that open straight onto the patchwork of pools that form a lattice down a hillside. It's blisteringly hot when we arrive, touching 40C, so the cool, modernist design - lots of pale grey concrete and glass walls - is welcome. The suites continue the Maldivian ethos, with the king-sized bed in the centre of the room, a retractable screen separating the open plan bathroom behind. It's a world away from the simplicity that lies outside. The next day we hire a car and follow the winding lanes into the island's quiet hinterland, stopping to drink thimbles of thick, bitter coffee on the ramshackle square in the quiet village of Keri. THE sun beats down as we wander along silent alleyways leading between one-storey whitewashed houses with faded blue doors and window shutters. Muted conversations float out from the darkness inside. 'This is what makes Zante special,' says Venia Xenou, whose family owns the Olea All Suite Hotel, which re-set the bar for luxury accommodation when it opened in 2018. 'Farming is still the most important economy here. Tourism is growing but the trick is to do it without disturbing the traditional way of life. We look at other islands, where overtourism is a problem, and think no, we don't want that here.' The Olea All Suite could have been the template for the King Jason, with the same arrangement of swimming pools and rooms opening directly onto the water. The vibe is slightly different, though. Guests are a little younger and there's more of a club, Ibiza-style feel, although the sandy-floored, open-sided Cocoon bar and restaurant (shoes definitely optional) is straight out of an Indian Ocean resort. The vibe is slightly different at the Olea All Suite, where guests are a little younger and there's more of a club feel The biggest treat is the Flow restaurant, set high on the hillside, where tables and a clutch of spherical basket chairs are positioned to make the most of the gorgeous view across the valley below. Dinner at Flow - succulent seabass fresh off the boat and flamegrilled lamb - is so lovely it seems impossible to better. Yet our final night at the Lesante Blu - a waterfront resort with a stretch of private beach - proves to be the most memorable of all. As the sun dips, a violinist steps on to the square of lawn between the restaurant tables and begins to play, accompanied by a background DJ. The sound is exquisite, the whole elegant experience the polar opposite of the hectic streets of Laganas. As the music emanates, I think of all the post A-level students on our flight, giddy with excitement for their first trip away. It makes me hope that rather than simply turning into a fully-blown 'party island' - or becoming a luxury retreat - Zante will adapt to accommodate both.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- The Guardian
Greek island of Zakynthos named most crowded resort in Europe
In Great Yarmouth there are some signs of regeneration: the vast glass palace of the Winter Gardens is being refurbished and the ornate Cafe 1903 next to the historic Hippodrome is busy. But the bustling tourist industry of the Edwardian era is long gone. 'When Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show came in 1903, the tent held 5,000,' says local historian Roger Silver. 'A couple of years earlier the Bass Brewery brought 10,000 workers on a day trip from Burton upon Trent. It took 16 trains.' Coincidentally, that is the same number of visitors who poured into the Italian mountain village of Roccaraso (population 1,500) in January, drawn by the presence of Tik Tok influencer Rita de Crescenzo. But the similarities end there. The Yarmouth invasion received no complaints, while the residents of Roccaraso reacted with horror. The mayor, Francesco Di Donato, threatened to call in the army. What was once a holiday crowd, it seems, is now overtourism. 'It has overwhelmed some of Europe's most popular destinations,' says Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, whose new report details the powerful pressure that visitors are having on destinations around the continent. The award for most tourist-crowded resort goes to the Greek island of Zante (Zakynthos) where overnight stays outnumber residents 150 to one. Elsewhere, Mallorca takes the prize for most overnight stays while Paris tops the tourist density index with a whopping 418,000 stays per sq km – vastly surpassing its nearest rival, Athens. 'It's clear that some feel a tipping point has been reached,' says Boland. 'The negative side of a booming tourist trade – whether that's increasing house prices, antisocial behaviour or pressure on local services – is outweighing the benefits.' The term 'overtourism' may be relatively new but, as Prof Richard Butler of the University of Strathclyde points out: 'Complaints about the impacts of crowds of tourists go back well over a century, certainly in the case of Venice at least.' For some destinations, he argues, the real issue is undesirable behaviour and nuisance. 'Long-established places like Blackpool, Las Vegas and Orlando do not appear to experience complaints of overtourism. They essentially grew up with tourism being the only game in town, and their growth and focus has always been on tourism.' The problem is in locations that are new to the experience, and for whatever reason cannot cope. Old cities such as Dubrovnik and Prague are suffering. But sometimes, Butler argues, the wounds can be self-inflicted. 'Barcelona is one of the major sites of overtourism complaints to the media,' he says. 'But it deliberately focused on tourism as a source of redevelopment, kicking off with the 1992 Olympic Games.' Marketing campaigns can be slow to adjust. The second most crowded tourist resort in Europe, according to the Which? report, is Istria in Croatia, still regularly referred to as the country's 'best-kept secret'. Which? suggestions of how best to avoid the crowds focus largely on eastern European destinations that get few visitors: Rybnik in Poland, Severoistočen in North Macedonia and parts of Romania. Mircea Crisbășanu, who operates biking tours in Romania, says the south is very quiet. 'Some villages have beautiful traditional architecture and the people are very friendly.' The least visited option in all of Europe, with zero visitors, is the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen. Being well inside the Arctic Circle and with special permission required to visit, it remains an unlikely holiday destination. Back in Great Yarmouth, Roger Silver is standing on the Haven Bridge looking down quaysides that once hummed with activity. 'We would love more cruise ships,' he says, a little wistfully. Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Highest tourist pressure (tourists per 1,000 residents) Zante (Zakynthos), Greece: 149,887 Istria county, Croatia: 133,467 Fuerteventura, Canary Islands: 118,720 Lowest tourist pressure (tourists per 1,000 residents)Targovishte, Bulgaria: 332 Rybnik, Poland: 351 Benevento, Italy: 398 Highest number of tourists per sq km Paris: 418,280 Central Athens: 88,535 Copenhagen: 63,944 Lowest number of tourists per sq kmJan Mayen, Norway: 0 Teleorman, Romania: 1.21 Svalbard, Norway: 2.4 Most overnight stays Mallorca: 51,193,029 Paris: 43,919,010 Rome: 41,135,744 Least overnight stays Jan Mayen: 0 Teleorman: 6,983 Zasavska, Slovenia: 22,990
The Sun
09-05-2025
- The Sun
Ten best places in Europe to escape overtourism this summer from Estonia seaside resorts to Italian cities
SICK of the busy crowds, bumping shoulders with strangers and fighting for the best selfie spot? Well, no more. Which? has discovered the most overpopulated tourist destinations around in Europe, and the least busy ones where we should be exploring instead. 5 5 Certain destinations across Europe are constantly busy, like Zante Paris and Majorca. Which? analysed European Commission (EC) tourism numbers from the most recent data and found where holidaymakers might avoid due to overcrowding and where to go instead. The research found that the island of Zante is most affected by overtourism. Around 40,000 people live there, but the island had a whopping six million overnight stays in 2023. Along the south coast of Zante was 150 overnight stays for every person who lives there. Another incredibly popular holiday destination is Istria in Croatia. It's often described as the country's 'best-kept secret' - but in fact Istria was only second to Zante when it comes to being overcrowded. It has 133 overnight tourist stays for each resident. Meanwhile, Majorca is the most visited place in Europe by holidaymakers. It had over 51 million stays in 2023 which is massive considering the population is 966,000. Paris has a population 2.1 million and in 2023 had around 44 million overnight stays. This French hotel has a 'Bali' style water park and petting farm For anyone who would rather avoid tourists altogether Which? discovered the least visited destinations. At the very bottom of the list of overcrowded European cities was Teleorman in Romania. The county is on the border with Bulgaria and the capital city is Alexandria. You can explore historical sites like the Teleorman County Museum, St. Alexander Cathedral, and the Church of the Holy Apostles. There's also outdoor activities at Parc Pădurea Vedea and relax by the Teleorman River. Teleorman recorded just 20 overnight stays per 1,000 residents in 2023. 5 5 Other destinations that aren't holiday hotspots, yet, are Rybnicki in Poland, Targovishte, Bulgaria, and Soignies, a municipality in Belgium. For a quiet seaside holiday, Which? suggests heading to Haapsalu in Estonia. The seaside resort has around 120 overnight stays by tourists per square km. Visitors can explore Haapsalu Castle and stroll the scenic promenade. For anyone still wanting to explore Italy but doesn't want to see the busy cities of Rome and Milan, the city of Benevento is one of the quietest. You can still see historic monuments like the Roman Theatre, Arch of Trajan and enjoy authentic Italian food. Ten highest: Zakynthos (149,886.95) Istarska Zupanija (Istria in Croatia) (133,466.93) Fuerteventura (118,720.31) Lanzarote (117,785.17) Dodecanese Islands - Kalymnos, Karpathos – Iroiki Nisos Kasos, Kos, Rodos (113,790.45) Tiroler Oberland, Austria (112,716.37) Pinzgau-Pongau, Austria (Salzburg Alps) (109,009.7) Cyclade Island group- Andros, Thira, Kea, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Tinos (104,152.63) Kerkyra, Corfu (100,079.59) Außerfern, Austria (97,299.12) Ten of the lowest: Benevento (398.17) Rybnicki, Poland (351.1) Targovishte, Bulgaria (332.15) Arr. Soignies, Belgium (284.11) Podunavska oblast, Serbia (277.83) Severoistočen, North Macedonia (177.84) Olt, South West Romania (148.3) Călăraşi, South East Romania (123.97) Dytikos Tomeas Athinon, region near Athens (64.13) Teleorman, Romania (21.54) Tourists per square km (highest) Paris (418,280.1) Central Athens (88,534.92) Copenhagen (63,943.88) Tourists per square km (Lowest) Svalbard, Norway (2.4) Teleorman, Romania (1.21) Jan Mayen, Norwegian volcanic island (0) Most overnight stays (highest) Mallorca (51,193,029) Paris (43,919.010) Rome (41,135,744) Overnight stays (Lowest) Zasavska, Slovenia (22,990) Teleorman, Romania (6,983) Jan Mayen (uninhabited Norwegian island) (0) Here's another destination where a Sun Travel writer found they were the only tourist. And the Spanish city rarely visited by Brits named top destination this year with new train routes. 5
