Things To Do in Tsilivi

Tsilivi comes up trumps in the seafood department. Any of the Greek tavernas along the main strip can rustle up giant prawns, lemon-drizzled calamari or lobster. And some places offer a deluxe food platter that will easily feed 2. If you venture up the hill, you’ll find rustic eateries where lively Greek nights are usually on the cards.

This new waterpark has a portfolio of corkscrew, kamikaze and black hole rides. Its mini slides, lazy river and the pirate ship that spurts water from its galleys also offer up gentler attractions for small children. There are plenty of sunbeds and restaurants, too. And if you don’t feel like spending the whole day here, arrive at about 2.30pm and it’s half-price.

At Ark Bar you can unwind after a hard day at the beach with a cocktail and some live entertainment – the Elvis shows bring the biggest crowds. It’s a family kind of place, with a play area in the back for the children, plus there are 8 screens showing sport. If you get peckish, they do ice-creams and crepes.

Tsilivi is rising up through the nightlife ranks in Zante, and these days only Laganas is more heaving. The main street is a mix of cocktail bars, disco pubs and bars, which cover the entire entertainment spectrum, from Greek dancing through to Elvis impersonators. For something more laid-back, you’ve got a futuristic-looking 4-lane bowling alley that’s a hit with young children.

People looking for a bit of buzz with their beach will love Tsilivi. There are all sorts of watersports, from pedalos to jet-skis. Best of all is the parasailing. You’ll get whisked along the whole length of the beach, then back again. The watersports centres are in the middle of the beach – you can’t miss them.

Over in Zante Town, things get lively when holidaymakers and locals crowd in for 3 days of traditional music and dancing. You can listen to the sound of bouzouki – a kind of Greek version of the blues – played on mandolin in the town’s smaller music venues. Or you can stay outside for some Greek folk music, if your knees are up to it.

Not far from the sands, a cluster of shops stock jewellery, bags and sundresses, plus the usual Greek Island souvenirs, like blue glass eye beads and leather bracelets. If you’re looking for crafts with an authentic slant, head to the area nearest the mini-golf where you can pick up glazed ceramic bowls and Zantes’s coveted leatherwear. The locally produced olive oil will also make a welcome addition to anyone’s kitchen back home.

Ouzo-marinated ribs, lamb steaks from the local hills, finger-stickying baklava – traditional Greek goodies like these are all on the menu in Tsilivi’s tavernas. You’ll find these family-friendly places dotted all about the village, so you’re never far from a mid-afternoon meze or post-beach skordostoumpi – a local speciality made with aubergines and garlic.

Not the most imaginatively-named restaurant, but the food at this family-run diner more than makes up for that. They dish up local staples like feta salad, moussaka, and pougi – a puff pastry stuffed with tender, seasoned lamb. And it gets full marks for presentation – the fruit salad is made to look like a palm tree swaying on a desert island.

This fun bar on the south side of the village is decked out like a Fifties’ diner and, as the name suggests, is a bowling alley, too. It’s got 4 lanes to play on, plus pool tables and air hockey. Between bowling bouts, you can take your drinks and snacks outside to relax on the sofas and swinging chairs.

Tee off at Tsilivi’s colossal 16-kilometre Fantasy Mini Golf. You’ve got 3 courses to get round, all helpfully colour coded for different playing levels. Waterfalls, revolving windmills and erupting volcanoes make things fun – and you pay half price if you play again. You can rest between games at the café bar, and there’s a free play area for the little ones.

For a homemade souvenir, try ceramic artist Dionysia Avouri’s studio in nearby Marineika. You can watch her at work while cooling off with a glass of her homemade lemonade. Shopping-wise, you’ll find everything you need in the places dotted around town. A couple of supermarkets will see you right for picnicky bits, while the souvenir shops have got novelty T-shirts, postcards and key rings covered.

It’s a beach of two halves here. The stretch is split into 2 areas – one with a pile of sunloungers to rent, one that’s just for laying on with your towel. If you’re into watersports, there’s a good quota of pedalos, banana boats and jet-skis here. It can all get quite hectic at times, though, so if you want a more secluded spot, you can walk to the quieter Tragaki Beach nearby.