Spinalonga Island Tour: Fortress, Colony & Lunch

Walk through centuries on an island that was a Venetian fortress, an Ottoman town, and a leper colony until the 1950s.

A full-day guided boat tour from Agios Nikolaos that takes you to Spinalonga Island, where you walk the fortress walls and roofless dwellings of a closed leper colony with a local guide, then sail to the fishing village of Elounda for free time and a Cretan lunch, finishing in the coastal town of Agios Nikolaos. You arrive on the first ferry of the day to beat the crowds. Hotel pickup is included. The guide speaks English or German depending on your option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Spinalonga2h
2. Katharo Plateau2h

Explore Spinalonga and coastal towns

• Arrive early on first ferry
• Walk with local guide on Spinalonga
• Explore fortress and colony ruins
• Sail to Elounda village
• Free time to explore or swim
• Enjoy Cretan lunch at taverna
• Visit Agios Nikolaos coastal town
• Relax at bars by inshore lake

The experience

Spinalonga sits just offshore from Crete, but stepping onto it feels like crossing into another era. The island has been a Venetian outpost, an Ottoman stronghold, and from the early 1900s until 1950, a leper colony: a history that earned it the name "Isle of Tears." Your local guide walks you through the narrow lanes of long-abandoned roofless dwellings, around the fortress walls, and through the colony itself, explaining what each space was and how people lived there. Arriving on the first ferry of the day means you move through the site before the crowds arrive.

After the island, the boat sails back via Elounda, a small fishing village where you have free time to swim, sit in the sun, or watch the harbor from one of the waterfront bars. Then you head to a nearby taverna for a traditional Cretan lunch. The day closes in Agios Nikolaos, a sheltered coastal town where the main draw is the boat-fringed inshore lake and the bars overlooking it.

The tour runs eight hours total and includes entrance fees to the island, a qualified licensed guide, lunch and water, and hotel pickup from either Agios Nikolaos or Herakleion depending on which option you book. You'll need to bring bathing gear, sunblock, your passport or EU ID, and proof of vaccination, a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours, an antigen test within 48 hours, or a recovery certificate if you've had Covid in the last 30 days.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to Spinalonga Island.
• a qualified local guide speaking English or German.
• lunch at a traditional taverna.
• water.
• hotel pickup from Agios Nikolaos or Herakleion.
• and use of a communication system so you can hear the guide clearly throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday and ThursdayDeparts at 08:00Last departure this season: 29 Oct

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 12 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by TUI HELLAS

Is this one for you?Choose the morning departure from your hotel if you want to arrive on the first ferry and move through the island before other groups. The early timing is what makes that possible. If you're based in Herakleion rather than Agios Nikolaos, both departure points are offered, so pick the one closer to where you're staying.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (2 to 12 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the leper colony on Spinalonga, and when did people stop living there?

Spinalonga was a leper colony from the early 1900s until 1950, when it closed. The guide shows you the roofless dwellings where patients lived and explains the history of the site as you walk through it.

Do I get free time to swim or relax during the tour?

Yes. After leaving Spinalonga, the boat sails to Elounda, where you have free time to swim in the sea, sunbathe, or sit at one of the waterfront bars before heading to lunch.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will I eat?

Lunch is included at a taverna near Elounda and features typical Cretan food. Water is also provided. Other drinks are not included.

What time does the tour start, and where do I get picked up?

Pickup is included from your hotel in either Agios Nikolaos or Herakleion, depending on which option you choose. The tour departs early to catch the first ferry to Spinalonga and runs for eight hours total.

Do I need any documents or health certificates to join this tour?

Yes. You'll need your passport or official EU identification, and proof of either full vaccination, a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours, an antigen test within 48 hours, or a recovery certificate if you've had Covid in the last 30 days.