Things to Do in Volimes, Zakynthos (Zante)
Explore Volimes - Afternoons stay hushed except for cicadas and chairs scraping stone; after dusk, soft accordion drifts from the main square.
Explore ActivitiesDiscover Volimes
Volimes grips Zakynthos’s northern ridge, the air thick with pine resin and sea brine. Hair-pin bends rise past stone terraces heavy with olives, then explode into cliffs that drop clean into cobalt water. Old women hang lace over garden walls to sell, and sunset stains every terracotta roof an even deeper red. No one arrives clutching a checklist; they come for the slower pulse. The village is a loose tangle of tile roofs and kafenia where coffee lands thick as syrup and backgammon boards gleam from decades of play. Goat bells clank somewhere below the lane, and wood-smoke curls from bakeries still feeding ovens with olive prunings. Visitors first appear for the handicrafts—fine embroideries and honey darker and more resinous than anything on the coast—then stay for the village’s strange, timeless rhythm.
Why Visit Volimes?
Atmosphere
Afternoons stay hushed except for cicadas and chairs scraping stone; after dusk, soft accordion drifts from the main square.
Price Level
$
Safety
excellent
Perfect For
Volimes is ideal for these types of travelers
Top Attractions in Volimes
Don't miss these Volimes highlights
St Paraskevi Monastery
A pocket-sized 16th-century church, ochre walls warmed by a massive plane tree that drops fig-sized leaves into its courtyard. Inside, beeswax and cold stone hang in the air while faded frescoes of shipwrecks and saints glow faintly on the walls.
Tip: Turn up at 8am Sunday to watch the priest swing open the doors with an iron key as long as his forearm.
Aristeon Olive Press
Peppery oil fills your nose along with the metallic clank of 1949 machinery. Green-gold liquid pours into tins while Spyros, the owner, hands out tiny tasting shots.
Tip: Bring an empty water bottle—he'll top it straight from the centrifuge for a couple of euros.
Shipwreck Viewpoint at Agios Gerasimos
A rickety wooden platform juts over a 300-metre cliff. The sea below is so fiercely blue it looks lit from beneath, and salt coats your lips long before you glimpse the water.
Tip: Dodge the tour buses by taking the goat path that starts behind the monastery—ten minutes, no crowds.
Volimes Lace Market
Each weekday morning, white-haired women spread cloths on stone walls. Their lace is crisp and heavy, scented faintly of lavender sachets kept in cedar drawers.
Tip: Ask to see Maria's tablecloth embroidered with tiny crabs along the border—she'll blush and quote half the price the Laganas shops demand.
Askos Stone Park
Peacocks scream across shaded lanes where wild tortoises crunch fallen figs. Stroke the rough backs of rescued donkeys and sip warm goat's milk straight from the pail.
Tip: Feeding starts at 11am sharp; the goats know the yellow bucket and swarm you like puppies.
Where to Eat in Volimes
Taste the best of Volimes's culinary scene
Taverna Phos
Family-run mountain taverna
Specialty: Rabbit stifado slow-cooked with pearl onions and cinnamon—€9 and comes with hand-cut chips
Kafenion To Kima
Traditional coffee house
Specialty: Thick Greek coffee served with a spoon of sour cherry preserve on the side—€1.50
Bakery of Eleni
Wood-fired village bakery
Specialty: Olive bread still warm from the oven, crust blackened in spots—€2 for a loaf that lasts two days
To Steki tou Nikou
Grill house
Specialty: Lamb chops marinated in oregano and lemon, served with smoky charred peppers—€12 for a plate that feeds two
Getting Around Volimes
KTEL buses run twice daily from Zakynthos Town (€2.20, 75 minutes), stopping at the central square. From there, everything is on foot if you can handle steep lanes—Volimes isn't large. Taxis back down run about €30 after dark, though most tavernas will phone one for you. If you're staying overnight, ask your host to arrange scooter rental in nearby Agios Nikolaos; the ride up is twisty, but the views over olive terraces make up for it.
Where to Stay in Volimes
Recommended accommodations in the area
Villa Kyparissia
Boutique
€120-180
Pension Nostos
Mid-range
€45-65
Camping Anemousa
Budget
€10-20
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From St Paraskevi Monastery to hidden gems, Volimes offers something for everyone. Book your activities now and experience the best of this district.
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