Blue Caves

Blue Caves is set amidst Zakynthos' landscape of steep coastal cliffs, green valleys, and crystalline beach coves. Reach the caves on a private or small-group day cruise or boat tour that skirts the coast. Combine a visit to Blue Caves with one to Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach). Or, explore the island’s coastline by land on a driving tour with a stop at Blue Caves to board a glass-bottomed boat for a quick grotto trip.

• The Blue Caves can only be accessed by sea, either on a day cruise or via one of the tourist boats that depart from a nearby beach.

• Bring your camera to capture the colorful caves.

• Passengers must be agile enough to board and disembark on boat tours, so travelers with limited mobility should confirm accessibility in advance.

• Be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the Mediterranean sun.

• Most boat tours that include a stop for swimming provide snorkeling gear, but bring your own swimsuit and towel.

The Blue Caves are located on the northern coastline of Zakynthos, east of Cape Skinari. They can only be reached via boat. You can see them as part of a boat tour or day cruise along the coastline or by taking a driving tour to a nearby beach and boarding a tourist boat that takes small groups into the caves.

The caves glow brightest in the morning, though they are deeply colored on any sunny day. Avoid visiting on overcast days when sunlight is too dim to create the dramatic reflections for which the caves are famous.

On many lists of the world's most beautiful beaches, Navagio Beach on Zakynthos is distinguished by a ship that ran aground in 1980 and was abandoned here to rust. You can visit this picturesque spot, sometimes called Shipwreck Beach or Smuggler’s Cove, by boat to see the shipwreck up close. To view it from above, drive or take a tour to a marked viewpoint set high in the cliffs.

Yes, you can visit the Blue Caves without a tour—but you’ll need your own boat to get there. That’s why most visitors choose to explore the Blue Caves with guides who know the coast well. Most guided tours of the Blue Caves also include additional stops, such as Shipwreck Beach.

You have two main options for reaching the Blue Caves in Zakynthos, a day cruise featuring multiple coastal stops or a shorter trip from a nearby harbor. Shorter boat trips generally depart from Agios Nikolaos Harbour (St. Nikolaus Harbour), and can make the return trip—including a swim stop—in an hour.

Yes, you can swim in the Blue Caves—but only in the smaller, quieter areas. Swimming is not allowed at the main entrance to the Blue Caves, as busy boat traffic around the mouth of the caves can create unsafe conditions. Many tours of the Blue Caves make swimming stops nearby.

You can take an hour-long tour of the Blue Caves: Since round-trip boat journeys from Agios Nikolaos Harbour take 40 minutes, these tours generally budget for 20 minutes at the caves themselves. Many day cruises to the Blue Caves last all day, with time for stops at beaches and viewpoints.

Midday light makes the most of brilliantly colored water at the Blue Caves, so many recommend coming around noon. That’s a busy time at the caves, however—and the morning light is also gorgeous. If you prefer fewer crowds, opt for a boat trip that leaves first thing in the morning.

July and August are busy months in Zakynthos, when the Blue Caves, beaches, and harbor towns can be crowded. For beachy weather and fewer crowds, consider visiting in the shoulder-season periods of June and September; you’ll find lower prices, fewer tourists, and water that is still warm enough for swimming.