 he town of Zakynthos -known as Chora- is a new town, lying in a semi-circle between the foot of the Castle hill and the sea. It stands on exactly the same site as did the town which was wrecked by the earthquake and the fire of 1953. The new buildings have attempted to retain the style of those they replace - a mixture of neoclassical and Venetian, with a strong dash of an entirely local atmosphere.
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 |  s you come by boat the first thing you see is the lofty bell tower of Ayios Dionysios on the left end of the town.The dock where the boats tie up is further north, on the right end. Near there is also the largest square, Solomos Square. To the rear of the square is the imposing building of the Byzantine Museum with its fabulous displays. |
| he entire right side of the square is occupied by the public library with more than 50.000 books. On the ground floor is located the Museum of the Occupation and the National Resistance and right on the sea, Ayios Nikolaos at Molos, in which Ayios Dionysios was once the curate.
Kyria ton Angelon and Faneromeni are some other important churches in town. |  |
 |  ear Solomos Sq. is the historic square of St. Mark and the museum of Solomos (the national poet of Greece)The Zakynthos Castle, built by the Venetians, is at the top of a hill above the town. Generally speaking, the town of Zakynthos is one of the most beautiful of the Ionian islands. |
| he most important tourist center of the island is situated in Laganas. Laganas has one of the finest sandy beaches in Greece.
But Laganas is world famous because it is the natural habitat of the Caretta-Caretta sea turtle. This sea turtle continues until our days to hatch its eggs on the rather congested sandy beach of Laganas and of course is protected by European and Greek Environmental laws. |  |
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| nother impressive site is Keri, an isolated village 200 m. above sea level, offering a superb view. Near the village is a lighthouse from where the view toward two enormous white rocks (Megali and Mikri Myzithra), which jut up from the sea like pyramids, is wonderful. You will also have wonderful impressions in the famous caves of Keri with their emerald waters. But this presumes an excursion by sea which will give you the opportunity to admire the Kamares of Marathia which the rocks have formed over the sea under which rowboats pass. |  |
| Photos and text taken from "Zakynthos - Today and yesterday" (Toubis Editions) |  |
