Agios Nikolaos & Elounda

A resort area on the Mirabello Gulf in eastern Crete: the harbour town of Agios Nikolaos wraps around a lake, Elounda is home to luxury resorts, boats run to the former leper colony of Spinalonga, and Kritsa has Byzantine frescoes.

Agios Nikolaos and Elounda lie in the Lasithi regional unit of eastern Crete, curving around the western shore of the Mirabello Gulf. The regional capital, Agios Nikolaos, is a small town built around Lake Voulismeni and its fishing harbour, packed with restaurants, cafés and nightlife. About 11 km north, the calm waters of Elounda Bay are lined with Crete's most luxurious resort hotels, and Spinalonga Island at the mouth of the bay is eastern Crete's most popular sight, reached by boat from Elounda or Plaka. Inland, the mountain village of Kritsa preserves a 14th-century frescoed church, with the ancient city of Lato and the Kritsa Gorge nearby. Heading east along the coast, you reach the Minoan town of Gournia, the fishing village of Mochlos and the Richtis Gorge, and further on, the palm-forest beach of Vai and Toplou Monastery at the island's northeastern tip. To the south, it's about 40 minutes across the isthmus to Ierapetra, where boats leave for Chrysi Island. The climate is typically Mediterranean: May–Oct is swimming season, Jul–Aug is the hottest and busiest, and Apr–May and October are good for hiking and visiting archaeological sites. Getting there: Heraklion airport is about 70 km away, around 1 hour by car or KTEL bus. Local sights are spread out, so renting a car is recommended. Plan to stay 3–4 days: one day for Spinalonga and Elounda, one for Kritsa, Lato and the lake, and one for the eastern route to Vai or south to Chrysi Island. Note: many archaeological sites close on Tuesdays, and the midday sun in summer is intense.

Top sights

• Spinalonga – A small Venetian fortress island at the mouth of Elounda Bay. From 1903 to 1957 it was Europe's last leprosy colony, and the novel 'The Isl…
• Agios Nikolaos – A refined harbor town on Mirabello Bay. Its Voulismeni Lake connects to the sea through a narrow channel, and lakeside restaurants line its…
• Elounda – A luxury resort fishing village on the northern shore of Mirabello Bay, with calm waters lined with upscale hotels. Spinalonga Island is a…
• Voulisma Beach (Istron) – A golden-sand beach south of Agios Nikolaos, with turquoise, lagoon-like water often ranked among the most beautiful beaches in eastern Cre…
• Kritsa & Panagia Kera – A traditional handicraft village on a hillside with a small Byzantine church whose 13th- and 14th-century frescoes are well preserved and r…
• Ancient Lato – A Dorian ancient city on the north ridge above Kritsa, with stone stairways and a central square overlooking Mirabello Bay.
• Archaeological Museum of Agios Nikolaos – Houses artifacts from eastern Crete spanning the Minoan to Roman periods, with the Myrtos Goddess jug as its star exhibit.
• Plaka – A small fishing village directly opposite Spinalonga Island, only about a 10-minute boat ride away, with seaside tavernas where you can din…
• Kolokytha Beach – A secluded bay on the east side of the Spinalonga peninsula, with emerald shallow water, reachable only by boat or on foot.
• Almyros Beach – The largest sandy beach south of Agios Nikolaos town, with shallow water and fine sand, backed by a freshwater spring lake and reed wetland…
• Gournia – A well-preserved Minoan town site where the streets, houses and small palace layout are clearly visible.
• Kritsa Gorge – A limestone gorge beside the village of Kritsa, where the narrowest sections require scrambling over boulders by hand and foot; about 2–3 h…
• Richtis Gorge – A shaded gorge trail through plane trees, ending at a waterfall about 20 meters high, with the option to climb down to a bay for a swim.
• Mochlos – A quiet fishing village on the east shore of the Bay of Mirabello, with a Minoan site on the islet opposite and seafood tavernas right on t…
• Vai Palm Beach – Europe's largest natural date palm grove sits beside a golden sandy bay with a tropical-island feel, a signature sight of eastern Crete.
• Chrysi Island – An uninhabited island in the Libyan Sea with cedar groves, shell-sand beaches and pale blue water, reached by boat from Ierapetra.
• Toplou Monastery – A fortified monastery in the wilds of eastern Crete, known for its 18th-century icon and its wine and olive oil made on site.
• Olous – An ancient town site beside the Elounda causeway, partly submerged in shallow water after earthquakes; snorkel near the windmills and canal…

Where to eat

• Karnagio (Riga's Pita) – A Cretan restaurant on the shore of Lake Voulismeni, opened in 2004. It uses only Cretan produce and was voted the town…
• Migomis Piano Restaurant – A clifftop restaurant in a historic 1890s building overlooking Lake Voulismeni and the bay, with live piano in the even…
• Gioma Meze – A seafood meze spot on a hillside above the lake, with views of the lower town and Lake Voulismeni. Great for sharing a…
• Ferryman Taverna – A long-standing seafood taverna on Elounda's waterfront, about 200 m from the main square, with views of Spinalonga isl…

Itineraries

• Crete West-to-East Road Trip – A self-drive route across Crete, flying into Chania, driving towards Agios Nikolaos, and flying out of Heraklion.