Estrella

Just 1km to the south is the historic village of Exo Chora, whose 16th-century houses, 17th-century church and 2,000-year-old olive tree survived the earthquake of 1953 relatively unscathed (a rarity on Zakynthos). Easily walkable, it is home to a coffee house with minimarket and a farm shop with a café.

A few kilometres to the north, meanwhile, is the sleepy village of Maries, which has a mini-market and a couple of tavernas.

The dramatic cliffs of Zakynthos's west coast hide a few excellent swimming spots, with the closest to Estrella being the twin beaches of Porto Vromi, about 25 minutes' drive away to the north. The rocky inlets and electric blues waters of Porto Limnionas and Porto Roxa are a similar distance away to the south.

Zakynthos's most popular, most spectacular and most photographed beach is Navagio, located in the northwest of the island. Taking its name from the shipwreck that has lain on its sand since the early 1980s, the bay is surrounded on three sides by spectacular tree-topped white cliffs and is only accessible by boat. This sublime setting and the bay's transparent powder blue waters attract the crowds in high summer, but it's most certainly a sight to behold, both from the viewing point above and from the water below.

For nature lovers, a trip to the National Marine Park of Zakynthos on the south coast is a must. Here the limpid waters of the Ionian Sea wrap around the idyllic islet of Marathonissi and lap Laganas's 6km-long stretch of sandy beach, where sea turtles come to lay their eggs.

At just over 30km long and 20km wide, Zakynthos, also known as Zante, is easily discoverable in a week and you're never more than an hour's drive from most places of interest. The island's mountainous and verdant hinterland is peppered with villages and vineyards is a joy to explore. The east coast is home to a series of idyllic bays and, especially around the southeastern tip of the island, long sandy beaches.

Finally, just 45 minutes away from Estrella is the capital of Zakynthos, Chora (or Zakynthos Town), which is well worth a visit. A few of its historic Venetian buildings remain, there are some interesting museums and galleries, and its streets and squares are flanked by a summery buzz of bars, cafés and tavernas.