Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
That is the whole draw. The water in the cove is cold where the springs enter, cloudier than the turquoise elsewhere on the coast, and it smells faintly of eggs. People swim in it deliberately.
What is actually there
A short beach of pebbles and coarse sand at the foot of a white cliff, with pine above and clear deep water off the shore. It is small in a way the photographs tend not to convey: the sand and the loungers together take up very little space, and once they fill, they are full.
Two coves sit side by side here. The northern one is the smaller and the one with the strongest spring; the second is a little wider.
Local tradition treats the sulphur as good for the skin, and that claim is repeated on every sign and menu in the area. We are a travel site and not a clinic, so we will describe what is there rather than tell you what it does for you.
The descent
Access is down a steep stair and path from the road above, which is where the parking is. It is a short descent and a genuinely steep one, on steps and packed ground, and it is the thing to weigh before driving out here.
There is a small taverna terrace at the top with the view over the cove, which many people treat as the actual visit.
Where it fits
Xigia is on the road between Zakynthos town and the north, which makes it a stop rather than a destination. The natural day runs:
- The Blue Caves and the far north cape.
- Xigia on the way back down.
- Tsilivi or the town for the evening.
If you want a full beach day rather than a curiosity, Gerakas and Banana Beach on the Vasilikos peninsula are the ones with room.
Last checked August 2026. Access conditions and seasonal facilities change - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
Why does Xigia beach smell of sulphur?
Natural sulphur springs seep out of the cliff and into the sea at this cove, which also makes the water noticeably colder and cloudier where they enter.
Is Xigia beach small?
Yes, very. It is a short pebble cove at the foot of a cliff, and it fills quickly in season.
How do you get down to Xigia beach?
Down a steep stair and path from the parking area on the road above. The descent is short but steep, on steps and packed ground.
Is the sulphur water good for you?
Local tradition says so and every sign in the area repeats it. We describe what is there rather than make health claims about it.
What is near Xigia?
It sits on the north-east coast road, which makes it a natural stop on the way to or from the Blue Caves and the northern cape.
Next
Read best beaches in Zakynthos, the Blue Caves, or Gerakas.