Zante - The Magical Island

For many, Zante has a reputation for cheap drinks and an all-night party scene, but Zante (or Zakynthos, to give its Greek name) is a magical island to visit. I've visited a couple of times and next summer will hopefully see my return to the 'Flower of the Levant'.

The clear and transparent sea, the smell of the pines, the chance to wander traffic-free lanes through groves of twisted olives and the fabulous local culinary delights are what pulls me back to Zante. Away from the buzzing nightlife of Laganas (the south coast resort behind Zante's non-stop party image), the island's appeal is way more laid-back and authentic than one might think.

The third largest of the Ionian Isles, it has a lively capital, sleepy interior and stretches of untouched coast to discover. Even Laganas Beach has surprises: leave behind the beachfront bars and holiday makers roasting themselves on rows of sun loungers and you'll find the wild, empty sands of a National Marine Park where sea turtles crawl ashore to nest.

Laganas Beach is the island's biggest. Filling a sweeping bay, its calm, shallow waters are perfect for swimming and its resorts (Laganas at one end, Kalamaki at the other) provide a heady blend of lazy days and late nights. Other shores worth seeking out include watersports-friendly Argassi , or Gerakas arguably the prettiest, at the island's south-eastern tip.

All, however, are trumped by Zante's most famous beach, Navagio. Tucked beneath sheer, white cliffs and fronting a vivid, cobalt-blue bay, it's instantly recognisable for the shipwreck plonked picturesquely on its pebbles, in doing so creating one of the most enduring and iconic snapshots of Greece. Inaccessible by land, the only way to get here is by boat, so either take a group tour or upgrade the experience by hiring your own vessel and beating the crowds.

Other highlights across the island include sleepy villages such as Keri, which sits on a pine-covered headland in the south, not far from Laganas. Closer to Navagio at the other end of the isle is even sleepier Ano Volimes, which is home to Kaminaki, one of my favourite ever restaurants. The food - mostly organic and produced in the village - is fantastic, and the charismatic owner, Dennis, turns simple suppers into memorable events. Make the experience even more special by raising a glass of Verdea, Zante's indigenous wine that's made from local grape varieties - Yamas!