13 Spinalonga Island Tours in Heraklion Worth Booking

1.Spinalonga and Agios Nikolaos Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 432 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $58Our pick

Travel by air-conditioned bus and boat from Heraklion to Spinalonga, where guides such as Irini, Cristina, or Elena explain the island’s fortress and leper-colony past. Swim at Kolokytha Bay, eat lunch with wine or juice, then enjoy free time in Agios Nikolaos.

“It was very fun! The guide, Irini, was really lovely and knowledgeable. She explained Spinalonga’s story very beautifully. The transport was also very comfortable (the shuttle, the bus, and the boat). The beach was amazing and Agios Nikolaos is such a charming town. Would totally recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos and Elounda with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 361 reviews · 5 - 12 hours · from $29

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda & Plaka Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 122 reviews · 8 - 15 hours · from $31

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos, & Elounda Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 63 reviews · from $28Best value

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Elounda, Kolokitha, and Spinalonga Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 56 reviews · from $28

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.

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos , Elounda Boat Tour & BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 32 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $38

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…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Elounda and Spinalonga Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 20 reviews · 10 hours · from $56

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Spinalonga – Agios Nikolaos From Heraklion

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 17 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $60

Travel from Crete’s north coast to Spinalonga by coach and boat, then walk its Venetian fortress and former leper colony. You’ll also visit an olive factory in Malia, stop at Kolokytha Beach, and see Agios Nikolaos. Pickup, guide, snacks, transport, and boat tickets are included.

“Continued from previous submission Spar supermarket. That is not the name of the supermarket anymore. Fortunately, our concierge knew this. Also, we had no idea which bus we were to go on, as the tour guide did not come out of the bus with her list. The trip to Spinalonga island was great though!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Spinalonga Island & Kritsa Village Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 7 reviews · from $50

Travel by air-conditioned bus from selected east Crete pickup points to Elounda, then by boat to Spinalonga for 75 minutes on your own. Continue to lace-making Kritsa and a 30-minute olive oil visit. Guides speak English, French, Greek, and German.

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Mirabello Luxuries with Spinalonga & Agios Nikolaos from Iraklion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Spend about eight hours with a private guide and chauffeur exploring eastern Crete. Visit Kremasta Monastery, view Spinalonga from Mirabello Bay, add a boat trip and swim, eat in Plaka, stroll Agios Nikolaos, and taste olive oil near Neapoli. Pickup is flexible across Crete.

“Our tour was amazing! The tour guide (my apologies I forgot her name) and driver stefanos were very nice and our group enjoyed the time we spent with them so much. I would strongly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Crete as she was very informative and thorough with all of the history we learned. We loved what the tour had to offer!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Spinalonga,Elounda,Ag.Nikolaos, Olive Factory From Heraklion

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 6 reviews · 11 hours · from $35

Travel by air-conditioned bus from Heraklion to Spinalonga, reached by boat from Elounda. Walk through its Venetian fortress and former leper colony, enjoy free time by Elounda Bay, visit Agios Nikolaos and Lake Voulismeni, then taste Cretan olive oil in Malia with an English-speaking guide.

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Olive Oil Cosmetic Factory- Spinalonga – Elounda – Agios Nikolaos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $401Top rated

Spend 7 to 9 hours exploring eastern Crete by private, air-conditioned minivan. Visit Spinalonga, Elounda, Agios Nikolaos, Voulisma Beach, a cosmetics maker, an olive oil factory, and St. George Monastery, with pickup from the Heraklion area.

“This was an excellent tour. Our guides were excel Liam’s very friendly. They took us to many great places--we visited specialty shops, 2 wineries, bakery and an Awesome Taberna for a huge lunch, it was a great day and I would have been very hard pressed to find all of these places without a guide. Highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Tour at East Crete, Spinalonga, Traditional Villages, Churches

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $401

Spend about seven hours exploring eastern Crete in a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver. Visit Agios Nikolaos, hillside Kritsa, coastal Elounda, and Spinalonga’s Venetian fortress and former leper colony. Mrs. Maria is noted for adding useful historical detail and managing time well.

“Mrs Maria was very accommodating in providing extra details on Spinalonga and its history; she knew how to get the most out of our time and was very pleasant. Very enjoyable day.”

Check availability →Read our full review