Spinalonga Island
A fortified island with a past as a leper colony - one of the most popular sites
About This Place
Spinalonga Island is a small island off the coast of Elounda, featuring an impressive Venetian fortress and a fascinating historical past. The island served as a Venetian fortress, an Ottoman fortress, and later as a leper colony until 1957.
The island is one of the most popular sites in Crete, attracting about 400,000 visitors each year. It can be reached by boat from Elounda or Agios Nikolaos.
The island includes the fortress, the remains of the colony (houses, a church, a hospital), and stunning views of the sea and coast.
