In Sakynthos, squares, art collections and reconstruction tell different chapters of the city’s history.
Cityscape and History
After the 1953 earthquake, the city of Zakynthos was almost completely destroyed and rebuilt with Ionian architecture in mind. Aesthetic features and colours, as well as the urban elegance that had taken shape since the 17th century, were preserved. The cityscape today is therefore also a testament to a history of reconstruction that took Ionian architecture into account.
Solomos Square is the central square of Zakynthos Town and also the largest square on Zakynthos. Another trace of the city’s history leads to Roma’s Mansion: Alexander Roma bought the house in 1880; it has served as the family’s main residence ever since. This continued family use distinguishes the house from the collections in the museums and is also part of the place’s historical character.
Museums: Art Collections and Commemoration of Poets
The Museum of Zakynthos displays religious icons from the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism dating from the 15th to the 19th century. The collection is complemented by wood-carved icon screens, ecclesiastical objects and sculptures. These objects come from temples on the island of Zakynthos that are currently damaged.
The Museum of Solomos & Eminent Zakynthians is located on Saint Mark’s Square. On the ground floor, its mausoleum has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. Sakynthos thus brings different cultural themes into focus: the Museum of Zakynthos’s wide-ranging art and ecclesiastical collection, and the mausoleum’s commemoration of two poets.
This distinction can help with your own planning: if you are especially interested in religious art, icons and sculptures, the Museum of Zakynthos offers specific collection areas to explore. The Museum of Solomos & Eminent Zakynthians combines its location on Saint Mark’s Square with the commemoration of Kalvos and Solomos. Both themes can be considered independently of whether you are more interested in art history or literary heritage.
Other Themes on the Island of Zakynthos
The island of Zakynthos also has distinct landscapes and natural features to explore. The Blue Caves lie in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Lake Keri is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. These designations offer a different way to experience the island than its city history and museums.
Keri Lighthouse is known for panoramic views of the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rock formations at sunset. In Volimes, the Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna was founded in 1535. Also in Volimes, Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese is made in dairies and home workshops and sold as a local product. Landscapes, religious heritage and local production offer further ways to explore Zakynthos, without replacing the local history of Sakynthos.
The port of Agios Nikolaos in Volimes is a maritime gateway connecting Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry. If this connection is relevant to your plans, check the timetable in advance. This makes the ferry connection a practical point to consider without assuming a particular departure.
Consider Your Holiday Apartment and Travel Interests Together
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether you want to focus on Sakynthos for its squares, museums and city history, or plan a broader island itinerary. The island locations and themes mentioned here complement the picture of Zakynthos, but are destinations in their own right. Your travel plans therefore depend both on your cultural interests and on the specific connections you want to use. Discover more destinations: Xirokastello, Zákynthos, Fiolitis, Kallithea, Korithi, Laganas, Chartata, Marathias.
For the broader travel overview: Zakynthos.
