Why this notorious Greek party island are throwing his reputation and upmarket

Shipwreck Beach on the island of Zante (also known as Zakynthos) is one of them GreeceThe most photographed places, with the skeleton -like remains of a ship that lies in the middle of its golden sand.

We search for the coast during a speedboat tour through the southernmost of the Ionian Islands, to which Corfu and Kefalonia also belong.

It is a beautiful location surrounded by cliffs with a high limestone that attracts thousands of holidaymakers, making many day trips from the resort of Laganas with its bars and cheap hotels that are popular with young British.

Yet there is another side to Zante who remains almost untouched by tourism: a patchwork of olive forests and farms that cover large parts of the island connected by quiet lanes and roads with one track.

Destroyed by one earthquake In 1953, many islanders left Zante – and a large part of the landscape has since remained undiscovered.

But not the beach of the shipwreck. It has become such a popular attraction that you are no longer allowed to swim off the sand due to limitations to control overtrourism.

Instead, we escape during our early morning visit before the most important daily crowds arrive and go to a nearby beach for a dip in aquamarine waters and then sailing into the blue caves.

Here we jump into the lively, green -blue colored water, created by sunlight that reflects on the limestone walls, giggling when seeing our legs and arms glowing smurf blue under the surface. Our aqueous tour is part of discovering the other side of Zante, including a new wave of luxury hotels whose owners hope to change the reputation of the island and encourage visitors to go beyond the resorts of the south coast.

Shipwreck Beach on the island of Zante (also known as Zakynthos) is one of the most photographed places in Greece

Zakynthos is a popular party destination, especially for young people in the UK

Destroyed by an earthquake in 1953, many waslanders left Zante – and a large part of the landscape has since remained undiscovered

Our first base is the recently opened King Jason Zante, an only inclusive resort for only adults where the big draw is the rooms in Maldivian style, much with terraces that open directly on the patchwork of swimming pools that form a grid along a hill.

It is blisteringly hot when we arrive, 40 ° C, so the cool, modernist design – lots of light gray concrete and glass walls – is welcome.

The suites continue with the Maldivian ethos, with the KingSize bed in the middle of the room, a retractable screen that separates the open bathroom in succession.

It is a world away from the simplicity that is outside. The next day we hire a car and follow the winding lanes into the quiet hinterland of the island, stop to drink finger halls of thick, bitter coffee on the rickety square in the quiet village of Keri.

The sun knocks down while we wander along silent alleys that lead between whitewashed houses with one floor with faded blue doors and window hatches. Gedempte conversations float from the darkness.

“This is what Zante makes special,” says Venia Xenou, whose family owns the Olea All Suite Hotel, which the bar reseted for luxury accommodation when it was opened in 2018.

‘Agriculture is still the most important economy here. Tourism is growing, but the trick is to do it without disturbing the traditional way of life. We look at other islands, where overtourism is a problem and no, we don’t want that here. ‘

The Olea All Suite could have been the template for the King Jason, with the same arrangement of swimming pools and rooms that open directly on the water.

However, the atmosphere is slightly different. Guests are a bit younger and there is more a club, in Ibiza-style feeling, although the sand floor, open-sided cocon bar and restaurant (absolutely optionally) comes directly from a resort in the Indian Ocean.

The recently opened King Jason Zante is an only inclusive resort for adults,

A great attraction for the hotel is the rooms in the Maldivian style, many with terraces that open directly on the patchwork of swimming pools

The atmosphere is slightly different in the Olea All Suite, where guests are a little younger and there is more a club feeling

The greatest treat is the power restaurant, high on the hill, where tables and a coupling of spherical mand seats are positioned to get the most out of the beautiful view over the valley. Dinner at Flow – Succulent sea bass fresh from the boat and flame grilled lamb – is so beautiful that it seems impossible to improve. Yet our last night in the Lesante Blu – a resort on the water with a piece of private beach – is the most memorable of all.

While the sun dives, a violinist steps up to the Plein of Gazon between the restaurant tables and starts playing, accompanied by a background -dj.

The sound is excellent, the whole elegant experience the Pole opposite the hectic streets of Laganas.

As the music comes out, I think of all post-a-level students on our flight, dizzy with excitement for their first journey away. It makes me hope that instead of just becoming a completely inflated ‘party island’ – or becoming a luxury retreat – Zante will adapt to both.