Zakynthos: An Island Paradise

The perfect island in my book. The sunniest island in all of Greece. Where the summers are enchanting and the winters are very mild. It’s paradise.

I fell in love with the island as I arrived with my wife. She was from the island and we were going to visit her childhood home. Her village was up the mountain. Legend has it that Mary Magdalene stopped to visit while on her way to Rome. Her sweet nature and giving heart converted the entire village to Christianity. Thus the village renamed itself Maries.

Zakynthos is blessed with numerous beaches that are beautiful, warm, and tranquil. Choose your beach, a different beach and there are so many to enjoy. You will not get bored. you can visit a different beach every day and still be going at it well into your second month. So many beaches to discover. The sandbars are long and don’t drop off on many beaches, and the water is warm and calm. Don’t be afraid to walk far from shore, your head will still be above water. And when you are done swimming, relax by the shore with a cold crisp beer to cool you down. You are on Holiday, relax and enjoy.

And take a boat and encircle the island and the island will climb above you in majestic white cliffs. The blue water is the deepest and clearest blue: it will both mesmerize and enchant your soul. Look to the bottom, and see the sandy floor as clear as glass, fifty feet to the bottom.

And when the sun decides to set beyond the sea. Choose a cliff and follow the sun as it slowly hides under the blue horizon. Time will pass you by like as if you were in slow motion. You cherish that moment and it becomes ingrained in your mind as a timeless memory, both surreal and beautiful. This is what heaven feels like.

And everyone feels the joy in the hearts of the islanders. They sing the traditional serenades of generations past. The love songs of lovers who found each other and the songs of sorrow in the lovers that lost their only love. Love stirs on the lips and hearts of everyone who comes here. Dance, smile, and raise your glass amongst your friends. Joy and happiness are on your agenda today, tonight, and every night. And don’t forget to crash a village festival, where all the townsfolk let themselves loose. The music and dancing will go on late into the night, don't be surprised if you catch the morning sun.

The island is California on a miniature scale the mountains are green with forests and remind you of Reno. Beaches like LA and San Diego. And coastlines run like the California State Route 1. You hope the road never ends.

My hope and dream are to retire in paradise. Swim in the morning, have lunch, and then a nap. Swim in the late afternoon until an hour before the sun sets. Go home and shower and dress up for dinner and enjoy your time with friends, listening to a live band playing songs you find yourself singing along like you did when you were young. The food is savory, the wine flows freely, and the laughter echoes from one table to the next. No one dares to leave and lose the moment, and the singing and laughter continue late into the night.

Don’t wait too long to visit, you will definitely change your mind and want to retire here. You will miss out on many enchanted evenings. If you haven’t visited; please do yourself a favor and visit paradise. You won't regret it. Who knows, we may become neighbors.