Tragaki: Coastal Landscapes, Mountains and Monastery History

Tragaki includes both mountainous and coastal areas and lies 11 kilometres northwest of Zakynthos Town. These different landscape settings give the area its own character. It is also home to the Monastery of Panagia tou Dermata, also known as Dermatousa, in northern Tragaki: a historic attraction that brings together architectural history and a distinctive setting.

Monastery History in Northern Tragaki

The Monastery of Panagia tou Dermata dates from the 16th century and is designated as a historic, protected monument. Examples of frescoes have been preserved in the monastery. For travellers interested in religious art and the earlier history of Zakynthos, Dermatousa offers a tangible cultural point of interest. The monastery stands in Alsos Dermatá, a cypress grove covering about 14 stremmata. This brings together a named historic building, preserved wall paintings and a clearly defined landscape in one place.

Groves and Springs Around Dermatousa

The remains of the monastery grounds’ walls are surrounded by cypress and kermes oak groves, olive groves, orchards, springs and lush vegetation. The surrounding area is therefore not defined by cypresses alone: different types of trees, cultivated land and water sources are also part of its character. Travellers who are especially interested in landscape and nature will find a different way to experience Tragaki here than through the monastery’s architecture and frescoes.

Choosing Tragaki as a Holiday Destination

When choosing a place to stay on Zakynthos, you can consider which aspects matter most for your trip: Tragaki’s mountainous and coastal areas, or the cultural focus in the north around Dermatousa. The area’s location, 11 kilometres northwest of Zakynthos Town, also provides a geographical reference point. These features help you assess Tragaki as a destination and tailor your search for a holiday apartment to your interests, without combining landscape, culture and location into a single holiday experience.

More Cultural and Nature Attractions on Zakynthos

The wider destination of Zakynthos also offers other cultural and landscape-related attractions. On the ground floor of the Museum of Solomos and Eminent Zakynthians is a mausoleum; since 1968, it has been the resting place of the remains of the national poets Andreas Kalvos and Dionysios Solomos. The Museum of Zakynthos displays works of the Cretan School, Cretan-Ionian icons and works of Ionian Naturalism from the 15th to the 19th century. The Monastery of Agios Georgios sta Gremna in Volimes is another historic point of interest: it was founded in 1535.

Natural attractions on Zakynthos include the Blue Caves in the Aspros Vrachos area at Cape Skinari. Lake Keri is a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention, a Natura site and a nature reserve within the Zakynthos National Marine Park. Keri Lighthouse is known for panoramic sunset views over the Ionian Sea and the Myzithres rocks. Each of these places represents a distinct landscape attraction on Zakynthos.

Practical and culinary considerations are also part of the wider travel area: Agios Nikolaos Port in Volimes is a seaport and connects Zakynthos to Kefalonia by ferry. If you plan to take this route, check the current timetable. Volimes is also home to cheesemaking dairies and family workshops that produce Zakynthian Ladotyri cheese, which is offered as a local product. Transport links and local production thus complement the island’s cultural and landscape attractions.

Discover more destinations: Ampelokipoi, Kallithea, Fiolitis, Zákynthos, Bochali, Alikanás, Volímai, Agios Kirikos.

View the broader travel guide: Zakynthos.