Tassos and his family have been providing the best food on Zakynthos since tha late seventie when it was a small taverna. Now, it's grown into a much larger restaurant, but the friendly service has remained just as efficient. Just see haw many locals eat there and you'll realise how authentic the food is. It must be the only restaurant on the island to get a full page enthusiastic review in the Times!

Spiros, Julie and the family are wonderful hosts! I suppose I should mention Paul as well, but he's so modest that he doesn't enjoy compliments! It's a marvellous place to cool off after a hot day on the beach!

Don't miss the pretty little beach at Xohoriati by the old village of Alikanas, just below the Shoestring - it's not as spoilt as the bigger beach nearer Alikes. When you're there, visit the friendly mini market run by Denis and Andrika Marinos.

We always get such a friendly welcome from Tina, Nikos and Sakis that it makes it a pleasure to visit the Iris - by far the best bar inalikes!

A really good tour operator that knows and understands Zakynthos well. Nothing flash - just good, basic accommodation in the more traditional, peaceful resorts such as old Alikanas and Vasilikos.

Really fresh fish, usually from the day's catch, friendly service, but sometimes very slow when it's busy.

This is really good local pottery with attractive designs, not the usual souvenir tat. The pottery's on the road between Gaitani and Macherado and Sigouros's shop in town on Alessandros Roma, next to the Olympic Airways office.

Don't try using the bank to change money on Monday morninngs - everyone comes in to deposit the cash takings from the weekend! Wads of banknotes to be counted!

I've been there throughout the whole season a couple of times and I agree with Big Brad and would add that August is extremely hot - in the 40s, not good for small children, and October can be very mixed weather, sometimes stormy and very cool in the evenings. Brad's right about the locals' reaction to the invasion - they enjoy us to start with, but can't wait to see the back of us by the end of the season. This applies even more to the reps. By late September their local romances have started to sour, reality is setting in, commissions are dwindling and they're fighting for places on the winter sun or snow programmes and the last person they want to see is yet another demanding "guest"!

If you are in the new part of Alikanas, on the road from Alikes to Zakinthos, go up the turning by Buster's, around the bend towards the church in the old part of the village and the Psarapoula is on the right.

Villa Thea is still good value for money because of its privacy, its location, the wonderful huge terrace and its view, but the owner, Andreas Marinos, has really got to spend some money to bring the accommodation into the end of the twentieth century, leave aside the twenty first! This year's Direct Greece rep, Hillary, is terrific and Denis and Adrika at the mini market provide a marvellous service.

It's also got great English food provided by Cyril and Jan, formerly at the Oasis, the Lofos and Diogenes!

I wish now that I'd never mentioned the beach at Xohoriati. Everyone, Chloe, Susie etc. seems set on giving away the secret. The big Alikanas beach which is an extension of the strand from Alikes is good enough with all its umbrellas, seaweed, bars and general Sunmed muck - go there, please! Enjoy life there with all the noise of "water sports" and the other paraphanalia of today's package holidays. Our little beach is really only for those who want a quiet break away from the hurly-burly of today's urban rat race.

That's nothing - I'm old enough to be a grandfather and I still fancy Tina. The only problem is that I've known Nicos for over twenty years.