October

Hiya Jim, We are flying from Cardiff as well. Did you find out any more about the Amarylis Studios.

hiya lynne thank you for your reply.... we are flying from cardiff international airport. hopefully we will see you at the pool side and look forward to meeting you there.

Zante Top Tips & Tsilivi

Hello Everyone,
My wife and I have been to Tsilivi five times now, staying each time at 'Zante Palace' apartments. Here is some information that we hope you will find useful based on our personal experience. 'Have A Great Time'

I am assuming you have not been to Zante before.

1. When arriving at Zante airport you will be transferred by coach from the aircraft to the airport where you will pass through passport control onto luggage collection. This always makes me smile because it would be quicker to walk from the aircraft to the terminal, it's so close.
Once inside you will notice straight away how small and very busy it is. I would suggest making your way to the far end of the carousel making sure you stand the building exit door side. It's the last point for collecting luggage before it goes round again but at least you won't have to fight through the crowds to get out.

2. Once outside you will find plenty of taxis waiting on the far side, behind where all the coaches park. If by chance none are waiting, don't worry one will come along in a few minutes, they come and go all day. Just go up and ask for the price to take you your accommodation. It was about £7 - £8 pounds (converted) when we went in October 2001 to Zante Palace, and as you are staying near enough in the same area it should be about the same. This price is for the car, not per person. The Journey takes approx twenty - thirty minutes depending on the driver!. The drivers are all friendly and happy to help.
The thing I like about using taxis are that you beat the coaches to you accommodation so you get checked in nice and quick.

3. The water, not suitable for drinking unless you have very strong stomach. It's.o.k for boiling to make drinks and cleaning teeth but that's about it, and of course showering. Use bottled water which is cheap to buy from the local shop. It will work out even cheaper if you purchase in bulk. Go to the end of the long straight road (town end), turn left and about thirty yards on the left you will find a supermarket selling just about everything. Depending how close you are to Zante Palace apartments there is a small supermarket just below them at the other end of the long road which is very reasonable.
If your accommodation has a fridge, put your bottle of water in the ice box. Although it will turn into the largest ice cube ever, it will gradually thaw out when your out and about giving you a cold refreshing drink for a good part of the day.

4. Power Supply, 220 Volts AC, two round pin socket.

5. I don't know if your accommodation has air conditioning or not. If it hasn't you will normally find that you can hire a fan from reception for the duration of your holiday. It is definitely worth it and I would recommend it. Try and hire it when you check in as they are sometimes in short supply in high season. If they have safety deposit boxes for hire get one of those as well, again it is worth it, if only for piece of mind.

6. Car Hire, cheaper if you book it yourself rather than go through the rep. Again just go to the end of the road (town end) turn left and you will find several companies to choose from. if like us you prefer a scooter I can recommend 'Theo's' who keep all their scooters up to date with the latest models and will supply crash helmets if required. They can be found up in the town. Again go to the end of the road (town end) turn left, then right at the fork, carry on walking for about ten minutes where you will see 'Theo's' scooters on your right. They also do car hire. Don't forget to take your driving licence as this will be required when hiring either car or scooter and is usually kept by the company until the vehicle is returned. They will let you take your licence back if you prefer, just ask at time of booking.

Warning. Unless you are an experienced rider I would not recommend the scooter hire. The roads can be treacherous in places with large pot holes. The surface can also be like a skating ring in places due to the extremely dry conditions and type of surface. This is very noticeable in Zante Town.

7. One stop on from 'Theo's' scooter/car hire on the same side is the 'Utopia' bar run by, yes you guessed it, Yannis. Everyone seems to be called Yannis. He's a great guy and a true gent who will always be pleased to see you and help you out. He has a new yacht which he takes people out on trips round the island to places that you would not normally go on an organised trip. Mention our names and he will probably charge you double, haha. He has a hard life, he runs his bar with his mother and staff in the summer along with his boat trips and then in the winter he spends all his time ski-ing and snow boarding in his girl friends country, Austria or somewhere like that. It's a tough life, but someone has to do it!

8. For a great view of Zante harbour visit the Balcony Bar/Restaurant. You will need transport for this as it is a bit off the beaten track.
Directions. Follow the road as if heading towards Zante Palace. Keep following the road up and round the twists and turns for approx 2 - 3 miles. Keep your eyes open for the sign directing you to the Balcony Bar/Restaurant. You will turn right off the main road on to what some times seems a track. keep following the signs. Once there you will not be disappointed. A bit pricier than elsewhere, but the view is worth it.

9. There are many places to eat, all offering good quality and value for money. You will no doubt find a particular favourite. Most people don't eat before nine when the temperature has dropped to a more palatable level.

10. If like us you like to take the odd drink home!, I would recommend purchasing your tipple on the island as it is cheaper than the airport and on the aircraft. On the other side of the road before 'Theo's' scooter/car hire is a supermarket called 'Margarita's who we found could not be beaten on price, also do money exchange.

11. The bank. Situated in the town. At the end of the road (town end) turn left and left at the fork. Keep walking for a few minutes and you will see the bank on your left.
Although the exchange rate should be the same now they have gone fully over to the Euro you may still find you need to shop around for the best rate.

12. Medical. There is a very good pharmacy on the outskirts of the town with very knowledgeable staff that will actually sell you antibiotics over the counter if they think appropriate or will organise a doctor to see you. Again go to the end of the road (town end) turn left and left at the fork, keep going until you are almost through the town where you will see the pharmacy on your left. You can recognise it by the sign, a green cross on a white background.

13. The beach. You can't miss it, about a five -ten minute walk from your accommodation. Long stretch of soft sand which gets extremely hot and will burn your feet if not careful. Several places to get food and drink. Water sports span the beach including Para gliding and jet ski's. Don't bother going to the bar situated on the beach behind the jet ski place near Zante Palace, recognisable by a straw roof. Not up to much. There are two guys that just walk up and down the beach all day, one sells fresh fruit salad (Dennis the menace) and the other sells doughnuts. All fresh and very tasty. Not much in the way of toilet facilities unless your down the far end where some of the hotels back onto the beach. This is where the scooter can come in useful, if you know what I mean!.

14.Volimez market is a good place to visit for bargains in leather (especially belts) china, linen and rugs. A bit of a trek but worth it with plenty of places to stop on the way for refreshments and views. Allow a full day for this trip.

15. Zante Town. A bustling harbour town where there are plenty of shops including designer if you are prepared to scout round the narrow streets to find them. Remember, most but not all shops close in the afternoon until early evening so if you fancy a shopping trip best to do it in the morning. You can also see the fishermen bringing in the catch. They will sell you fish direct of the boat if you wish. This is also where you can get a good deal on boat trips of various sorts. Plenty of bars and restaurants where you can relax and just watch the world go by.

16. All public phone boxes use a phone card which can are cheap to purchase from most shops.

17. Postal Service, Don't bother sending post cards home, as you will have returned home from your holiday days if not weeks before they arrive.


18. Top Tip!, It's that time we either hate or can't wait, and that's going home. As I said at the beginning, Zante airport is very small in comparison with most airports.
And the departure lounge is no exception. Although it has a small duty free shop, refreshments and loo's it gets very crowded. There are allot of seats but are usually all taken. There is also usually a cloud hanging over the whole area from the smokers who are all either totally ignorant or cannot read the signs in the non smoking area's!.
To avoid this health hazard follow my tip.
When you have checked in your luggage instead of queuing up at passport control to go through into 'Lung Cancer City' just go back out side into the fresh air and sunshine. There are plenty of places about where you can sit, either in the sun or under a tree. The area where you checked in your luggage has all you should need, refreshment bar, toilets and a monitor. Just pop back into the terminal now and again to check your flight details on the monitor. When you know your flight is about to land or has just landed then queue up at passport control to go through. If by chance when you are queuing they call to say your flight is now boarding and your way back in the queue, just make your way to the front and explain to the other passengers that your flight is boarding and that you need to get through. They won't mind, trust me, I know from experience. If you time it right though you can almost go straight through passport control and onto the coach to the aircraft, bypassing Benson & Hedges test factory.
One last tip, when you first arrive at the airport you will no doubt have to queue up outside. Only part of the outside area is covered giving you some protection from the sun, so it is advisable to make sure you have a hat and a bottle of water available in your hand luggage as you could be queuing for anything up to an hour.

I hope this is of some use. It's surprising how a few helpful lines can turn into a book, perhaps I should get it published, haha.

By the way, there is life in the form of bars and shops if you turn RIGHT at the end of the road!

If you think of anything else that I might be able to help with let me know.

If you like the Greek Islands you may be interested in taking a look at my web sites, one of which will be updated at the end of June when we return from Kefalonia.

mysite@freeserve.com/digitalgallery

No need for www.

HAVE A GOOD TRIP.

Regards

Stephen

Hi everyone,

Could someone please help me, I am goin to Lagana on 3rd Oct for 2 weeks and staying at the Laganas Hotel, just wondering what the weather is like during this time of year and most importantly what the nite life is like......

I am going to alkanas beach village on the 2nd of october i am worried there will nothing to do is there any water parks shopping or anything to do please help

Going to Hotel Ikaros on October 12th 2003, what kind of weather can I expect?

I went to Lagana with my friend in october last year from the 15th and stayed for a week. Beautiful weather all week, and got a wicked tan. However, the day we left it was overcast, so maybe bring a couple of cardigans if you go later in the month.

Just wondering if any one can help. me and my fiance are getting married at the end of september and are going to Tsilivi for a sort of honeymoon(want to take children),on 1st October 2003. Any ideas of how the weather is there at that time of year and how warm it'll be.
Oh and my fiance is worried about Iraq being not to far away from greece aswell, any comments? please email me direct at april@ukpsycho.fsnet.co.uk. thank you.

MESSAGE FOR LOUISE VENNICOME. I'm flying to Tsilivi on October the 5th. This will be my third time in Zante. We always go in October, and we have never had any bad weather yet. The sun still shines and temperatures rise however it sometimes gets a bit chilli at night but not too cold. A cardigan will do. Hope you enjoy ur holiday.

i am going on the 2nd of october any comments???

went 20/28th october,not a drop of rain all week, couple of days in the 80's and other days mid 70's. It was gorgeous. cooler in the evenings, but not cold. think we picked the best week, especially in view of the gales in england!

Arrived back 28th weather hot and sunny with a cool breeze on the odd day and at night. What shops bars etc that were still open were due to close on 29th. Everywhere was so quite in the day. Many parting words from the locals were have a good winter I think they are looking forward to a well deserved break.

Just returned on 24 October. Have been to Zante in June and July but never late in the season. The weather was really nice. It was cloudy on our last couple of days but the sun came out later on. Really warm through the day but the nights do get a little chilly. Obviously being in Laganas so late in season meant that a lot of places were closing down for the season and it was really quiet on the Main Street in comparison to the heights of June and July, but still had a fab time.

Forgot to say that everywhere is covered in wild lilac cyclamens......beautiful.

Just spent the first two weeks of Oct in Zante. Have been visiting the island for nearly 20 years now......yes, a fan indeed. It was the wettest yet,but it mostly rained at night, so that was ok. Amazing electric storms, magnificent cloud covered mountains,great to see it so different, still warm though........and when the sun did come out,which it did often, the place shone.

Going to Laganas 21st to stay with friends spoke to them last night weather 27c today forecast 30c and long range is good. My 15yr son loved it in Aug made lots of friends hardly saw him. where are u staying

We had one full day of rain(stayin bed) and six hot days..one on the mainland when apparantly it was cloudy until 3.00pm in Argassi.Also had one spectacular electric storm and minor earthquake.Last major Quake Nov.2001 mes.7.5.

wev`e just got back from amoudi, the weather was fantastic 26-30c

Going to Laganas on 20th Oct with friends and their family. Our Children are aged from 7 to 15. Any recommendations? Thanks

Sandra - I worked in Laganas a few years ago and it is always an excellent place to go if you want PARTY, PARTY, PARTY!!! Things do slow down a bit towards the end of the season and not all bars are open but I am sure you will have a good time and find enough to keep you happy. The weather is more unpredictable - sometimes boiling hot and then sudden chilly and rainy and the sea really rough (excellent fun!!). I would recommend taking a light jacket or cardi as it does get nippy in the evenings but in the day it is warm. Bee Garden is an excellent Chinese restaurant, worth the slightly high prices, you can cut down by sharing dishes as the helpings are pretty big! Otherwise Big Boys, Cosy Corner, the place opposite Zeros (small cafe-type place), Penguin (near the beach), George's Place (by Hotel Natali). Don't know what Borsalino appts like, try reading the reviews on this site (which is cool by the way). Hope you have a great time, I am sure you will.

Me and my wife are going to Tsilivi on the 14th Oct for 2 weeks, I would like to know what type of weather to expect. I was also wondering if there are plenty of places still open to wine & dine.

i live here for several months a year with my man and october is lovely his club is closed but some are still open

what is the weather like the last two weeks in october,and will everything still be open, (trips & bars ect)

Message for Victoria W- Thankyou for your comments they are very useful- really looking foward to going. Flying from Birmingham and staying at Tsiolis Studios. Enjoy your holiday !

Message for TINA THOMAS: I'm also going to Tsilivi for the first two weeks in October. Ive been twice before, both also in October. The weather is still quite hot although some days can be moderatly warm. In the evening, can still be warm but gets chilli as the night goes on so be sure to take a cardigan. PLACES TO EAT: 'Faulty Towers' do a smashing range of food at reasonable prices. It is owned by an English couple from Lymm, Cheshire. 'Popeyes' is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Tsilivi. Also 'Pieros' and 'The Olive Tree.' Hope this information has been useful. Enjoy your holiday. Tsilivi is a lovely resort, so I'm sure you will have a fab time. PS: Where ru staying?? And where u flying from??

Iam going to Tsilivi the first 2 weeks in October, i would like to know what to expect the weather to be like in the day/evening. If it gets very cold at night and some recommenations of places to eat.

I have been to kalamaki in October for the past three years.I normally go around the 20th October.Every time i have been the weather has been excellent.Just make sure you have warm clothes for the evening because it does get a bit cold.

Just beware, I went a couple of years ago for the first two weeks of October and it rained continuously for 10 days!! We had horrendous thunder storms and flooding. The four days it didn't rain were gorgeous. My motto 'be prepared'!!!!!

Me and my boyfriend are staying in lagana from 29/09/02 to 13/10/02 and i would like to know if the weather will still be nice then and also will the boat trips still be running? Any ideas on day trips will be gratefully recieved! What is tony's studios like? Thanks

Going to Kalamaki in october with wife and 3 kids aged 8 to 13. What will weather be like beach etc. Any info welcome. Cheers.

We got back on October 11th. It was really hot and in the high 30's. Really liked it!

Just got back last nite.Laganas was great.The weather was in the 80's all week take a jacket 4 nite time as it gets chilly.sum places are beginning 2 close up but it was still really busy 4 the 2nd last week of the season

Just got back Otober 17th and have not seen a cloud in the sky. Very hot during the day. A little cooler at night. Everthing was open. just one bar was closed on beach. Might have trouble getting certain drinks in some bars.Loads of sunbeds. Still very busy in main street at night.

i managed to get a holiday to laganas late deal for only â£124 including flights and 9 days accom. i have heard the studios are really dingy though, how far is the beach away and does anyone know of any g*y clubs/parts? cheers

to liz devine dear liz whilst quieter i n oct you will find no end of places open late you will be royally entertained im sure. its what you make it. have a great time andy

we are two mums going to laganas, with our 10 and 12 year old sons who like to be entertained.is there anywhere on the strip familys can chill till late, well about 12.30 or so.or have we made a mistake taking kids with us, as it seems to be an 18-30 place,anyway to late to cancel,we are due there on 15 oct so advice apreciated as soon as poss.Helpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

I am travelling to Zante for one week at the beginning of october,will it be warm during the day and will the night life in Laganas be good still ?

We are staying at Tony's Studios in Laganas can you tell me how long it will take to get to the main town. Is it easy to get to the town and can we walk it. Thanks for any help

The weather in October,what are the temperatures do you get alot of rain

Ice creams are difficult to find as the freezers are being turned off. That's the only problem we had. A bit of rain on a couple of days, but the sea was warm. We didn't find it was cold like other Greek islands can be at this time of year.

All - Generally the first 2 weeks in October are warm in the day and cool at night. Most places are still open and doing business, but can be quiet. Last 2 weeks can have rain storms (bring a brolly) and can get very cold at night (jumper or jacket). Many businesses will close in the last 2 weeks, so don't expect all resort facilities to be open (eg watersports). Hope this helps!

Please can anybody recommend a good place to stay and give comments on the weather and nightlife. I want to travel the first two weeks in October with 3 other adults and 3 children

We are off to Argassi 7 October for a week. What do I need to pack? Is it still warm in the daytime? Does it get chilly at night? Do I need my umbrella????

My husband and I are visiting Laganas on 10th October.Will it be warm enough to swim in the sea and is everything still open.

we go every year in the last week of october. although it is quiet and some bars are closing down we have found they will often open up again just for you. the weather is generally mild to warm but cooler and can be damp in the evenings. its a great time to do site seeing and to hire a car.

I stayed in Laganas last October and thought it was a good time to visit. The beach isn't crowded and the whole place had a more relaxed atmosphere. The town centre was still busy at night, but the bars on the outskirts were empty. The weather was still warm, but it got cloudy now and again and rained once, but it's a lot better than back home. The main reason to visit at this time of year is because of the cracking deals you can get on flights and hotels.

What is the weather like early october

i went at the begining of the monthand it rained,but i like zante and i dont think it matters what time of the year you go coz the atmasphere is so great and the locals are really nice.