Zakynthos, Island in Ionian Sea, Greece
Zakynthos is an Ionian island in Greece with a coastline that combines cliffs in the west and flat sandy shores in the east. Olive groves and pine forests cover the inland, while steep rock faces along the northwest coast drop directly into the sea.
The island passed between Byzantine, Norman, and Venetian rulers over centuries, until Ottoman forces briefly occupied it in the 16th century. A severe earthquake in 1953 destroyed nearly all buildings in the towns and reshaped modern architecture.
Locals traditionally call the island Zante, a name Venetian traders spread across Europe over centuries. This old nickname still appears on wine bottles, in folk songs, and on hand-painted signs in the villages.
Most visitors rent a car or scooter because public buses mainly connect the capital with the larger beach resorts. Roads in the mountain areas are often winding and narrow, so careful driving is necessary.
Local fishermen sometimes build their nets on tall wooden platforms standing at the edge of shallow bays and operated with movable levers. This traditional fishing method is still practiced only at a few quiet spots along the east coast.
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