Zakynthos Town: The Long Way Round to Navagio
The island capital's port is the slowest route to the wreck and the best full day on the water — 7 hours, three swim stops, the pirate ship. Who it suits.
Zakynthos Town is where most visitors arrive, where the ferries dock, and where the biggest boats are moored — so it is the port people assume they should leave from. It is also on the opposite side of the island from Navagio. Understand that one fact and everything else about these cruises makes sense.
Check Availability
The slowest route to the wreck — deliberately
The wreck sits on the north-west coast. Zakynthos Town sits on the east. A boat leaving here has to round the top of the island to reach the bay, which is why these are seven-hour trips while Porto Vromi manages the same destination in a 25-minute crossing.
That sounds like a criticism and isn’t. Nobody books a seven-hour island circuit as transport. They book it as a day out, and on that basis it is the strongest offer on the island: three swim stops, two cave systems, a full circuit of a coastline you would otherwise never see, and — if you pick the pirate ship — live entertainment from the moment you leave the harbour.
Judge these cruises as a day, not as a route to the wreck. If the wreck is all you want, you are on the wrong page.
The pirate ship
The Pirate Ship Cruise to Shipwreck Beach & Caves at $41 is the distinctive product here, and by now something of an island landmark in its own right. Seven hours, departing Zakynthos Town Main Port.
The route heads north to Xigia’s sulphur springs for the first swim, on to the Blue Caves and the Dragon Caves, around the top of the island for the photo stop at Navagio, then back via Shiza Oil Beach — a cove the ship can reach that most tour boats skip — and the Keri caves in the south.
Entertainment runs throughout: a welcome show as the ship leaves port, Greek dancing, pirate theatre. Families with children rate it highly, and the ship has shade, toilets and a sound system. Seven hours is still a long day for very small children. Our breakdown →
Hotel pickup is a separate booking option here, reservable until 23:00 the evening before; on the standard ticket you make your own way to the main port. Arrive 30 minutes before departure.
The other departures
Zakynthos Town has more Navagio listings than any other port, and the quality is more mixed. Ratings run from 3.4 to 4.3 across the shared cruises — noticeably below the 4.5-plus typical of the northern and west-coast boats — so read recent reviews rather than picking on price:
- Famous Zakynthos shipwreck daily cruise — $53, 67 reviews at 4.3, meeting by the public market near the port authority.
- Grand Island Cruise with 3 swim stops and pickup — $53, sailing past Cape Skinari and the white cliffs.
- A full-day cruise around the island with swim stops — $53.
- A half-day cruise at $37, the shortest option from this port and the lowest rated of them.
Private charters from here run from roughly $531.
The advantage nobody mentions
You do not need a car. The main port is walkable from most of Zakynthos Town, and several operators include hotel pickup as an option. For a visitor staying in town without transport, this is the only Navagio departure they can reach on foot — and the alternative, a land-and-sea tour, takes even longer.
What you won’t get
No landing, no swimming in the bay — prohibited through 31 October 2026, with boats holding about 50 metres offshore (current status). Navagio is a photo stop on every one of these itineraries; the swimming happens at Xigia, Shiza Oil Beach and the Keri caves. And no cliff-top viewpoint, which is reached by road.
You should also expect the wreck late in the day’s sequence. On a seven-hour circuit you arrive at the bay well after the morning boats from Porto Vromi and the north have come and gone — which means more traffic in the bay and higher sun.
Who should leave from here
Zakynthos Town suits you if you want a full day on the water rather than a trip to a beach, if you are travelling with children who will enjoy the entertainment, if you have no car and are staying in town, or if swim stops and cave systems matter as much as the wreck.
Choose another port if your priority is the wreck itself, or if seven hours on a boat sounds like six hours too many. Porto Vromi does it in three; Agios Nikolaos adds the Blue Caves and still gets you back in under three.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to reach Navagio from Zakynthos Town?
Most cruises from the main port are seven-hour island circuits, because the wreck is on the opposite coast. It is the longest Navagio itinerary on the island — Porto Vromi crosses to the same bay in 25 to 30 minutes.
Is the pirate ship worth it?
For a family day out, yes — three swim stops, two cave systems, shade, toilets and entertainment all day for $41. As a way of seeing the shipwreck efficiently, no.
Do I need a car to leave from Zakynthos Town?
No. This is the one Navagio departure most visitors can walk to, and several operators offer hotel pickup as a bookable option.
Why are ratings lower from this port?
The cruises are longer, busier and more variable in quality, and a seven-hour day gives more opportunities for something to disappoint. Shared cruises here average 3.4 to 4.3, against 4.5 and above from the northern and west-coast harbours. Read recent reviews before booking.
Can I swim at Navagio on these cruises?
No. Swimming inside the bay is prohibited through 31 October 2026. These itineraries swim at Xigia, Shiza Oil Beach and the Keri caves instead — which, on a seven-hour trip, is more swimming than most shorter cruises offer.
Pick Your Port, Then Book
Porto Vromi is the shortest crossing at about 25 minutes each way. Agios Nikolaos pairs the wreck with the Blue Caves. Zakynthos Town makes a full day of it. Free cancellation on most departures.
Compare Departure Ports