Zante town is the capital of the island of
Zakynthos and home to the main port with ferries departing daily to the mainland, and where most of the round the island boat trips depart from in the summer season. The town was rebuilt after a major earthquake in 1953 which destroyed many of the buildings therefore most of the architecture is relativly modern. There are, however old buildings still dotted around the town, the most prominent being the church of St Dionysios, on the harbour front, named after the patron saint of the island. Only a short distance above the town is the hill of Bochali, where one can visit the old Venetian fortress and also Strani, where Greek poet Dionysios Solomos was inspired to write the "Ode to Liberty" which became the Greek national anthem.
From Bochali the views of the town and surrounding areas are unsurpassed. In
Zante town, places of interest include the Solomos museum and also the museum of Byzantine art. A walk along the promenade brings you to the two main squares of
Zante town, Solomos square and St.Marcos square where the pedestrian only areas provide many outdoor restaurants and coffee shops, an enjoyable place to relax and watch the world go by. The main shopping street is the Alexandra Roma where you can find everything you need, from bakeries, shoe shops, gift shops, clothes, jewellery, icons, traditional Greek products and more. The main banks are located in an around the squares for money transfer or money exchange. The British consulate is in
Zante town on the road running parallel to the Alexandra Roma, at 5 Foskolos Street, should you need their assistance
