Crete · Lasithi

Excursions in Lasithi

Discover East Crete through Lasithi: the island fortress of Spinalonga, the blue waters of Mirabello Bay and Elounda, and the windmills of the Lasithi Plateau, all with hotel pick-up.

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Mirabello Bay, Lasithi, Crete ★ Loved by 50k+ travellers
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All excursions in Lasithi.

34 excursions
Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Chersonissos to Dia Island Crete

Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Chersonissos to Dia Island

6.5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Hersonissos port.

from €145 View
Sunset Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Hersonissos Crete

Sunset Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Hersonissos

3.5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Hersonissos port.

from €80 View
Afternoon Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Heraklion to Dia Island Crete

Afternoon Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Heraklion to Dia Island

5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Heraklion port.

from €125 View
Morning Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Heraklion to Dia Island Crete

Morning Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Heraklion to Dia Island

5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Heraklion port.

from €125 View
Premium Catamaran Cruise from Rethymno to Georgioupoli Bay Crete

Premium Catamaran Cruise from Rethymno to Georgioupoli Bay

6.5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Rethymno port.

from €145 View
Sunset Luxury Catamaran Cruise to Skaleta from Rethymno Crete

Sunset Luxury Catamaran Cruise to Skaleta from Rethymno

3.5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Rethymno port

from €85 View
Legends of Crete Crete

Legends of Crete

6+ hours

Pick-up and drop-off at hotel entrances or meeting points…

from €69 View
From Hersonissos: Half-Day Pirate Boat Trip with Lunch Crete

From Hersonissos: Half-Day Pirate Boat Trip with Lunch

6 hours · Outdoor

Please arrive at the port of Hersonissos 30 minutes…

from €59 View
Jeep Safari, Goat-Keeping & Cheese Making Crete

Jeep Safari, Goat-Keeping & Cheese Making

10+ hours · Outdoor

Pick-up and drop-off at hotel entrances or meeting points…

from €129 View
Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Island Crete

Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Island

10+ hours · Outdoor

Pick-up and drop-off will be at the hotel entrance…

from €67 View
Crete: WaterCity Waterpark Crete

Crete: WaterCity Waterpark

6 hours · Outdoor

Pick-up and drop-off will be at the hotel entrance…

from €42.5 View
Anopolis: Cretan Folklore Night Crete

Anopolis: Cretan Folklore Night

3+ hours · Historical

Pick-up and drop-off will be at the hotel entrance…

from €50 View
Not sure which to pick

Choosing your Lasithi trip.

Four trips fan out east from Lasithi, from a half day at Spinalonga to the mountain plateau. Here is how we would choose.

Spinalonga and EloundaShort on timeSpinalonga & EloundaA half day across Mirabello Bay to the old island fortress of Spinalonga, with Elounda for lunch.See the trip Jeep Safari LasithiFor a bit of adventureJeep Safari LasithiOff the tarmac by 4x4 into the mountains and back lanes of Lasithi, villages and viewpoints most tours miss.See the trip Most popularMirabello Bay CruiseBest on the waterMirabello Bay CruiseA full day on the calm blue of Mirabello Bay, the largest gulf in Crete, swim stops included.See the trip Lasithi Plateau and Cave of ZeusOne big day outLasithi Plateau & Cave of ZeusUp to the windmill plateau and the cave where Zeus was born, the green mountain heart of the east.See the trip
Book with the operator

Booking Lasithi direct.

The local team, not a reseller

You book with the Lasithi team behind the Spinalonga boats and plateau routes, not a platform passing you elsewhere.

Real people, quick to answer

Speak with our team by phone, WhatsApp or Viber every day from 08:00 to 22:00, before your trip and on the day itself.

Flexible hotel pick-up

Pick-up is planned around where you stay, from Agios Nikolaos and Elounda to Sitia and Mirabello Bay resorts.

Clear prices, no mark-up

The price shown is the trip price, with no extra booking-platform mark-up added on top.

If the sea or the weather cancels a Spinalonga crossing, we move you to another date or refund you in full.

The destination

About Lasithi.

Lasithi is the quiet, rugged east of Crete, where mountains drop to some of the island's clearest water. Its capital, Agios Nikolaos, wraps around Lake Voulismeni, and the coast runs from the luxury bays of Elounda to the palm beach of Vai.

Inland rises the Lasithi Plateau, a green bowl of orchards and old stone windmills. Off the coast sits Spinalonga, the Venetian island-fortress, while the far east keeps some of Crete's wildest and least crowded beaches. It also makes a base for exploring the rest of Crete, with Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania all within reach.

RegionEastern Crete
Known forSpinalonga & the Lasithi Plateau
CapitalAgios Nikolaos
Weather

When to visit Lasithi.

The east of Crete is warm and dry, with a long season from April to late October. Summer is hot and busy, while spring and autumn are ideal for the plateau and the sites.

MonthAir (day)SeaHow busy
May24°C20°CQuiet
June28°C22°CBuilding
July31°C24°CBusy
August31°C26°CBusy
September28°C25°CEasing
October24°C24°CQuiet
Fewest crowdsMay and October, with mild days and open beaches.
Warmest seaAugust into September, ideal for the Spinalonga boats.
Best for the plateauSpring and autumn, when the mountains stay cool and green.
Getting here

How to get to Lasithi.

Most of Lasithi is reached through Heraklion to the west, with a small airport and ferry port in the far east at Sitia.

Arriving by air

Most visitors reach Lasithi through Heraklion airport (HER), about 65 km from Agios Nikolaos and an hour by road. Sitia in the far east has its own small airport with seasonal and domestic flights.

Arriving by sea

Ferries from Piraeus and the islands call at Sitia and at Heraklion port an hour to the west, with summer links to Santorini and the Dodecanese. Agios Nikolaos itself has no ferry service.

Where to stay

Where to stay for Lasithi.

Pick your base by the kind of trip you want: a lively lakeside town, a luxury bay or the wild far east.

Browse hotels near Lasithi
Agios Nikolaos

The lively capital around Lake Voulismeni, full of tavernas and close to Spinalonga. Best for a central, walkable base.

Elounda

Crete's smartest resort area, a string of luxury bays looking across to Spinalonga.

Sitia & the far east

A relaxed town at the gateway to Vai and the wild east, quieter and authentic.

Ierapetra & the south

Europe's southernmost town on the Libyan Sea, with long beaches and a warm, dry climate.

Sights & monuments

What to see in Lasithi.

Lasithi mixes Venetian sea forts, mountain windmills and Europe's only palm forest across the island's wild east.

Spinalonga

The Venetian island-fortress and former leper colony off Elounda, reached by a short boat ride.

The Lasithi Plateau

A green mountain bowl of orchards and old stone windmills, 40 km west of Agios Nikolaos.

Lake Voulismeni

The capital's bottomless little lake, ringed by cafes in the heart of Agios Nikolaos.

Vai Palm Beach

Europe's largest natural palm forest behind a tropical-looking bay in the far east.

Panagia Kera, Kritsa

A Byzantine church by the old village of Kritsa, famous for its 13th-century frescoes.

The Diktaean Cave

On the plateau, the cave where legend says Zeus was born, deep with stalactites.

Food & drink

Taste of Lasithi.

Food in Lasithi has a quieter East Crete character, shaped by Sitia olive oil, plateau villages and seaside tavernas around Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and Sitia. Around Lake Voulismeni, the Lasithi Plateau and Mirabello Bay, simple Cretan dishes sit close to fresh seafood, local cheeses, honey and seasonal greens.

Try dakos and local graviera, snails cooked with rosemary and the cheese pies called kalitsounia, and finish with raki. The east is known too for its Sitia olive oil and sultana raisins.

Local specialties to try
Dakos Kalitsounia Snails Graviera cheese Raki Sitia olive oil
One trusted partner

Plan your whole Lasithi trip.

Book every part of your Lasithi trip with one local team: flights, ferries, transfers, a car and your hotel.

FlightsFly to Heraklion (HER) or Sitia FerriesFerries call at Sitia & Heraklion TransfersAirport & port pick-up Car rentalRent a car in Crete HotelsStays in & around Lasithi
Practical info

Good to know for Lasithi.

CurrencyEuro (€)
LanguageGreek and English widely spoken
Emergency112 (all services)
Time zoneGMT+2 (GMT+3 in summer)
PaymentsCards accepted, cash for villages
Peak seasonJuly and August
ConnectivityEU roaming, free Wi-Fi common
SafetyVery safe, low crime
Around Lasithi

Don't miss Spinalonga.

The fortress island in Mirabello Bay and a true highlight of East Crete.

Plan your days

How long for Lasithi?

Two days cover Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga. A few more let you add the plateau, the palm forest and the wild eastern coast.

1Agios Nikolaos & Spinalonga
  • MorningThe lake and the harbour of Agios Nikolaos.
  • AfternoonA boat from Elounda across to Spinalonga island.
  • EveningDinner on the Elounda waterfront.
2The plateau
  • Full dayThe Lasithi Plateau windmills, orchards and the Diktaean Cave.
  • Good to knowA mountain drive, cooler and greener than the coast.
3The wild east
  • Beach dayThe palm forest and pale sand of Vai.
  • Or a townSitia and the quiet far-east coast.
Before you book

Your Lasithi questions

Where in Lasithi is the pick-up?

Most excursions include pick-up from Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and nearby east-coast resorts. Your exact point and time are confirmed after booking.

What is Spinalonga?

It's a fortified island in Mirabello Bay with a striking history, reached by a short boat trip from Elounda. The excursion combines the island with time in Elounda.

Is the Lasithi Plateau trip scenic?

Very scenic. The route winds up through mountain villages to the plateau and the Cave of Zeus, with plenty of photo stops along the way.

Are these excursions family-friendly?

Yes. The Spinalonga boat trip and Mirabello cruise are relaxed and popular with families. Tell us your group's ages for the best fit.

What happens if an excursion is cancelled for weather?

You're offered another date or a full refund if we cancel for weather or safety, always explained clearly.

How long does the boat to Spinalonga take?

The crossing from Elounda is about 15 to 20 minutes each way, with roughly an hour on the island itself to walk the old fortifications.

Is Spinalonga suitable for older visitors?

The island has cobbled paths and gentle slopes but no steep climbs, and the boat is easy to board, so it works for most ages at a relaxed pace.

What is there to do on the Lasithi Plateau?

The plateau is known for its old stone windmills, apple and almond orchards and the Diktaean Cave, where by legend Zeus was born. It is cooler and greener than the coast.

How far is Lasithi from the main resorts?

Agios Nikolaos and Elounda are about 65 km east of Heraklion, roughly an hour by road, and the plateau is a further scenic drive up into the mountains.

A Time 4 Vacation guide with travellers in Greece
Simple & secure

Booking Lasithi, step by step.

1

Compare your options

Explore Lasithi excursions by type, date and price, and choose the day trip that feels right for you.

2

Book online

Reserve your Lasithi excursion in a few easy steps, with confirmation and a voucher sent by email.

3

Follow your guide

On the day, a licensed local guide meets you and looks after the details, so you can enjoy Lasithi without stress.

Ready to explore Lasithi?

Tell us your dates and what you have in mind. A local expert will put together the excursions, transfers and stays that fit, usually within a day.