Roc a Mar

A 10-minute walk down from Roc a Mar will take you to a couple of lovely beaches (Climati and Agriosycia) and to a few seafront tavernas along the coastal path. Please note though that it is quite steep climb back and that the roads are without pavement. There are many more beaches within a few minutes drive, including those at Makris Gialos and Xigia.

Less than 4km up the coast is the little harbour village of Agios Nikolaos, which, while small, offers most of what you will need on a day-to-day basis, including a minimarket and boat rental.

A quick boat ride up the coast from Agios Nikolaos are the Blue Caves, a series of sea grottoes that are particularly well worth exploring in the morning, when the eastern sun illuminates them with the sapphire colours of the sea. It's also a great spot for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Heading west across the island, you will soon come to Zakynthos's most popular, most spectacular and most photographed beach: Navagio. Taking its name from the shipwreck that has lain on its sand since the early 1980s, the sandy 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, electric blue waters attract the crowds in high summer, but it's most certainly a sight to behold, both from above and below.

In terms of villages and towns in the area, the unspoilt twin villages of Volimes (upper and lower) have some interesting buildings, including traditional stone-built houses, a windmill, a couple of churches and a 400-year-old monastery. There are also a few eateries, should you get peckish while exploring.

Slightly further afield, though still just a 35-minute drive down the coast, is the capital of Zakynthos, Chora (or Zakynthos Town). A few fascinating Venetian buildings survive from its heyday, and its museums and galleries, vibrant summery atmosphere, and host of bars, cafés and tavernas make it an attractive proposition for a day out.