Gulet Charter Zakynthos

The Venetians, who ruled Zakynthos from 1484 until 1797, called the island “Fioro di Levante” (flower of the East) as there are over 7,000 species of flowers on Zakynthos. The third largest island of the Ionian Sea, after Corfu and Kefalonia, is internationally known by the name of Zante. The island’s first inhabitant is said to have been Zakynthos, son of Dardanos, Frygia’s king. It is believed that he built an acropolis on the site where the Venetian fort was constructed at later times.

Venetian architectural influence has left its stamp on Zante despite the damage sustained due to the
seismic activity in the area. After the ravaging 1953 earthquake and the ensuing fire, a number of historic buildings and churches burned to the ground. Consequently, the significant treasures these buildings were housing were buried in the ashes. The town of Zante was rebuilt according to an urban plan where strict anti-seismic regulations applied, and, to a large extent, adhered to the city’s former architectural character. In Zante rules also apply concerning the protection of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta – caretta) and the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus – monachus).