Crete · ELOUNDA TOURS
Good elounda tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend a full day on Crete’s northeast coast, combining a boat ride, a swim at Kolokytha Bay, BBQ lunch, Spinalonga’s Venetian fortress, an olive oil tasting, and free time in Agios Nikolaos. Guides such as Mairy and Viola have helped make the day run smoothly.
“nice trip. Agios Nicolauses should have more time to see the city”
Travel from Heraklion to Elounda, swim at Kolokytha Beach, eat a boat-side BBQ, and tour Spinalonga with an English-speaking guide. You’ll also visit Agios Nikolaos and stop for olive oil tasting. The $37 price excludes the €15 boat meal and €20 Spinalonga admission.
“It was an amazing tour, anyone who wants to discover Crete should definitely go on this one.”
Spend a full day touring eastern Crete by air-conditioned coach and boat. Visit Agios Nikolaos, sail to Spinalonga, swim at Kolokytha Bay, taste olive oil, and stop in Plaka. A multilingual guide leads the day, though the schedule is long and boat, lunch, and Spinalonga fees cost extra.
“more time on Spinalonga, less time in Plaka, more time Elounda.”
Travel from Heraklion or selected resorts to Kolokytha Beach, Spinalonga, Elounda, and Agios Nikolaos. A guide such as Mary explains Spinalonga’s layered past, while you swim, eat a simple BBQ, browse local shops, and enjoy Mirabello Bay.
“perfect the place was amazing and very good guide and tour”
Meet at Elounda Port at 2 p.m. for a four-hour cruise past Spinalonga’s Venetian fortress, Barbarossa Cave, Skistra Beach, and Kolokitha. Swim in warm, clear water, use the onboard fruit and salad bar, and add drinks for an extra charge. Hotel transfers are optional.
Spend six hours sailing from Elounda to Kolokytha Beach and Spinalonga. You’ll swim, eat a simple BBQ lunch, and tour the Venetian fortress with a live English or German guide. Bring sunscreen, allow €20 for Spinalonga, and arrive early at the Windmill port.
“Was thrilled it was a ship, as opposed to one of those little "party" boats. Great food and great company.”
Travel by air-conditioned coach from Heraklion to Elounda, cross by boat to historic Spinalonga, swim, enjoy an optional BBQ, and spend time in Agios Nikolaos. Guides including Manuela and Johanna may lead the day, but language availability changes by date.
“I've wanted to go to Spinalonga for 25 years so was so looking forward to this trip. The guide on the bus was clearly in a bad mood, she kept standing up and telling people off if they were talking when she was and asking if they wanted the microphone instead of her. The person talking was Autistic and couldnt help talking! I told her when we got to Elounda that he was Autistic so she didnt shout at people again. We got to Spinalonga and had one hour there. The guide was with us for 45minutes, she was fantastic and held a black umbrella. We didn't have enough time…”
Travel from Rethymnon to Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and Spinalonga with an English or German-speaking guide. You’ll see Lake Voulismeni, cross to the former leper colony, and enjoy time by Mirabello Bay. The $30 price excludes €32 for the boat and island entry.
“The time in spinalonga to walk through and explore this island was too short. I would appreciate to spend there more time as it was supposed to be the main part of this trip. Otherwise the guide was amazing, all those information were very interesting.”
Spend 10 hours touring Crete’s north coast, with a boat ride to Spinalonga, a guided walk through its Venetian fort, free time in Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, and a possible swim at Kolokitha Bay. Hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide are included.
“It was an enjoyable trip that I am glad we took. The Island was beautiful and the historical information was enlightening. It was sometimes difficult to hear the guide but that was not her fault. It was a very busy day and there were many people around. The villages were beautiful. The scenery was breathtaking. The guides were well prepared and the drivers were very competent. It was an enjoyable day. I recommend it.”
Travel from the Heraklion area to Spinalonga, the former leprosy colony in Mirabello Bay. A live guide leads the island visit, while free time in Agios Nikolaos, a short Elounda stop, and a barbecue at Kolokitha Beach round out the day. Boat, lunch, and entrance fees cost extra.
“I had been looking forward to seeing Spinalonga and thought this day trip would be a good way to see it and some other parts of Crete. Sadly I felt we didn't have enough time on the island, which was disappointing. We had a tour guide, and whilst he was clearly passionate Read more”
Set sail from Agios Nikolaos at 11:00 AM on Thursday or Saturday for a 4.5-hour group cruise across Mirabello Bay. Swim at Kolokytha and Skistra Gulf, circle Spinalonga for photos, enjoy music, floating toys, local raki, and watermelon.
“Had a great time. Boat was good, crew was good and the Dj was good. The only very small criticism (which was no one’s fault) was the 2nd stop the water was a bit choppy and felt the tide pull us out so wish I had spent more time in the water at the first stop by the beech.”
Spend about eight hours with a private guide and chauffeured vehicle, visiting Kremasta Monastery, Mirabello Bay, Spinalonga, Plaka, Agios Nikolaos, and a Neapolis olive oil estate. Pickup is flexible across Crete, with guides such as Alexander, Ioanna, Stavroula, and Panos available subject to scheduling.
“What can I say but wow! We booked three different tours before we travelled and ended up going to a few of the places already on this ones itinerary, I asked if it was possible to view somewhere else and specified something very traditional. Our guide, Alexander, messaged me with several alternative arrangements and we picked our favourite. We had a great day seeing traditional locations and getting a flavour of Cretan life. The Taverna we went to for lunch was filled with locals (always a good sign), the food was delicious and wines were locally produced and great quality. Our driver Dimitris was very careful and provided us with…”
Take a boat from Elounda to Kolokytha for swimming and a pork-chop BBQ, then tour Spinalonga with an English-speaking guide. The spacious boat has shade, a bar, and facilities. Allow extra money for Spinalonga’s €20 entry fee and confirm the meeting point before you go.
“Absolutely fabulous. Perfect amount of time to explore the sea, swim and tour Spinalonga. The boat is large and spacious, the crew super friendly and food delicious!! Prices on boat not too expensive either. Met all our expectations and more. Thanks team!”
Spend 6 to 7 hours exploring the Elounda coast by coach and boat. You will circle Spinalonga, hear pirate tales at Barbarossa Cave, swim at Kolokytha and Skistra Beach, and enjoy drinks plus a chicken hot-dog lunch. Pickup is available from several resort areas.
“Enjoyed this trip. The boat was clean and comfortable. The staff was very friendly The only negative thing was there was no bbq. The chicken hotdog was just ok. Bring your own snacks”
Spend a full day touring Spinalonga with a live English, French, German, or Greek-speaking guide, then enjoy a pita gyros lunch in Elounda, free time in Agios Nikolaos, and an olive oil visit near Malia. The island visit is fascinating but tightly timed.
“The excursion was very well organized, but I would have liked to stay longer on the island of Spinalonga. The guides were interesting, it was great!”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
