Kambi — The Cross, the Cliff, and the Sunset

Kambi is barely a village. A handful of houses, a church, two tavernas, and a concrete cross on the edge of a 300-metre cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea. That’s it. No shops, no hotels, no beach, no nightlife. Just the cliff, the cross, and what many claim is the single most dramatic sunset view in all of Greece.

They might be right.

The Cross

The Stavros (Cross) of Kambi is a large concrete memorial cross erected on the cliff edge in memory of resistance fighters and civilians killed during and after the Second World War. The history is painful: during the German and Italian occupation, and in the civil conflict that followed, people were executed or thrown from these cliffs. The cross commemorates them.

The memorial’s setting amplifies its emotional power. Standing at the base of the cross, you look straight west over 300 metres of vertical cliff face to the sea below, with nothing between you and the horizon but air and the curvature of the earth. On clear evenings, you can see the coast of Cephalonia to the north and the open Ionian stretching to Italy.

The Cliffs

The western coast of Zakynthos between Porto Schiza and Kambi is the island’s most dramatic geological feature — a continuous wall of limestone cliffs plunging vertically into deep blue water. At Kambi, the cliffs reach their maximum height: approximately 300 metres of sheer drop. Looking down from the edge (if you dare) you see the white limestone face falling away, the sea birds circling far below, and the dark blue water at the base where depth and shadow merge.

There is no fence at the cliff edge. This is not negligence; it’s Greece. Be careful. The rock is stable near the cross but crumbling in places along the footpath.

The Sunset

Every evening from about May to October, a small crowd gathers at Kambi to watch the sun drop into the Ionian. The two cliff-edge tavernas — Stavros and Cross — fill their terraces, the cross glows orange in the last light, and the sky does what the sky does when there’s nothing between you and the western horizon.

The sunset at Kambi is genuinely spectacular. The altitude, the unobstructed view, the deep colour of the sea below, and the complete absence of any artificial light or structure on the horizon combine to produce a natural display that justifies the 45-minute drive from most parts of the island.

Arrive at least an hour before sunset to secure a terrace table. The tavernas don’t take reservations and the best tables go to whoever’s there first. Order mezedes and wine — the food is simple taverna fare, competently made, with the view doing most of the work.

The Tavernas

Taverna Stavros (nearer the cross) has the more dramatic location — its terrace is quite literally on the cliff edge, with a low wall between you and the drop. The vertigo is real and not everyone manages to eat comfortably.

Cross Taverna (slightly back from the edge) is marginally less terrifying and has slightly better food. Both serve standard Greek taverna dishes: salads, grilled meats, local wine. Prices are reasonable given the location.

Getting There

Kambi is 25 kilometres from Zakynthos Town — about 40 minutes by car on winding mountain roads through Machairado and the western hills. There is no bus service. The road is well-maintained but narrow in places, with sharp curves. Drive carefully, especially on the return in the dark after sunset.