Laganas ( el, Λαγανάς) is a village and a former municipality on the island of

Zakynthos Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; el, Ζάκυνθος, Zákynthos ; it, Zacinto ) or Zante (, , ; el, Τζάντε, Tzánte ; from the Venetian form) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. Za ...

, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality

, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit Laganas covers the southernmost part of Zakynthos. Its municipal seat was the town of Pantokratoras (pop. 925 in 2011). The municipal unit of Laganas has a land area of 74.104 km². Its largest towns are Mouzaki (pop. 1,702),

Lithakia Lithakia ( el, Λιθακιά) is a village in the southern part of the island of Zakynthos, Greece. In 2011 its population was 1,307. It is situated at the foot of low hills, about 2 km from the Ionian Sea coast. It is 3 km west of the b ...

(pop. 1,307), Pantokratoras, Kalamaki (pop. 890), Laganas (pop. 729), and

Keri Keri () is a Hebrew term which literally means "happenstance", "frivolity" or "contrariness" and has come to mean seminal emission. The term is generally used in Jewish law to refer specifically to the regulations and rituals concerning the emiss ...

(pop. 469). The central and eastern part of the municipal unit are flat, but there are hills up to 450 m elevation in the west. The

Zakynthos International Airport Zakynthos International Airport "Dionysios Solomos" is an airport in Zakynthos, Greece. History In December 2015, the privatization of Zakynthos International Airport and 13 other regional airports of Greece was finalized with the signing of ...

lies in the eastern part of the municipal unit, near Kalamaki. The beach village Laganas, part of the community of Pantokratoras, is on the southeastern coast. A large part of Laganas is a national park, established for the protection of turtles.

History

The name "Laganas" comes from the Greek word "lagini" meaning "jug", referring to the former manufacture of pottery in the area of Lithakia and Kalamaki. Laganas suffered great damage from the

1953 Ionian earthquake The 1953 Ionian earthquake (also known as the Great Kefalonia earthquake) struck the southern Ionian Islands in Greece on August 12. In mid-August, there were over 113 recorded earthquakes in the region between Kefalonia and Zakynthos, and the m ...

Population

Laganas attractions

An attraction of Laganas is the migration of the

loggerhead sea turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...

s ''(Caretta caretta)''. Each year during the months of June, July and August the turtles migrate to the Bay of Laganas to lay their eggs on the beach. This is a protected beach which is watched over by

ecologist Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

s at all times. Laganas is a party destination in Europe for 18-30s visitors. The town has many nightclubs, restaurants and local souvenir shops. Laganas is popular among young British, Serbian, Dutch, Swedish and German tourists.. Laganas is home to over 100 bars and clubs and is busiest during the summer months of June, July & August.

Subdivisions

The municipal unit Laganas is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets): * Agalas (Agalas, Ai Giannis, Ampelos, Stimies) * Kalamaki (Kalamaki, Margaraiika, Pefkakia) *

(Keri, Apelati, Limni Keriou, Marathias) *

Mouzaki Mouzaki ( el, Μουζάκι) is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of the Karditsa regional unit, Greece. Mouzaki is located on the southwestern edge of the Thessalian plain, where the river Pamisos descends from the Agrafa moun ...

* Pantokratoras (Pantokratoras, Laganas)

References

External links