What happened to the tourist Greece of old, and does it still exist?

Laganas, Zakynthos, 1960s

There was a time when people visited Greece for their holidays, a time before laptops and smartphones, before TikTok and Facebook. It was a time that was simpler and more laid back.

In those decades, from the hippy trail to the mid 1990s, it was a different Greece. One that enticed people with its historical charm, and quaintness, with the possibility of visiting somewhere abroad that was unique and relatively “untouched” by tourism.

Visitors at the time would have explored a more traditional Greece, with less urbanisation. There would have been swathes of open land, history and miles of sweeping shoreline and with often not a sunbed in sight!

Greek hospitality was home cooked, or a small shack with a small menu but the best food you’ve ever tasted in your life. Locals would have tended the land, olive groves and currents, fished or worked in local businesses.

Exploring Zakynthos during these decades was an adventure. It was an exploration of the sights and sounds of Greece. Visitors could travel by bike, scooter or car, seeing where the next road or track would take you. There were no, or very few, tourism companies vying for your Euro, because Drachma was king and most “tourism companies” were simply locals giving you directions.

Buildings were mostly small and traditional, and the urban sprawl of big flashy hotels, apartments and villas was barely a light on the distant horizon.

It all sounds wonderfully nostalgic and idyllic doesn’t it? And you’re right, it was.

Times have changed, since, with tourism in Greece growing exponentially. Many call it progress. Others say it’s not a progress they would have wished for. Despite this, tourism in Zakynthos is now king, having stolen the crown from the discarded Drachma. Many of the once pristine areas of the island are now busy resorts, filled with tourists and influencers, the landscape unrecognisable with new buildings going up yearly.

Progress always come at a price, and many of the old ways of earning a living on Zakynthos have gone, because of these modern changes and continuance of modern tourism is how Zakynthians survive, to ensure they have money for themselves and their families.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, it draws us back to a different time. Whilst Zakynthos may have changed, to become more built up and busy, there are still places on the island where you can get a glimpse of the Zakynthos of the past. You just need to get off the beaten path, away from the resorts and seek it out.

Explore the images below for some great photos of the island during early years of tourism to see how many places you recognise!