A nice plan is to drive along the island. You can do it in one day, perhaps you won’t have the time to relax on one of the beaches, but you will know a more real side of this tourist destination.

Rent a car for the day, and hit the road south of Zakynthos. You can stop at Keri, a mountain village where you will meet the villagers and their ancestral ways of life. Food is superb: try the cheese and cold meats. The mastelado, a dry wine of the region is something you want to taste, no matter it is early in the day. You can try Maries, another nearby small village with stone houses and narrow streets.

Drive northwest to Maherado, another mountain village. On the way, you can stop at Lithakia. Enjoy the cultivated lands with citrus trees, olive groves and wine yards as you drive in the mountains. Everything is green. In Maherado, visit the church of Agia Mavra, a 14th century construction that houses frescoes and icons.

Driving west, you will arrive at Volimes, one of the island's best kept secrrets, near Shipwreck beach (here, you can take a dip in the water). Volimes is a beautiful mountainous village, with narrow streets going up and down the hilly terrain. It is very rural and tourists don’t usually visit the village. There, you have a real taste of old times. Try the cheese and the honey at one of the small stores in the east side. Or sit at one of the traditional cafes. From there, you can drive back following the same road and hit north to get to Alykes, a beach town. Follow the beach road to Zakynthos.