Classical destination for teenagers, mostly British, but also for many Italians, specially in August. There is who says that he had the most beautiful vacation of his life in Laganas. Clubs, music, tons of booze, sex: easy and libertine … a haven for youngsters, a hell for their parents … if they only knew 😉
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Charter flights land one after another, each one discharging hundreds of kids, who obviously did not come attracted by the turtles. Their average age I think must be around 18. It ‘s exactly the kind of place we use to avoid like the plague: mass tourism, mediocre service, everything revolves around the artificial entertainment, the kind built by the tourism industry. But we didn’t come to party, we are here to understand how this type of tourism works for a documentary project, and we are ‘forced’ to stay here for at least 4/5 days.
The first impression, decidedly negative, changes within less than 24 hours. Yeah ok, the exploitation of tourists is clear, they are meat for slaughter for local and foreign businessmen, but then I realize one important detail: these guys really have fun! They have everything they had imagined before leaving, and maybe even more. In fact I feel a little ‘jealous. Where were places like this when I was young?
The main street is lined with pubs and clubs, among them spring up various liquor stores, clinics open 24 hours, piercing and tattoo labs, costumes shops for theme parties, much in fashion and a couple of fast food. The rest of the restoration offer is scattered in the side streets. Around six in the afternoon the walk around begins. Many even buy an ‘organized tour’ of the best venues with free drinks included! It goes in crescendo until dawn, when all retire to their hotel, some with difficulty. Others prefer to lie on the beach to recover a little. In the morning the main street is almost deserted, just as the beach is, besides some corps scattered around and a few couples still ‘talking’.
We were told that some visitors do not even know they are in Greece, let alone being in Zakynthos. For all they care they are in the amusement park called Laganas.
A couple of practical information: we slept parking in the back streets with no problems, see google map. Water, we found 4 km to the north, in front of the church of the village Pantokratoras.
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