Zakynthos (or Zante) is one of the seven islands of the Ionian sea, the natural border between Greece and Italy. The island has got a contradictory landscape which makes it special. The western part of the island is rough with rocks and sea caves across its coastline, while the rest of the island is full of sandy beaches. What is special about the island is its reach flora and natural beauty, no wonder why it was called as the “fiore di levante” (flower of the East) from all the western civilizations, during the ancient times and the middle ages. Zakynthos has the unique privilege of being the home of the sea turtle Careta-Careta, this rare turtle species, which actually reproduces at some of the beaches of the island and this is one of the reasons why the authorities have forbidden heavy constructions on the island, including big hotels that could ruin the reproduction of Careta-Careta and the nature of the island in general. Of course the island doesn’t lack in facilities but the existing ones are in complete harmony with the environment. Zakynthos has a history of thousands of years. During the Trojan war it was on the side of Ithaca, after the Trojan war it gained its independence from Ithaca and democracy flourished on the island for over six hundred years. The island was taken over by the Macedonians of Alexander the great and later by the Romans. During the Byzantine years the island suffered from the attacks of pirates. Then the island as well as the rest of the Eptanisa complex was ruled by the Venetians. This is the reason why it was never taken over by the Turks like the rest of Greece and therefore why Zakynthos and the rest of the Eptanisa have a unique architectural style, not met in any other part of Greece. The ruling of the Venetians brought trouble to island as it divided people in citizens and common people, giving noble rights on the class of citizens over the class of the common people. The problem was not solved neither with the arrival of the democratic French on the island nor with the English. The problem came to end with the union of Zakynthos with the rest of the free Greece in 1864. The town of the island is called Zakynthos as the island, but it is also called Chora as every capital village of the Greek islands. The town was ruined by an earthquake in 1953 and it was practically rebuilt. The natural borders of the town are the Solomou square at the north and the church of Saint Dhionysios at the south. One of the places worth visiting, is the museum of Dhionysios Solomos, a museum dedicated to the greatest Greek poet of modern Greece, sowing his work and the work of other famous Greek poets coming from Zakynthos such as Andreas Calvos. Another great museum is the museum of Grigorios Xenopoulos, a famous Zakynthian writer. The museum’s collection includes books of the writer, photos and some of the furniture of his own home. Last but not least the Byzantine museum with important art works of the Ionian school, an art movement initiated at the island. The town is full of life day and night, with modern cafes and bars, so it is the place for the ones who want to make something out of their nights. The island has got many sandy beaches. Some can only be accessed by boat which is no problem as there are plenty of cruising boats that operate daily cruises to various destinations. Starting from Laganas beach which is the largest of the island, visitors can discover many beaches such as Yerakas, Argasi, Porto Zoro, Vassilikos and Alykes. Zakynthos with it’s culture and a history of centuries, the island of Apollo the ancient god of music and the unique temperament of its habitants will fascinate every visitor. This unique island of the Ionian sea reach in natural beauty, full of sandy beaches will make vacation a unique privilege and an unforgettable memory. 
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