Kalamaki...
Kalamaki, in my opinion, is the best all-round resort. This may have something to do with why I choose to live there!
It has some of the best bars & restaurants, a lovely section of beach & is not too far from other resorts like Laganas or Argassi if you want to explore. It's also close to Zakynthos Town, which if you live there like me, is good if you need to get some photocopies done, but if you're on holiday it's nice to look around and have a coffee!
'Zakynthos International Airport' - the name of the place is a joke in itself! Though not exactly a shed, the place is not Gatwick, so do be prepared... There is smoking allowed throughout & it can get a little claustraphobic around the baggage carousel. However, it is situated between Laganas & Kalamaki, therefore transfer times to these resorts are minimal.
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Kalamaki has a lovely beach. It stretches all the way to Laganas on what is called the Laganas Bay. You can walk there in about 30-45 mins depending on your fitness level... You can hire Pedaloes and Canoes from Nicos on the Crystal Beach (see the photo of the beach at sunrise, above) and the Stanni family from the Stanni Beach. Average cost for a Pedalo for an hour is about 2,500 Drx - or a fiver to you or me!
In my opinion, the best bar on the Island, let alone in Kalamaki, is The Cave Bar (map ref 1). It's situated on the side of the hill looking over the bay & you can see all the way to Keri on the Western peninsula. It has been owned and run by Nicos for 15 years. The bar itself is an oasis. The chairs and tables are surrounded by plants & trees and the drinks, although a little more expensive than other bars in the area, are on top of the world and worth the extra drachmas. Give it a try & you'll definitely go back. Check out their website before you go, at http://welcome.to/cavebar Chequers Bar (map ref 2) is a nice small friendly place at the beach-end of the high st. Run by a family of Geordies, you'll be at home here if you support Newcastle Utd, or hate Manchester Utd. They also do top notch English breakfasts & Sunday Lunches - the Best! Most of the workers travel there from Laganas just for a good nosh up. Also visit their sister-bar in Laganas, Crocs Bar. They have a live Crocodile in the bar... No joke! Chaos Bar (map ref 3) can be found at the other end of the street. Owned and run by Spiros, you'll find it excellent fun. Sky Sports is available, so you won't miss the match - though I can never understand why anyone wants to watch football on holiday... YOU'RE ON HOLIDAY FOR GOD'S SAKE! YOU SHOULD BE TRYING NEW THINGS!!! - Anyway, you can try an assortment of great cocktails here & Spiros is a great barman who will make your holiday. Give it a try...
Another excellent bar on the Kalamaki High Road is Al Sandros (map ref 4) - great atmosphere with Giant Jenga & british pub entertainment every night. Just go to hear Dave the Dog singing along to Bob Dylan, if nothing else! Antonis Pool Bar (map ref 5) is situated off the High Street. There's signposted pathway that you can walk down to get there. They have a large open-air screen for movies, sports & karaoke, however I have been singing there once a week for the past 2 seasons & I should be there next year too! If you like your karaoke, then try Angels Bar (map ref 6). This bar is owned & run by Con who has Mermaids Restaurant. They do everything here. From the latest films, sports, karaoke, live music, etc, etc... To find out more, check out their website at http://welcome.to/mermaids.
My favorite restaurant in Kalamaki is Stanni's (map ref A) on the beach. The view from your table is amazing, as it looks out over the bay & you can watch the sun set over the sea as you eat. But a good restaurant is not just it's setting... The Stanni Restaurant has the most amazing food too! If you go, try the garlic bread, the Mussel Saganaki for starter and if you pop down a couple of days in advance, you can order some giant prawns - I had them on my birthday and they were to die for! All the food here is lovely and traditional. They do a greek night once a week (usually Sundays or Mondays), but book early for a good table. Dias (map ref B) is on the edge of Kalamaki heading towards Laganas just as you take the turn for the airport. The food here is also fabulous, though they don't have the advantage of the view. Paris (map ref C) is on the main Kalamaki High Street and is run by Nicos's brother from the Cave Bar. His daughter also works on the till! Keep it in the family... The food here is traditional Greek of a very high quaility. Great for Lobster if you fancy splashing out. Petrino (map ref D) is next door to Chaos Bar and has very nice seafood. The waiters are good friends here & they are very friendly & extremely professional. Michaelo's (map ref E) is on the road heading out towards Argassi and is well known as the oldest restaurant in Kalamaki. It has an extremely good reputation... so it's another one to give a try! Mermaids (map ref F) is more like a diner than a restaurant. Situated on the main Laganas Road, it has a great kids menu and you'll find something different here than the usual Greek cuisine, though this is also on the menu & they have the livliest Greek night in Kalamaki... They have been known to stop traffic! Try the Smothered Chicken, Homestyle Ribs & Sole Mykonos to name a few... but beware of the LARGE portions! Con & Adele run this restaurant, so you can also find a good deal of entertainments here. They also have Angels Bar, so you usually find the same sort of entertainments here too. Check out their website for a better idea, at http://welcome.to/mermaids. Escape (map ref G) is another nice eatery... it's on the road heading towards the beach at the airport turn, just past the Hotel Exotica. It's very cosy, off the beaten track, so a bit more tranquil & it has nice food! What more do you want? Well, there's enough to give you a different place every night for a week... though you'll probably want to go to them more than once, but that'll give you an excuse for coming back the following year!!
Beaches...
Bars...
Restaurants...
Map...
