Laganas, Zante - Resort Travel Guide
Laganas is a large lively resort on the south coast of the Greek island of Zante (Zakynthos). It is the largest resort on the island and is particularly popular with the 18-30 year olds who flock here for the great nightlife and beautiful sandy beaches.
The resort has hundreds of nightclubs and bars, hotels and apartments, shops and plenty of restaurants serving all kinds of cusine, including Chinese, Indian and Italian food.
Laganas Bay is a narrow beach, about 3 miles long and is part of the Greek National Marine Park. Watersports are not allowed here as loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta-Caretta) use the bay for nesting. The turtles visit the protected beach to lay their eggs in June, July and August.
Opposite the beach there is the islet of Agios Sostis which is covered in pine trees and reached by a wooden bridge from Laganas. There are also two other islets, Pelouso and Marathonissi.
About a 7 mile drive from Laganas is the deserted village of Agalas where you can visit the Cave of Damianos which has very impressive stalagmites and stalagtites.
Climate
Laganas has a typically Mediterranean climate. Average temperatures in the summer reach 30C with 12-13 hours of sunshine a day. The summers are very dry with hardly any rainfall with temperatures often reaching 31C in July and August.
If you are looking for beautiful beaches and plenty of nightlife why not book one of the many package holidays to Zante that are on offer.
With hundreds of cheap holidays available to this wonderful Greek island, you will be spoilt for choice.
Zante, A Best Ionian Holiday Abroad
Zakynthos or Zante is an Island located in the Ionian sea off the western coast of Greece. Zakynthos, as the local people call it, is one of the biggest Ionian Islands. The Island provides a marvelous climate all year and is enclosed by warm waters and picture perfect Beaches. If you are planning a holiday here it's suggested you travel between April and October when the weather here is at its best.
The great way to travel to Zakynthos is by ferry or plane. Ferries set down in the Island's Capital City of Zante town and its seaport called Agios Nikolaos. Cheap flights are present from the Greek capital of Athens, and as well most major Airports in the UK. From the Airport you can get a take the bus or a taxi to your Hotel. To determine the cheapest holidays to Zante from your Country of origin call your travel agent or browse the Internet for Greek specialist tour jockeys. This postal card perfect Island provides a form of pristine Beaches, entertainment and activities for families as well as an enjoyable nightlife.
Families can enjoy a safe and delightful holiday at some of the Zakynthos's child-friendly Resorts, while singles and couples can enjoy the excitement and adventure of Zante's large selection of clubs and pubs. Zante is a best destination for Europeans and anybody traveling to Greece. The Island provides a fantabulous selection of inns, resorts and cheap Hotels for visitants. Areas which are most popular with travelers include resorts in Kalamaki, Keri and Argassi. Tourists will as well ascertain that in terms of figuring, as compared to other Islands in Greece, Zakynthos provides quality food, entertainment and accommodations perfect for a cheap holiday abroad.
What builds Zante different from several other Greek Islands is the Venetian architecture; the constructions of Zante are traditional Venetian in Architectural design, giving Zakynthos a discrete marriage of Greek and European architecture and adding to its charm. The Venetians brought in its abundant and famous olive trees.
One another, charm on the island is the religion. Greek Orthodoxy is the main religion on Zakynthos, and the Island's feared monasteries are a key attractor. A large amount of Greek Islands are popular for their local spiritual festivals and in Zante the Holiday of saint Dionysios is the very well known.
For tourists, who are looking for a bionomical adventure, divers can search the underwater marine attractions that the Island has to go through its many cave dives and the broad range of marine life environing the Island. Snorkelers can as well enjoy Zante's marine life that includes monk seals, moray eels and loggerhead turtles. Zakynthos provides are variety of attractions for couples, families and singles.
Tips For a Sailing Holiday - Ionian Islands in Greece
Sailing in Greece is perfect when you are in the Ionian Islands. Ionian Islands is a group of islands located in the western portion of Greece. It is perfectly situated along the Ionian Sea on the coasts of Peloponnesus and Epirus. Its major islands are Paxos, Cythera, Ithaca, Lefkas, Zacynthus, Cephalonia, and Corfu.
The islands first inhabitants were the Ancient Greeks. They first arrived to the islands probably near the beginning of the 9th or 10th century BC. However, it was later ruled by other western civilizations. Among them are the Roman (146 BC), Byzantium (300 AD), and the Venetian Empires (1204 AD). Subsequently, before it was acquired by Greece in 1864 and claimed the island as part of the country's official territory, the island was earlier yielded to other countries. These include France (1807), Russia (1799), Turkey (1799), and the United Kingdom (1815).
Ionian Islands is also known as Eptanisa or the Seven Islands because of its 7 main islands. Because of its mild climate and nice ports, it became one of Greece's most visited yacht charter areas along the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
When you are sailing in Greece, it is very common to sight gulet motorsailers, yachts, flotillas, and bareboats. If you are taking your holiday vacation with your kids or the whole family, sailing in Ionian Islands is ideal for you. This is because the islands has calm seas and gentle winds.
Travelers who are not skilled in sailing can also take advantage of the islands perfect climate.
Sailing in Greece through the Ionian Islands is an ideal holiday vacation. The islands has several harbors and docks that can be used as a charter base. Preveza, Corfu, and Lefkas are Ionian Islands 3 yacht charter bases. From these 3 ports, the most visited and admired is the Lefkas harbor. Lefkas is characterized by its apt Mediterranean climate and interesting trekked mountains. Furthermore, its beaches have golden sand and full-size waves. Lefkas' most beautiful beaches include Perigiali, Nikiana, and Nidri.
On the other hand, some sailing tourists favor the Preveza port. It is located along the Amvrakia Gulf. The port is distinguished by its sturdy crosscurrent.
Sailing in Greece has never been this exciting. Aside from enjoying Ionian Islands scenic environment, you can also take pleasure in the island's fascinating ancient histories.
Lefkada Island, The Emerald of the Ionian Sea
Lefkada belongs to the Ionian cluster of islands. This is the fourth largest of the Ionian Islands and one of the most desirable holiday destinations in Greece. Its beaches and picturesque tourist villages are the most talked about in this gorgeous place. The village people here maintain a traditional culture but there is also an undercurrent of cosmopolitan vibe brought on by the surge of modern tourism on the island. It is also seen that certain beautiful aspects of Lefkada Island are being given away to the overgrowth of various tourism infrastructures. The interior of Lefkada Island is home to mountains and green pastures. The valleys are dotted with series of olive and wine plantations. The island also has a dense overgrowth of fir and pine forests scattered throughout its valleys.
Most vacationers head to Lefkada considering the fantastic beaches. On the west coast of Lefkada Island, you can visit some of the coolest beaches in the Mediterranean. Kathisma, Egremni, Porto Katsiki and Agios Ioannis are some of the most crowded and beautiful beaches of Lefkada. The beautiful natural backdrop of these beaches and the various beach facilities provided here make them endearing to tourists. Most of these beaches are sandy and the colour of the water varies from turquoise blue to blue green. Some beaches are organized while others are remote, some are easy and others are difficult to reach, however all are gorgeous, each one in its own way. In any case, Lefkada truly lives up to its reputation as the island of the most magnificent beaches.
The inland of Lefkada is also equally impressive. Driving from north to south, visitors will see steep rough mountains, lovely villages, waterfalls and small rivers. The most traditional village in the inland of Lefkada is Karya. This is a beautiful scenic village with traditional environment. With an amazing architecture and surrounded by lush green vegetation, Karya has a lovely square with a plane tree to enjoy a morning coffee and a long tradition in embroidery. In fact, many gift shops in Karya sell handmade embroidery.
Apart from gorgeous landscape, Lefkada also has some sightseeing. The Castle of Santa Mavra and the Monastery of Faneromeni are the most famous sights to see there. Tours are also pretty popular as beautiful small islets surround Lefkada Ionian. Tour boats depart from Lefkada Town or from Nidri and go to Meganisi, Kastos, Kalamos, Skorpios and other small islets with beautiful beaches. Picking Lefkada for your vacations, one thing is for sure: you will have plenty of things to do and the most amazing surroundings to relax!
Photos a Day
I am still taking a photo a day, however, I am not posting one a day, as I am not in reliable internet areas all the time. So, please forgive me, but if you want to see a (very) small sample, you can do so here.
My 2010 Round The World photos on flickr.
My 2010 Round The World photos on flickr.
It's All Greek To Me
The next day we went to the beach and observed the customs of the Greeks. Actually, it is mostly older ladies. Here is the drill. Get to the beach. Take off clothes, put on bathing suit. Yup, I saw plenty of old lady boobs that day. Put on colored hat (note: each lady has different colored hat). Get right into the water. Make a circle with whichever friends are already there. Chat for a while, probably talk about your horrible husband and your wonderful grand kids (I couldn't understand them, but I am sure it is the same everywhere). One lady would leave, after changing back into her regular clothes, and others would take her place, with a different colored hat. They never get their hair wet. It was great. They must do this every day. The funniest part is, the next day we went to a totally different beach, about 2 hours from that one, and the ladies were there too!
Oh and don't forget about the food! Great olive oil and tomato salads and tzatziki and hummus and souvlaki. Yum.