Blue Caves

Landmark

Landmark · Zakynthos, Greece 37.9336°N 20.6995°E

Why you should go

Ninety seconds on Blue Caves

Time needed

About an hourCaves-only boat trip

Best time

MorningBrightest 9am to noon

Effort

Easy, seatedOptional swim stop

Season

May to mid-OctoberWinter trips on request

Access

By boatCliffs are steep

Guide

Not neededBoat trips or self-drive hire

Getting there

How do you get to the Blue Caves in Zakynthos?

By boat. Most of the caves can be reached only from the sea, and Agios Nikolaos is the usual departure port. Cape Skinari, on the cliff above, is the closest point on land.

Swimming

Can you swim in the Blue Caves?

Ask the crew, as accounts differ. Small-boat operators say passengers can slip into the water inside the arches, while one local guide says swimming is forbidden in the main caves because of boat traffic. The water is 4 to 8 metres deep, so it suits confident swimmers, not non-swimmers or very young children.

With Navagio

Can you visit the Blue Caves and Navagio on one trip?

Yes. Cruises of two and a half to three hours sail first to Navagio and call at the Blue Caves on the return leg. They are the most popular choice on a first visit.

Winter

Do boats go to the Blue Caves in winter?

Only on request. The regular boat season ends in mid-October, and between November and March some operators still run trips when asked, if the weather allows.

On a short boat trip from the harbour at Agios Nikolaos, you watch the sea turn an almost neon blue inside limestone caves at the northern tip of Zakynthos.

What makes it special

The Blue Caves are a chain of natural caves and arches in the cliffs between the port of Agios Nikolaos and Cape Skinari. The chain ends in two named caverns, the large cave (Megali Spilia) and the small cave (Mikri Spilia). On most maps they sit just west of Cape Skinari.

The colour comes from the light. Sunlight enters the openings at the waterline, passes through shallow, clear water and reflects off the pale limestone seabed, then rises into the cave, so the water and the walls glow turquoise. It is much like the Blue Grotto on Capri.

Above the cape stands the Skinari lighthouse, the landmark to look for from the water.

Visiting

Boats leave from the harbour at Agios Nikolaos, on the northeast tip of the island, about 15 minutes by sea from Cape Skinari. In July and August they go out several times a day. Short caves-only trips and longer cruises that add Navagio Beach both leave from this harbour.

On a small boat the skipper steers slowly under the arches and into the caverns when conditions allow. Some trips then stop for a swim at a sheltered spot.

One operator also lists glass-bottom boats from the jetty at Cape Skinari lighthouse.

Tips

From Zakynthos town, allow roughly 90 minutes each way to reach Cape Skinari before the boat ride.

Pack a towel, water, snacks, a hat, sunscreen and a light layer against the wind on the open water. Ask the crew for a life jacket or a snorkel before you get in.

The water in the caves is around 22°C in June and 26°C in August and September, warm enough that you do not need a wetsuit for a short swim.

Know before you goAs of November 2026, every trip depends on the sea. A swell from the north or a strong northwesterly wind can shut the caves at short notice or cut a trip short, and no boat goes in when the sea is rough. Operators say they refund or reschedule a trip called off for safety.