Situated in the village of Maherado, Agia Mavra (14th century), is one of the most important churches on the island.
In the church, the icon stand and the frescoes are remarkable. The miraculous icon of Agia Mavra is surrounded be a multitude of offerings, among which is a valuable jewel of Queen Olga.
The church's architecture is of striking beauty. The Venetian bell tower calls melodiously to the pilgrims, especially in July when the festival of Agia Mavra takes place.
The monastery of Agios Georgios Gremon is situated northwest of Zakynthos in an area full of pine-trees, near the villages of Volimes and Anafonitria. The monastery was found in the 16th century by monk Varlaam and monk Makarios. It is said that pirates destroyed the monastery in 1553, only to have it re-built in a Venetian style in the 17th century. The lodger, famous for its icon stand and roof, was renovated in 1803. Near the monastery, one can see the ruins of a castle which protected the area from pirate raids.
The church of Agios Dionissios, the protector-saint of the island, is situated in the southern part of the town of Zakynthos. It was built in 1708 and it was renovated half a century later, in 1764. In 1717, from the monastery of Strofades, the corpse of Agios Dionissios was transferred here, where it is kept in a silver carved reliquary. Many pilgrimers from all over the island come here to pay their respects to the saint. The icons, created by hagiographers Koutouzis and Doxaras, are remarkable. The tall bell-tower, resembling the one of the church of Agios Markos in Venice, dominates the scenery.
The church of Agios Georgios Filikon is situated on a hill at the area of Bohali, in Zakynthos. The church is famous for the icon in front of which took their vows the members of Hetaeria and other fighters of the Greek Rovolution in 1821, such as Kolokotronis, Fotomaras and Nikitaras. Along with the icon, one can see the list with their names.
This maritime cave is the best cave in the Ionian islands and, probably, the most remarkable sight in Zakynthos. It is situated in the area of "Aspros Vrahos" or "Krimnos", on the Skinari cape, which is the most northern part of the island, 9 km from the capital. The cave, discovered in 1897, includes one Big Cave (10m x 2.5m x 3.5m) and one Small Cave (7.5 m x 2.5m x 3m). Its unique beauty, lies in the outstanding blue colour of its water, after which it was named.
The Museum of Dionissios Solomos and other famous Zakynthians is situated in Agios Markos square, in Zakynthos. The most remarkable pieces are the mausoleums of Solomos and Kalvos, Zakynthos's greatest poets. In a separate room, one can see their personal belongings, as well as those of other notable figures in art and literature, such as Xenopoulos and Romas. The exhibit includes the beautiful statue of Solomos, created by sculptor G. Vroutos, the figurehead of a galley which participated in the naval battle of Nafpaktos, the lion of Venice and the blazons of Zakynthian nobles. There are also several different pieces showing "Filiki Etairia" and its members, as well as clothing from the Venetian Period.
The hill of Strani is situated 2 km outside the city of Zakynthos. It is a green area where Greece's national poet, Dionissios Solomos, used to promenade. It is said that here, listening to the gun-fire during the siege of Mesologi, Dionissios Solomos wrote the poems "Free Besieged" and "Hymn to Liberty", which later became Greece's National Anthem. A statue in his honour was erected here.
The infamous Venetian Castle is situated 3 km away from the town of Zakynthos, above the beautiful suburb of Bohali. The Castle's base is built upon the ruins of the acropole and the cyclopean walls of the ancient town of Psofida, while, above the gate, one may distinguish the blazon of the lions of Agios Markos. The castle housed the town of Zakynthos, four catholic and eight orthodox churches. Today there is only part of the Castle standing, as the earthquakes ruined a significant part of it. The surrounding area is green and the view to the city and the sea is majestic.
The Byzantine Museum of Zakynthos is housed in a beautiful building, at the center of the town. In its chambers, one can admire icons from the Byzantine Era to the 19th century, sculpts of the Hellenistic and the Byzantine Era, hagiographies of the Ionian art, and beautiful icon-stands from the island's churches. Here is the place where one can admire the works of great Zakynthian hagiograpers such as Tzanes, Panagiotis Doxaras, Nikolaos Koutouzis, Kandounis and Damaskinos. The most significant exhibits are the exterior of the church of Agios Andreas Volimon and the icon-stands from the churches of Agios Dimitrios and Pandokrator.
The Municipal Library is one of the most significant sights in Zakynthos. In the Library, one will find substantial records concerning local news along with 55,000 volumes of books. In a separate area, the Gallery exhibits pictures and photographs, depicting the old life-style and history of Zakynthos.
The Municipal Library also houses the Museum of the Occupation and Resistance against the Germans. The exhibits include photographs, illegally printed material and other historical elements from the period of the German Occupation (1940 - 1945).
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