Top Heraklion activities
Explore by category
Top Heraklion landmarks
Top Heraklion landmarks
Top Heraklion landmark tickets
Nearby to Spinalonga
Beyond Heraklion
Tours in nearby places
Explore Crete tours
Tours in similar places
Heraklion trip ideas
Choose dates
Close
Spinalonga
Free admission
Spinalonga
The Basics
Spinalonga is a popular tourist attraction, known for its archaeological site and fortress (once used as a Turkish bastion and leper colony), shallow pools formerly used to harvest sea salt, and pretty pebble beaches along clear waters. You can reach the island by boat trip from Plaka, Elounda, and Agios Nikolaos, but by far the best way to visit the island’s archeological site is with an expert tour guide. Many full-day Spinalonga tours include other nearby highlights like the so-called “bottomless lake” in Agios Nikolaos and the beautiful beaches on Kolokytha, and some offer a BBQ lunch. If you’re a more adventurous visitor, choose a tour that pairs a ride through the countryside on a 4x4 with a private speedboat trip to the island.
Well worth the price, great tour.
Excellent guide (Elena or Helena, I think), who was informative, friendly and knowledgeable. Plenty of time at each stop, and it was a very enjoyable day overall.
David_J, May 2024
Things to Know Before You Go
Spinalonga is for day-trippers only: There are beaches for taking a dip and a small snack bar on the island, but no accommodations.
Don’t forget a hat, sunblock, and plenty of water to stave off Crete’s summer heat.
Tours do not include the entrance fee for the Spinalonga archaeological site and fortress.
The fortress and archaeological site have stairs and uneven ground, and are not suitable for wheelchair users.
Older children enjoy touring the abandoned fortress, but infants must be carried as the site is difficult to visit with a stroller.
How to Get There
The island of Spinalonga lies 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Heraklion in Greece’s Mirabello Bay. To access the fort, you need to take a ferry or boat tour from Plaka or Elounda.
When to Get There
Spinalonga is most crowded in summer, which is also when the heat can be hard to manage. Plan your day around visiting the archaeological site in the early morning or late afternoon, and staying cool at the beach during the hottest time of day.
Spinalonga in Books and Movies
Spinalonga has been the setting for a number of books and movies—most famously the 2005 novelThe Island by Victoria Hislop, which was adapted into a Greek television series.
EN
d2ad80ed-2c6a-44d9-ab9d-0151b4745ec9
attraction_detail_overview
- Malia
- Star Beach Water Park
- Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre
- Acqua Plus Water Park
- CretAquarium (Thalassocosmos)
- Cretaquarium (Thalassokosmos)
- Watercity Water Park
- Chrissi Island
- Palace of Knossos
- Archanes
- Heraklion Archaeological Museum
- Koules Fortress
- Loggia
- Lions Square & Morosini Fountain
- Historical Museum of Crete