Gerakas beach in Zakynthos Greece: A travel guide

Gerakas beach may not be on lots of lists of the best beaches in Greece, but when considering the best beaches in Zakynthos, you can’t miss out on this one. If you’re planning on checking out Zakynthos then you really don’t want to miss out on this long, sensational stretch of golden sand on the southern idea of the island.

It may not get the same press as the most photographed beach in Greece, Navagio, but the quieter, southern cousin of Shipwreck Cove is still worth a visit. 

Inhoudsopgave
About Gerakas Beach
Where is Gerakas Beach?
Hoe daar te komen
Best Time To Visit
The type of Sand on Gerakas Beach
Swimming With Turtles on Gerakas Beach
Faciliteiten op het strand
Where To stay Near Gerakas Beach
Best restaurants Near Gerakas Beach
Should You Go?

See Also: The utmost guide To Greece Travel

About Gerakas Beach

Pulling into the vehicle parking lot you’d be forgiven for not understanding what all the fuss was about. but as you start to walk down the long switchback wooden ramps towards Garakas Beach, you’ll swiftly realize why this is a popular haunt for those trying to find some sun and sand in Zakynthos.

This is part of the protected national Marine Park of Zakynthos because it’s a popular nesting and breeding ground for the popular Loggerhead Turtles that frequent these shores.

There is also some medicinal mud clay here that was once took pleasure in by all tourists who visited, but unfortunately, the mud has considering that deteriorated, making the ridge unstable so it is now actually closed off to visitors.

Where is Gerakas Beach?

Gerakas beach is on the southeastern point of Zakynthos Island in the Ionian Sea of Western Greece. The beach is situated on a long peninsula that juts out from the south part of the island.

The beach faces to the west, so it would be a good place to kick back and enjoy the sunset over the island of Zakynthos, however, the beach closes at 8:00 pm because as part of the national Marine Park, it has to be clear in the evening when the loggerhead turtles come up on the sand to lay their eggs.

Seeing Loggerheads in Zakynthos is absolutely one of the best things to do in Greece and Gerakas beach is one of the best places to find them. You have a pretty good chance of coming face to face with one of these massive creatures while swimming in the water here.

Hoe daar te komen

?Gerakas beach – Zakynthos 291 00, Greece

Gerakas beach is about a 10-minute walk south of the nearest town of Vasilikos. There are 4-6 public buses that run each day between Vasilikos and Zante town depending on the season.

The best way to get to Vasilikos and Gerakas beach is to rent your own car. We rented a automobile for our entire 10 days stay in Zakynthos and we couldn’t recommend it enough. It’s low-cost (around €15 / day) and the roads are easy to get around.

I recommend downloading the Google Maps app (iOS and Android) on your phone and then downloading the map of Zakynthos to use offline. then simply click the location link above and save the location on your map. then you can easily get driving directions there at any time, even when you’re offline.

If you don’t feel comfortable driving and don’t want to take public transport, there are also some excursions that can take you around the entire island of Zakynthos including a stop at Gerakas Beach.  check GetYourGuide for excursions on Zakynthos.

Best Time To Visit

The beach itself is actually only open between 7 am and 8 pm each day because it’s part of the Marine national Park in Zakynthos. but to make the most of your trip to Gerakas Beach, you may want to come at the optimal time.

The best Time of Day To check out Gerakas Beach

The best time of day to check out Gerakas beach in Zakynthos is around mid-day when the sun is directly overhead and it illuminates the stunning Ionian Sea and golden sand of the beach.

If you want to avoid the crowds, however, it’s recommended to come in the early morning (7 am – 11 am) or the late afternoon (3 pm to 8 pm) when a lot of of the crowds have thinned out.

The best time of year to check out Gerakas Beach

The best time to check out Zakynthos is the same as the best time to check out Greece. If you want the best chances of good weather, you can come to Zakynthos anytime between March and early November.

The absolute height season is July and August and during this time Gerakas beach can be quite busy, but even in the high season, the beach is quieter than lots of others on the island like Navagio beach and Laganas Beach.

We like to check out Zakynthos in the carry season, either between March and may or September and early-November when the sea is still relatively warm, the weather is normally respectable and there are much fewer crowds.

The type of Sand on Gerakas Beach

The sand at Gerakas beach is actually quite soft and there aren’t very lots of rocks in the water to stub your toes on. The incline going out into the sea is also quite gradual, making this a terrific beach for families.

You won’t get into any deep water until you are about 100 meters offshore here, so you’ll see plenty of people playing water sports and lounging around, even far from the sand.

The colour of the sand is golden and when the sun hits it from overhead it illuminates the stunningly clear Ionian water, making for that normal dazzling blue color that you’d expect from Greece, with a tinge of turquoise.

Swimming With Turtles on Gerakas Beach

Gerakas beach is part of the national Marine Park of Zakynthos which indicates that it’s a popular nesting and hunting habitat for the stunning Loggerhead Turtles of Zakynthos.

This is one of the best places to swim with Loggerhead Turtles in Zakynthos, so make sure you bring your snorkel and mask when checking out Gerakas Beach.

On the way to the beach at the end of the main road in Vasilikos, you’ll see the Zakynthos Sea Turtle Rescue & information Center.  depending on the season you can see baby turtles and recovering adult turtles in the tanks here.

Faciliteiten op het strand

Because the beach is part of the national Marine Park of Zakynthos, you won’t find any facilities on the beach like toilets, change rooms, beach bars or showers. 

It’s also worth noting that you’re not allowed to bring your own umbrella here because of the possibility of damaging a turtle nest. There are safety guards on the beach who will tell you where you can and cannot sit. 

They will charge you €8 for a couple of chairs with an umbrella for the day. If you don’t want to pay it then you can simply lie on the sand with a towel, but just know that there isn’t much natural shade on this beach and it can be very hot in the middle of the day.

Where To stay Near Gerakas Beach

If you want to stay near Gerakas beach then the most evident place is in Vasilikos, but if you have a automobile you can also stay at one of the other vacationer towns in the south. Here’s a list of some of the best places to stay near Gerakas Beach.

In Vasilikos (10-minute walk From Gerakas Beach)

Vasilikos is a great town to stay in Zakynthos. It uses a large range of accommodations including luxury hotels, apartments, beach bungalows and studios and there’s also some terrific bars and restaurants here.

Hotels in Vasilikos

Villa Lavente (Rooms from €44/nt): rental property Levante is located in a lush hillside about a 15-minute drive North of Gerakas beach and about 5 minutes outside fo the town of Vasilikos. rooms are air-conditioned and they also have small apartments with kitchens or kitchenettes and private bathrooms. 

Villagio Studios & Apartments (Rooms from €65/nt): This is another charming place just 10 minutes drive north of Gerakas beach and just on the outskirts of Vasilikos town. They have an fantastic 9.7/10 from reviews on Booking.com, this complex is also close to Casa Playa beach and just 800 meters from Agios Nikolaos Beach.

Athena Studios (Rooms from €65/nt): At just 150 meters from the sand, Athena Studios is one of the closest accommodation options to Gerakas Beach. rooms are bright and modern with local furnishings and light wood accents. They have one and two-bedroom apartments available. All have kitchens, TVs and patios.

Zante town (30-minute Drive From Gerakas Beach)

Zante town is a little additionally away from Gerakas beach but it’s a popular place to stay in Zakynthos. If you are looking up where to stay in Zakynthos and you don’t think that Vasilikos is for you, then you may want to stay in the capital of Zante Town. There are plenty of hotel options in Zante town and it is connected to the Gerakas beach area by a public bus that runs 4-6 times per day.

Click here to see the best hotel options in Zante town on Booking.com

Downtown Zante Town

Laganas beach (34-minute Drive From Gerakas Beach)

Laganas beach is a younger part of Zakynthos and one of the most popular places to stay on the south side of the island. There is a bit a lot more going on here than in Zante town and Vasilikos, including a lot more restaurants, accommodation options and some respectable nachtleven.

Klik hier voor de beste hotelopties in Laganas Beach op Booking.com

Beste restaurants in de buurt van Gerakas Beach

Er zijn tal van restaurants in de buurt van Gerakas Beach, maar geen enkele op het zand. Als je overdag wilt lunchen, of de hele dag op het strand wilt zwemmen en daarna dineren, dan zijn de beste restaurants in de buurt van Gerakas Beach in de stad Vasilikos. Hier zijn een paar van de beste:

Taverna Nikos

? Vasilikos 291 00, Griekenland
⭐︎ 4.4/5 (177 beoordelingen)

Taverna Nikos is een van de dichtstbijzijnde restaurants van Gerakas Beach. Op de weg op weg naar het zand, dit is een populaire plek voor strandgangers om te stoppen voor maaltijden. Ze hebben echt budgetvriendelijke prijzen in vergelijking met sommige andere nabijgelegen restaurants. Op het moment van schrijven was het alleen contant.

Taverna Galini

? Zakinthos 291 00, Griekenland
⭐︎ 4.6/5 (179 beoordelingen)

Deze plek is een beetje achter elkaar, dichter bij het centrum van Vasilikos Town op ongeveer 10 minuten lopen naar het strand. De prijzen zijn goed en het is klaar op een beetje een boerderij met geiten, konijnen en kalkoenen rondlopen, waardoor het geweldig is voor gezinnen. Het eten is budgetvriendelijk en er is een charmant uitzicht op de tuin en de dieren.

Ristorante Italiano E Pizzeria da Camillo

? Vasilikos 291 00, Griekenland
⭐︎ 4.5/5 (156 beoordelingen)

Nog een ongelooflijk populaire plek in Vasilikos, als je uit het Grieks eten bent gedragen en je probeert wat pasta en pizza te vinden, dan is dit de plek. De prijzen zijn goed en de service is snel en vriendelijk. Houd er rekening mee dat deze plek meestal vol is rond de maaltijd in het hoogseizoen, dus misschien wilt u bellen om een ​​tafel te reserveren.

Moet je gaan?

Gerakas Beach is gemakkelijk een van de beste stranden in Zakynthos. Zorg ervoor dat je de tijd neemt om naar beneden te komen en het te bekijken. Of je nu een paar nachten in de stad Vasilikos verblijft, of je komt gewoon langs bij het strand voor een zwemmen met wat Loggerhead -schildpadden, het is absoluut de moeite waard.

Dit is een van de ondiepste en kalmste stranden in Zakynthos en het is echt gemakkelijk om te bereiken, maar normaal gesproken niet te druk. vooral bij het vergelijken met Navagio of Laganas. Als je probeert een schoppende plaats te vinden om de zon in Zakynthos op te nemen (en misschien een schildpad of twee te spotten), is dit de plek.

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