Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island
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Heraklion, Greece
- 8 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Spinalonga, an island once used to isolate people suffering from leprosy, has become more popular since Victoria Hislop's novel The Island reimagined it. Visit this historic island, plus the Agios Nikolaos resort town with Lake Voulismeni, and Elounda, known for luxury hotels and beaches, on this guided day trip. Admission to Spinalonga is not included.
- Visit the uninhabited fortress island of Spinalonga, once a leprosy colony
- Soak up views of Mirabello Bay and Elounda as you cruise to the island
- Enjoy free time in bustling Agios Nikolaos with its many cafés
- Benefit from hotel pickup and drop-off for easy transport
What's Included
- Pickup and Drop off
- Transport by air-conditioned coach or minivan.
- Guide
- Food & Drinks
- Admission Fee - Spinalonga island€20.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Pickup and Drop off provided from the areas of Sissi, Malia, Stalida Hersonissos, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Heraklion, Amoudara. Pickup time depends on the location of the accommodation hotel. The exact pickup time and location will be sent via email.
Itinerary
1
Agios Nikolaos
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Elounda
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Spinalonga (Kalydon)
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Bring with you swimsuit and towel
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.4
based on 427 reviews
Doreen_K, May 2026
I was expecting an experienced guide we were given little to no information. Spinalonga was the favourite but for us and when we got o to the boat the guide did a 5 minute talk which we could. It hear at all. Even the young people sitting opposite said they could o lay hear bits. Why could this information not have been given to us while we were on the bus? The wind would not have taken their voices away. We thought we paid a lot of money for not much in return. I would definitely not recommend the trip to anyone,
Renee_M, May 2026
It was a very early start as we were picked up at 730am & didn't get to our first stop until about 930 (picked up a lot of others along the way). The description did not specify we could swim, only saying one stop was a great place for a swim. We were not prepared, so on our first stop, after getting breakfast, we went looking for bathing suits.
In all, it was a good day. I think the list of activities should indicate to bring a swimsuit & towel if planning to swim. Spinalonga was a great stop. However, this is not a tour of the island & fortress. You are dropped off & have 1.5 hours to walk around. Tours were there, so if you're looking for something that explains more of what you're seeing, this is not it. Overall, it was a good tour.
Rose_S, Apr 2026
Had a good visit in spite of pouring rain during our boat trip to Spingolini island. The guide was always upbeat to keep our spirits up.
robert_c, Apr 2026
this tour had a little of everything which was perfect, city visit with swim time and island visit to see history
Anasthasia_G, Apr 2026
Impeccable time keeping, informative and enjoyable trip. Michael the tour guide was friendly and his English was excellent.
Lynne_P, Mar 2026
Great day trip with plenty of time at each stop. Very friendly knowledgeable guide who’s happy to answer questions. Lots of opportunities for some beautiful scenic pictures.
Megumi_K, Nov 2025
It was good. The tour size could have been a little smaller but over all it provided what we needed so it was good.
kumar_T, Nov 2025
We have booked our trip and pick up location and charged me then few hours after they told me change my pick up location far away.
Paul_C, Nov 2025
An interesting and well organised tour taking in three locations. Good variety of experiences and helpful guides.
Sarah_E, Oct 2025
Was a full day with 3 main stops. There is plenty time at each place to enjoy the areas and have quick drink if you want. The towns are very pretty and Spinalonga very interesting. It is €20 extra to get into Spinolonga but you can just sit and enjoy view of port or paddle if you don't want to walk round. If you want to jump of boat into water for swim on way back ensure you already have swim wear on. Transfers were great and local. All staff were friendly and helpful. Thoroughly enjoyed our day. Totally recommended
Andreea_C, Oct 2025
This tour was amazing! Special thanks to our guide Manos and to our driver who ensured a lovely and safe experience for everyone. Agios Nikolaos is an amazing place that we instantly fell in love with, and Spinalonga is just breathtaking. The operating company was fantastic, a team of professionals who quickly found a solution to reduce our return time in difficult traffic. I highly recommend this tour!
Phil_G, Oct 2025
Booked an English tour and was surrounded by French and the tour in English and mainly French. Also in the description there is no mention of a swim stop in Elounda bay which meant I feel we wasted 20 minutes so that 4 people out of the 50-60 could get off the boat and swim, stranding the rest with nothing to do.
I feel that time would have been better spent on spinalonga as there wasn’t enough time there. If I had know about the swim stop then I would’ve booked a different tour. The amount of time in Agios Nikolaos and Elounda town was just right to see what was there and relax a bit.
Beth_M, Sep 2025
Day trip to Agios Nikalaos and Spinalonga is a must for visitors to Heraklion and the surrounding areas. Manos was a terrific and smart tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about the places that we visited. He also took special care that we knew when to be back to the bus for the next part of the trip. You get to see a lot of Lasithi on this trip. This part of Crete is extremely beautiful. The boat ride to Spinalonga Island was enjoyable with gorgeous scenery. Just about the right amount of time for each activity. Altino Travel Co. did a great job with all the travel arrangements. I highly recommend this tour.
Karen_S, Sep 2025
This was a great way to see several places around the island. The tour bus was nice and clean. Our guide was informative. Excellent way to spend the day.
Ian_A, Sep 2025
You only have a guide on the bus, although very good and knowledgeable the guide leaves ou at Agious Nikolaos and at Spinalonga, so your left in your own to wonder around both stops. Which i found a bit of a let down!!! You have to pay an additional €20 to get in to Spinalonga and you dont have a guide with you. Very disappointing
Denise_W, Aug 2025
Amazing day, on time for all pick ups, drop offs and everything was well organised- our guide was fabulous, knowledgeable, friendly and made the day run smoothly - totally recommend this travel agent - Altino Travel and this tour
Manuel_E, Jul 2025
great experience. the tour had 2 guides that spoke 3-4 languages each. the pick up process was a breeze, fascinating history, the island of spinalonga is totally worth visiting.
candace_j, Jul 2025
The drive is very long and the double decker busses do not have great a/c so it is quite warm riding in them. Agios and Nicholaos were not that impressive unless you are a shopper. The Island of Spinalonga was amazing to see. It has beautiful views and the history is very interesting.
The guides were good but having to hear everything in 4 languages thoughout the day got pretty annoying. I would recommend ear pieces that everyone can wear that translates into their personal language so the guides do not have to repeat everything 4 times.
David_A, Jun 2025
The trip to Spinalonga was supposed to be a larger trip including a trip to Agios Nikolaos.
There was no trip to Agios Nikolaos for me just the trip to Spinalonga Island at a cost of €39.
I could have easily booked a ferry from Elounda or Plaka much cheaper, so I feel I was ripped off.
I received a message telling me there was no pick up from my hotel and I had to proceed directly to Elounda bus park to collect the boat.
Lee_R, Jun 2025
Great day out! Special shout out to our guide, Manos, who was extremely personable & knowledgeable. Our coach was lovely, no tired ‘fun bus’ that’s on its last legs..
Overall, a very well organised day trip which we thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
Steven_S, Jun 2025
Absolutely spot on from pick up to drop off in Stalis. A great guide in Manuel, and the perfect amount of time in each location. Just short of 8.5hrs in total.
paul_y, Jun 2025
On your information about the trip it stated that entrance to spinalonga was 8 euros. When we arrived it was 20 euros, a big difference. Otherwise the trip was excellent. Pick up and drop off very good.
Stephen_B, Jun 2025
So glad we took this trip, it was a fantastic day with just the right amount of time in both Agios Nikolas and Elounda before heading to Spinalonga. Our guide was very friendly, helpful and informative. A highlight of our time in Crete, would definitely recommend.
Sauda_I, May 2025
Enjoyable day out. Particularly enjoyed Spinalonga; gorgeous views of the sea from the top. Also Elounda was beautiful.
robertwilliamrowe, Apr 2025
The Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island with A. Tours was outstanding from start to finish. The itinerary was well-paced and thoughtfully designed, balancing cultural insight, relaxation, and scenic beauty. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and attentive—sharing compelling stories about Spinalonga’s history that brought the island to life, while also giving us time to explore independently.
Agios Nikolaos was charming, with just the right amount of time to enjoy the lakefront, browse local shops, and soak in the atmosphere. The boat ride to Spinalonga was smooth and picturesque, offering incredible views of the Cretan coastline. The logistics—pick-up, transport, timing—were seamless and professional.
This excursion was a highlight of our trip to Crete. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a deeper connection to the island’s history and natural beauty without feeling rushed or crowded. A. Tours delivers an excellent, enriching experience.
Jonathan_S, Apr 2025
This tour was very well organized and had the perfect amount of time at each stop. The guide Michael translated in three different languages and had clear suggestions about options for our free time. The bus driver was excellent in navigating some tight spots and definitely deserved a tip. It's a long day from Heraklion but well worth it. It's an awesome tour full of beauty and emotion. Spinalonga was the highlight especially after reading, The Island. This is an awesome tour...book it!
Ann_D, Apr 2025
Our bus journey from Heraklion to the first stop took over 2 hours because of all the pick ups. We didn’t anticipate it would be this long and weren’t informed of the timescale when we got on the bus. Our journey back to Heraklion was slightly shorter because there were fewer stops as minibuses collected passengers from different hotels at one drop off point. Maybe this should be considered on the outward journey. On the boat back from Spinalonga, there was an opportunity to swim in the sea, very few people took advantage of this. For those who didn’t participate the lack of sunshine made it cold and unpleasant sitting on the boat.
Apart from this the day was well planned and our guide, Elena was very pleasant, informative and knowledgeable and gave clear instructions about how long we had at each place and when we would leave. Overall we enjoyed the trip. Not sure about recommending this experience in its current set up.
oana_h, Mar 2025
Amazing and relaxing trip! Our guide was awesome!! Spinalonga was just beautiful and it was such an enjoyable trip.
Janet_W, Nov 2024
Wonderful tour of Agios Nikolaos. The tour guide was very informative and very friendly. A very nice town by the water. Nice shops and restaurants. A beautiful ferry ride to the island.
Pouieng_L, Oct 2024
The driver and tour guide were friendly, the itinerary was well arranged, the price was reasonable, and everyone in the group had a great time.
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