ZnO nanopillars were successfully grown using both the vapor-liquid-solid and the aqueous chemical growth methods on different substrates, such as quartz, n-, and p-type non-porous Si wafer (flat) and microporous periodic Si structure (MPSiS). Scanning electron microscopy was employed to compare sample morphologies. The absorption was calculated employing the GW(0) method, based on the local density approximation, and with the projector augmented wave approach. Experiment and theory show a reasonable agreement when the shape of the optical absorption is considered. The measured absorption of ZnO nanopillars, on different substrates, is lower than that observed for ZnO films on quartz substrate, in the energy gap spectral range. A strong effect of MPSiS substrates on ZnO nanopillar properties is observed. The photoluminescence technique was also employed as an optical characterization.