On this tour, you will visit the following sights and attractions:
The island of Crete is divided into four big regions and the city of Agios Nikolaos is the capital of one of them – the easternmost region of Lasithi. In the morning our bus will take you to the sea port of Agios Nikolaos. This is the starting point for the boat trip to Spinalonga Island, the main point of interest on this trip. To reach this island, you will board a small ship and admire the breathtaking view of Mirabello Bay: at this point it will become clear why its name translates as “Beautiful View”.
The island of Spinalonga is a tiny island that has had numerous roles and names. “Island of the Damned”, “Island of Tears”, “Island of Grief and Sorrow”, “Fortress Island” – an island that has seen so many events in its history… During this part of the tour you will learn the whole history of Spinalonga: as a Venetian fortress, as a leprosarium, as a place of exile and last refuge for many people. Here you will have a guided tour and some free time to walk around the fortress, explore the well-preserved houses and churches and – once again – enjoy the breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mirabello. For the most beautiful and almost panoramic views, we suggest you go to the upper level of the fortress.
After visiting the island of Spinalonga, our boat trip continues to the area of Kolokitha Island. It has a very beautiful coast with the crystal clear water, so our boat will make a stop in this area: it’s time for lunch, which is already included in the price. If the weather and the sea are good (and 99% of the time they are) you can even swim there, so be prepared!
Another sight on the route is the town of Agios Nikolaos. The city takes its name from a small Byzantine church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, about two kilometers north of the city center, which was built in the 9th century. The central part of the city near the port is very beautiful – here is the main attraction of the city, Lake Voulismeni. An old legend says that the lake is bottomless and its waters look really dark and deep. In the past it was a freshwater lake, but now it is connected to the sea by a canal, so you can see many fishing boats here.
Today Agios Nikolaos is still a small town with about 12000 inhabitants. You will have enough free time to walk around the central part of the town. Here you will find charming harbors, numerous cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops scattered along the narrow streets. Take a leisurely stroll, admire the surrounding views, shop or sip a Greek coffee in one of the cafes.
Time to get ready to head back! This trip takes almost a whole day and includes both a fact-filled sightseeing tour and a boat trip on Mirabello Gulf. With us you can go on an excursion to Spinalonga Island from Achlada – a trip to this island is considered one of the most popular.
If you want to go from Achlada to the island of Spinalonga and the city of Agios Nikolaos by organized bus and boat tour, the price of the trip in 2026 is:
This tour is sometimes included in special promotions and sold cheaper for our followers – keep an eye out for discounts on Instagram!
Are you traveling as a big family or a group? Contact us in advance or visit our offices and we will try to make you the best offer.
You are welcome! We will run this personalised tour in a suitable car or minivan for you on any day. No large groups, long pick-ups or waiting – just you, your family or friends and the guide! You can ask us in advance – and we will organise everything for you.
You can book an excursion to the island of Spinalonga and the town of Agios Nikolaos from Achlada online (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2026 the excursion to the island of Spinalonga and the town of Agios Nikolaos from Achlada takes place from 03/04 to 04/11. Available tour days – Wednesday.
Please note that trip schedules are subject to change, including cancellation. This is extremely rare and may be due to weather conditions. For example, heavy rains at the beginning (April and May) or end of the season (September and October) and other force majeure situations. If there are any changes, we will try to let you know as soon as possible.
Please make sure that you have correctly identified your vacation area in Crete and read the cancellation and refund policy.
If there is less than 24 hours before the trip, please contact the manager to check availability before you make a booking!
Firstly, you can come to one of our offices where booking for all services is available and payment can be made either by cash or card.
Secondly, in case of online booking you can choose cash payment (which is available for some areas only) or you can pay online by card. In the case of cash, we will arrange a meeting with our courier in advance, who will bring the prepared documents to your hotel or villa and collect the cash. Please note that this option is only available for bookings made well in advance (days or weeks before the trip!). In case of online payment, you will receive the tickets by e-mail or WhatsApp – as you prefer.
Please keep all documents and tickets until the end of your trip!
As there are no roads within this village (only narrow pedestrian streets), and the largest hotel is the Ecotourism Holiday Hotel (Mourtzanakis Residence), a transfer can be arranged from there or from the main square as an optional extra. If you haven’t rented a car or simply would like to use our transfer service (we offer both cars and minibuses with drivers), please contact us in advance.
It depends on how you choose to get to the meeting point.
Our main meeting points are located on major roads and in major resorts – anywhere that a large bus can safely drive up to and stop.
If you have a rental car (and you probably do – otherwise, getting to the village of Achlada is extremely difficult, as there is no public transportation here, and a large bus simply cannot navigate the local roads), we can offer you several nearby meeting points to choose from, where you can park your car and join the main group. This is usually the easiest and most convenient way.
If you would like to leave your car at your hotel and require additional transportation to the nearest meeting point and back, please contact us in advance, and we will do our best to arrange everything.
You will receive full details of the time and place of the pick-up with your travel documents when you make your booking. Please read it carefully before the trip.
This excursion is also available from various locations across the island of Crete. The tour itself will follow the same itinerary and programme, with only two differences. Firstly, there may be different transfer options available, which may result in a different price in some locations. Secondly, the departure and return times may be different too.
You can join this activity from any of the following towns: Agia Pelagia, Ammoudara, Analipsi, Anissaras, Fodele, Gournes, Gouves, Heraklion (city), Heraklion area (other cities), Hersonissos, Karteros, Kokkini Hani, Malia, Milatos, Sissi, Stalida.
No, not at all. During the trip to Spinalonga island, you will see that there is a straight and slightly rocky path that goes around the island. It is not a difficult path and is about 900 meters long. If you wish, you can climb the steep stone steps to the upper bastion of the fortress. Also, in your free time in the town of Agios Nikolaos, there is an easy walk along the streets and seafront. In short, it’s a fairly easy trip and you won’t have to do much walking.
All necessary sunscreen, bathing suit, comfortable walking shoes, money for extras.
Lunch is included: choice of roast chicken or vegetarian roll with vegetables. Salad with Greek feta cheese. Also comes with fruit and a glass of wine or juice or both.
Yes, there will be a tour guide with you during the day.
High. The locations will be spectacular too, so don’t forget your camera!
Languages: English, German and French are available on any scheduled day throughout the season. On certain days, we can also organise this tour in Italian, Polish and Russian. These usually run from May onwards.
The weekly language schedule for this trip is as follows:
Please note that this is an approximate tour schedule. Times may vary depending on traffic and pick-up and drop-off locations. Exact times will be sent to you along with other information when you make your reservation and specify your hotel.
The order in which the locations on the itinerary are visited can vary: a walk around Agios Nikolaos can either begin (usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays) or end the tour (on other days). If the city visit is planned for the afternoon, you will have about 1–1.5 hours. If we visit the city in the morning before the boat cruise, you will have about 1.5–2 hours (depending on traffic on the way to Agios Nikolaos).
| Schedule of the excursion program | |
|---|---|
| 6:30 - 9:00 | Departure from the hotels |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Arrival in the town of Agios Nikolaos, boarding the boat |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Boat trip in the Gulf of Mirabello, arrival to the island of Spinalonga |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Island tour and free time on the island, departure to the area of Kolokitha Island |
| 14:00 - 15:30 | Arrival at the island of Kolokitha, lunch and swimming in the sea, departure to the town of Agios Nikolaos |
| 16:00 - 17:30 | Arrival in the town of Agios Nikolaos, free time |
| 18:00 - 20:30 | Return to the hotels |
| Duration and travel time | |
|---|---|
| up to 3 hours | From hotels by bus to Agios Nikolaos |
| about 1.5 hours | Spinalonga island tour and free time |
| about 1.5 hours | Boat trip on the Gulf of Mirabello, lunch and swimming |
| about 1.5-2 hours | Free time in Agios Nikolaos (more on Tuesdays) |
| up to 3 hours | Transfer by bus to hotels |