Greece · Music
Events in Zakynthos, Greece
Zakynthos is split in two: Venetian-rooted kantades and a cappella arekia sung in the old-town tavernas, and the Laganas strip's international club scene. Plus the Shapes electronic festival each summer. Every show on Mood.
Zakynthos
Zakynthos music scene
Zakynthos has a musical tradition unlike mainland Greece, a legacy of centuries of Venetian rule. The kantades - sung love-serenades in chorus, accompanied by mandolin and guitar, their name from the Italian cantare - and the arekia, improvised four-part male a cappella songs learned by ear, are still performed in the tavernas of Zakynthos Town and the hillside village of Bochali. The island also produced Pavlos Carrer (1829-1896), a leading composer of the Ionian School and a pioneer of Greek opera.
The other Zakynthos is on the south coast at Laganas, whose 'Strip' is a dense, free-entry run of bars and clubs aimed at a young international crowd, open from late evening until sunrise through the summer. The Shapes festival brings a week of electronic and house music across the island each summer, with past lineups including Carl Craig, Louie Vega and Marcellus Pittman. Every concert and club night is on Mood.
Common questions
What are kantades and arekia?
Kantades are sung serenades with mandolin and guitar, a legacy of Venetian rule; arekia are improvised four-part male a cappella songs learned 'by ear'. Both are still sung in the tavernas of Zakynthos Town and hillside Bochali. Live nights are on Mood.
Where is the nightlife in Zakynthos?
The Laganas 'Strip' on the south coast is the island's club scene - a dense run of free-entry bars and clubs aimed at a young international crowd, open until sunrise in summer. Old-town tavernas keep the kantades tradition. Tonight's events are on Mood.
What is the Shapes festival in Zakynthos?
Shapes is an electronic and house music festival held across the island each summer, with past lineups including Carl Craig, Louie Vega and Marcellus Pittman. Dates and tickets are listed on Mood.
About Zakynthos
Zakynthos is an iconic Ionian island celebrated for its breathtaking turquoise waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and the world-famous Navagio Beach. Known in literature as the Flower of the Levant, the island possesses a unique Venetian-influenced cultural character, marked by vibrant folk music, distinct architecture, and a strong Mediterranean spirit. It serves as a vital sanctuary for endangered sea turtles, blending ecological significance with a timeless, sun-drenched Greek heritage.
