Alykes holidays

The food in this hotspot is served beachside, where dramatic sunset views make your meal all the more memorable. Porto Paradiso places you under towering palms, the menu offers meatballs cooked in herbs and onions, succulent grilled lamb chops and tasty zucchini fritters served with tzatziki. In fact, it’s that delicious TripAdvisor ranked it number one in the resort. Paulos Corner are renowned for their gyros, while Paradosiako Taverna satisfies holidaymakers with its traditional Greek fare including stifado, a meat-filled tomato stew. Or, try loukoumades for dessert, fried balls of dough drenched in honey and cinnamon. Mornings are best started with a foam-covered ice coffee, also known as a frappe. Whereas local wines such as Retsina accompany meals perfectly. The cocktail menu at Yria and Iris Bar combine fruit juices and aniseed flavoured spirits for the ultimate concoction.

With the beauty of the Ionian Sea on your side, the beach in Alykes resembles the Caribbean. Decorated with white grains and shallow sapphire waters, this picture-perfect stretch will have sun worshippers in awe. There’s hundreds of sunloungers available, alongside watersports including jet-skiing, paddleboarding and pedal boats. Nearby find the curved cove of Alykanas Beach that overlooks the flawless coastline of Kefalonia. This scenic sand spot allows beach-goers to unwind and small swimmers to splash in knee-deep ripples. There’s a selection of shops, restaurants and bars to ensure all your basic amenities are catered for.

Although a peaceful resort, Alykes still has plenty of must-visit spots. One of the most iconic is the salt flats, this fascinating piece of land is full of exotic wildlife and can be easily explored by foot. It’s also just 25 minutes away find Zante Town, where museums and ancient relics lie on every street corner, these beautifully restored buildings reflect Roman and Venetian periods.

Smugglers’ Cove: Also known as ‘Shipwreck Beach’, this mesmerising stretch is among one of the most beautiful in the world. Its arc of immaculate white sand and turquoise Ionian waters are unlike any other in Greece, it’s framed by mountainous cliffs which can be found on the postcards of Zante for its idyllic allure. When it comes to history, Smugglers’ Cove has plenty. Legend has it, that in 1980 a ship full of illegal cigarettes and wines smashed into the nearby rocks and washed ashore. Days can be spent wandering the shipwreck, snorkelling in the waters or enjoying sunny panoramas from the viewing platform.

Water Village: Open from May to October, say hello to one of the biggest waterparks in Greece. Countless hours of fun await with facilities such as go-karts, trampolines, mini golf and football onsite. But the main attraction here is the slides, with high-speed hydrotubes, wild rapids, multi-racing shoots and black holes. Among the adrenaline-filled rides find huge hot tubs, lazy rivers, octopus slides for tiny tots and giant tipping buckets. There’s free sunloungers among a selection of eateries including a tasty gelateria and a souvenir shop which features a photo printing service.