Crete · Lasithi

Excursions to Spinalonga

Boat trips to the fortress island of Spinalonga in Mirabello Bay, usually paired with the pretty resort of Elounda and the town of Agios Nikolaos.

Browse excursions Ask an expert

3Excursions

LasithiEast Crete

★ 4.7Guest rating

★ Loved by 50k+ travellers

Find your excursion

All excursions to Spinalonga.

Filters

Destination

Crete 34 Peloponnese 1 Rhodes 5 Santorini 2

Excursion type

Historical 10 City tours 9 Religious 5 Outdoor 26 Sea tours 22 ECO Tours 14 Gastronomic 6 Family 38 Exclusive 8

Duration

Full-day 23 Half-day 17

Group size

Group 27 Mini Group 13

Languages

English 34 French 3 Russian 13 Romanian 7 Polish 1 Lithuanian 4 Estonian 1 Norwegian 1 German 8 Dutch 3 Greek 1

Supplier

Cretan Holidays 7 DanEri Yachts 7 Kyriakakis Travel 5 Rhodes Adventures 3 Sea Jets 2 T4V 4 TEZ TOUR 10 VIVA Lets Fly 1

Group Size

1-10 1 1-20 1 10 1 12 1 15 1 18 6 18-22 1 18-50 1 20 1 20+ 2 25+ 1 30-60 2 35 1 40 1 40+ 8 40-60 2 45 1 49+ 2 50 2 8-28 1 max.11 1

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

Crete

Sunset Luxury Catamaran Cruise from Hersonissos

3.5 hours · Sea tours

Our crew member will meet you in Hersonissos port.

from €80 View

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

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

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

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

Crete

Legends of Crete

6+ hours

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

from €69 View

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

Crete

Jeep Safari, Goat-Keeping & Cheese Making

10+ hours · Outdoor

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

from €129 View

Crete

Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa Island

10+ hours · Outdoor

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

from €67 View

Crete

Crete: WaterCity Waterpark

6 hours · Outdoor

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

from €42.5 View

Crete

Anopolis: Cretan Folklore Night

3+ hours · Historical

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

from €50 View

Book with the operator

Booking Spinalonga direct.

Spinalonga is on every platform out there. Booking the crossing straight with us is a little different.

The local team, not a reseller

You book with the Lasithi team that runs the Elounda boats out to Spinalonga itself, not a reseller.

Real people, quick to answer

A local team on the phone, WhatsApp and Viber daily from 08:00 to 22:00, before you travel and on the day itself.

Flexible hotel pick-up

Pick-up is arranged around your hotel across Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and the Mirabello Bay resorts.

Clear prices, no mark-up

The from-price you see is ours, with no third-party booking fee added over the top.

If the sea is too rough for the Spinalonga crossing, you move to another day or take a full refund.

About the area

The island fortress & Mirabello Bay.

Spinalonga is a small fortified island at the mouth of Mirabello Bay in East Crete, with a Venetian sea-fortress and a striking more recent history that inspired best-selling novels. A short boat ride from Elounda brings you to its walls and old streets, with sweeping views back across the bay.

Most trips combine the island with time in Elounda and the harbour town of Agios Nikolaos, so the day mixes history, a swim in the calm bay and a wander through some of Crete’s prettiest waterfronts. It sits within easy reach of Lasithi and the Lasithi Plateau, with more to explore across the rest of Crete.

SettingFortress islet in Mirabello Bay

Best timeApril to October

Getting thereShort boat from Elounda

Weather

When to visit Spinalonga.

Spinalonga and the Mirabello boats run from April to late October, with the warmest sea in high summer.

Month	Air (day)	Sea	How busy
May	24°C	20°C	Quiet
June	28°C	22°C	Building
July	31°C	24°C	Busy
August	31°C	26°C	Busy
September	28°C	25°C	Easing
October	24°C	24°C	Quiet

Fewest crowdsMay and October, when the island is quietest.

Warmest seaAugust into September for the swim stops.

Go earlyMorning boats, before the midday heat on the fort.

Getting here

Getting to Spinalonga.

Spinalonga guards the mouth of Mirabello Bay in east Crete, reached only by a short boat ride.

By boat

Boats cross from Elounda and Plaka in around twenty minutes, often as part of a cruise with a swim stop.

On a day trip

Excursions from Agios Nikolaos and the resorts include the boat, a guide and time to explore the island fort.

Where to stay

Where to stay for Spinalonga.

Spinalonga sits in the Gulf of Mirabello, best reached from Elounda, Plaka or Agios Nikolaos.

Browse hotels nearby

Elounda

Crete’s smartest resort area, looking straight across to Spinalonga.

Plaka

A small fishing village opposite the island, the shortest boat ride.

Agios Nikolaos

The lively capital around Lake Voulismeni, ten minutes away.

Sitia & the east

A quieter base further along the coast for the wild east.

Nearby sights

What’s near Spinalonga.

The Gulf of Mirabello mixes Venetian forts, a sunken city and the capital’s little lake.

Spinalonga

The Venetian island-fortress and former leper colony, the region’s icon.

Lake Voulismeni

The bottomless little lake in the heart of Agios Nikolaos.

Ancient Olous

A sunken Greek city you can still see beneath the water near Elounda.

Panagia Kera, Kritsa

A Byzantine church famous for its 13th-century frescoes.

Food & drink

Taste of Spinalonga.

The east cooks with its own olive oil and the day’s catch, all wild greens, cheese and honey.

Try dakos and graviera, fresh fish on the Elounda waterfront and the cheese pies called kalitsounia, with raki to finish.

Local specialties to try

Fresh fishDakosKalitsouniaGraviera cheeseRakiSitia olive oil

One trusted partner

Plan your whole Spinalonga trip.

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

FlightsFind flights to Crete FerriesFerry tickets to Crete TransfersAirport & port pick-up Car rentalRent a car in Crete HotelsStays across Crete

Before you go

Good to know for Spinalonga.

HistoryA Venetian fort and former leper colony

Getting aroundA gentle loop path, about an hour

What to bringWater, hat and sun cover

ShadeLittle, so go earlier in the day

Good forHistory lovers and families

AccessUneven old paths, sturdy shoes help

Across Crete

More of Crete near Spinalonga.

Other stand-out spots worth adding to your Crete trip.

Balos LagoonChania

Elafonisi BeachChania

Samaria GorgeChania

Knossos PalaceHeraklion

Falassarna BeachChania

Plan your visit

How long for Spinalonga?

Spinalonga fits a half day or a full day around Mirabello Bay.

½Half a day

The boat from Elounda and an hour on the island, back for lunch on the waterfront.

1A full day

The trips that add Agios Nikolaos and an olive-oil farm fill the whole day.

+Add more

Before you book

Your Spinalonga questions

What is Spinalonga?

It’s a fortified island in Mirabello Bay with a Venetian fortress and a memorable 20th-century history. You reach it by a short boat trip and can walk its walls and old streets.

Where does the boat leave from?

Most trips sail from Elounda, with hotel pick-up from the Agios Nikolaos and Elounda area included. The exact point is confirmed after booking.

Is there much walking on the island?

A moderate amount on uneven, historic paths and some gentle slopes. Comfortable shoes and sun protection are recommended.

Can I swim on this trip?

Yes, many trips include time in Elounda or a swim stop in the calm waters of Mirabello Bay. Check the individual excursion for details.

What if the boat is cancelled for weather?

If we cancel a sailing for weather or safety, you’re offered another date or a full refund, always explained up front.

Why is Spinalonga famous?

It was a Venetian sea fortress and later, until 1957, one of Europe’s last leper colonies, a history made widely known by the novel The Island.

How long do you spend on Spinalonga?

Trips usually allow about an hour on the island to walk the fortifications and the old settlement, alongside stops in Elounda or Agios Nikolaos.

A Time 4 Vacation guide with travellers in Greece

Simple & secure

Booking Spinalonga, step by step.

Search & compare

Compare Spinalonga excursions by type, date and budget, and pick the day that suits you.

Book securely

Reserve your Spinalonga day out online in minutes, with instant confirmation and a voucher by email.

Meet your guide

On the day a licensed local guide meets you and takes care of the rest, so you can just enjoy Spinalonga.

Ready to explore Spinalonga?

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.

Browse excursions Talk to a local expert

Cookie	Duration	EN	EL
`moove_gdpr_popup`	1 year	Stores the visitor's own cookie choices per category, so the banner isn't shown again on every page.
`pll_language`	1 year	Remembers the chosen site language (EN/EL) so the visitor stays on the right version.

Cookie	Provider	Duration	Purpose
_ga	Google Analytics	2 years	Assigns a random ID to distinguish one visitor from another, so visit statistics can be compiled.
_ga_GG38C5MJZL	Google Analytics	2 years	Keeps the state of the current session so page views are grouped into a single visit.
_hjSessionUser_4964291	Hotjar	1 year	Stores a random ID so the same visitor is recognised across sessions for behaviour analysis.
_hjSession_4964291	Hotjar	30 minutes	Holds the data of the current Hotjar session (recordings, heatmaps).
_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress	Hotjar	30 minutes	Detects whether this is the visitor's first page view of a session.
_hjFirstSeen	Hotjar	Session	Records whether the visitor is new to Hotjar on this site.
_hjIncludedInSessionSample_4964291	Hotjar	2 minutes	Records whether the visit falls inside Hotjar's daily sampling limit.
_hjTLDTest	Hotjar	Session	Technical test to find the most general domain on which the cookie can be stored.

Cookie	Provider	Duration	Purpose
_gcl_au	Google Ads	90 days	Stores ad-click information so a booking can be attributed back to a Google Ads campaign.
_gcl_aw	Google Ads	90 days	Set when you arrive from a Google Ads click; links that click to a later conversion.
_gac_<property>	Google Ads	90 days	Shares campaign information between Google Ads and Google Analytics.
IDE	Google (doubleclick.net)	13 months	Used by Google to show and measure adverts on other sites and to limit repetition.
test_cookie	Google (doubleclick.net)	15 minutes	Checks whether your browser accepts advertising cookies.
NID	Google (google.com)	6 months	Stores your Google advertising and preference settings.
_fbp	Meta (Facebook)	90 days	Identifies your browser to Meta so adverts can be targeted and conversions measured on Facebook and Instagram.
_fbc	Meta (Facebook)	90 days	Stores the Facebook ad-click identifier so a booking can be attributed to that advert.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE	YouTube	6 months	Estimates your bandwidth and selects the video player interface; also feeds Google's viewing profile.
YSC	YouTube	Session	Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of which videos you have watched.
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA	YouTube	6 months	Stores your cookie-consent state for the Google domain.
__Secure-ROLLOUT_TOKEN	YouTube	6 months	Used by YouTube to roll out player features gradually.