Spinalonga

Σπιναλόγκα

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 Island' has made it one of the most popular day trips in eastern Crete.

Spinalonga is a small island at the mouth of Elounda Bay in northeastern Crete. The Venetians built a strong fortress here in 1579, and the Ottomans did not capture it until 1715. In the 19th century it became a smuggling base for Ottoman Muslims. From 1903 to 1957, the Greek government quarantined the country's leprosy patients on the island. They built their own community, churches and shops there, and the colony closed only after antibiotics became widely available. British writer Victoria Hislop's 2005 novel 'The Island' is set here, and it made Spinalonga one of the most popular attractions in eastern Crete. An application for UNESCO World Heritage status was submitted from 2023. The visitor route is a one-hour loop trail. It passes through the 'Gate of Dante' tunnel that patients once walked through, the restored shopping street, the hospital, the disinfection house and 1930s residential houses, then the Saint Panteleimon Church. Finally, it follows the Venetian city walls and gun emplacements to the northern tip of the island, with views over the bay. Admission in 2025 was about 20 euros (April to October). The island is closed from November to March. Getting there: a small boat from Plaka village takes 10 minutes (round trip about 12 to 15 euros, departing every half hour). From Elounda, a boat takes 20 minutes and costs about 15 euros. From Agios Nikolaos, a one-hour sightseeing boat costs about 25 to 30 euros and includes a swim in a nearby bay. By car, it's about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Heraklion. The island has no shade, no food and only one kiosk, so bring water and a hat. On the way back, try fish at a seaside restaurant in Plaka. Elounda is Crete's most upscale resort area, and nearby Agios Nikolaos has a lake said to be 'bottomless' and a harbor.

Spinalonga

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