Askos: Chapel and Travel Ideas on Zakynthos

Askos lies in the north of Zakynthos. The village has a chapel dedicated to Saint Gerasimos – a tangible link to its religious heritage. When choosing where to stay, it helps to distinguish between Askos itself and the island’s wider attractions: the chapel is in Askos, while nature, art and culinary destinations across Zakynthos offer their own highlights. This can help you decide whether Askos itself or a broader view of the island better suits your travel plans.

Nature and history in the surrounding area

One nature and culture attraction in the wider region is Askos Stone Park in the north of Zakynthos. Around 170,000 self-seeded plants grow there, including shrubs and trees; hundreds of animals also live in their natural habitats. The park includes old stone structures, among them stables and water cisterns; the cisterns were carved into the rock many centuries ago. Here, plant and animal habitats meet traces of earlier human use. The cisterns and stables add a historical dimension to the natural setting.

Art, remembrance and history on Zakynthos

The Museum of Zakynthos displays works from the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism dating from the 15th to the 19th century. This broad time span and the different artistic traditions offer a distinct focus for travellers who would like to include art in their plans. A separate attraction is the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians: on its ground floor, the mausoleum has housed the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos since 1968. Thus, Zakynthos offers both works of art and a place of literary remembrance.

Another historical landmark is the Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna in Volimes, founded in 1535. Its founding year provides a specific point in time alongside the museums’ broad span of works – two different ways to explore the history of Zakynthos.

Caves, nature conservation and views

The Blue Caves are in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Lake Keri offers a different connection with nature: it is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the Zakynthos National Marine Park. These places differ both in how they are described and in their conservation status.

At the Keri Lighthouse, the focus is on panoramic sunset views over the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rocks. For travel plans involving a ferry connection, the port of Agios Nikolaos in Volimes is a separate point of reference: it serves as a seaport gateway and connects Zakynthos with Kefalonia by ferry. If this connection is relevant to your plans, check the timetable for your travel dates.

Local speciality and choosing where to stay

In Volimes, Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese is made in dairies and home workshops and offered as a local product. This culinary highlight complements the island’s nature, art and history.

These distinctions can help guide your choice of holiday apartment: Askos offers a direct connection to the Gerasimos Chapel; across Zakynthos, art collections, a monastery, nature areas, scenic views, the ferry connection and local cheese-making offer additional interests. If you have one specific place in mind, you can focus your search on Askos. If several island attractions shape your trip, first consider which ones matter most to you, then choose your base.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mouzaki, Kipseli, Zakinthos, Fiolitis, Kampíon, Vasilikos, Ampelokipoi, Alikanás.

For the main travel overview: Zakynthos.