The Greek island of Zakynthos is the southernmost of the Ionian island chain and the third largest of the seven islands on the west coast of Greece after Corfu and Kefalonia. Like the other islands, Zakynthos was part of the Venetian Republic for a long time. The Venetians called the island Zante and gave it the nickname "Fior di Levante", which means "Flower of the East". The name makes sense, as the island, which is barely 400 km2 in size, is home to over 7000 species of flowers. Sloping sandy beaches characterise the east of the island, while the rocky west coast has many beautiful bays, most of which can only be reached by sea.
