Agios Nikolaos: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Agios Nikolaos is built around a small lake that the locals once believed had no bottom, and its harbour faces the wide Gulf of Mirabello. North of town lies Spinalonga, a Venetian fortress island that in the 20th century became one of the last leper colonies in Europe. This route starts on foot in town and ends with a boat trip, about a full day. Take a hat; the island has little shade.

A short history of Agios Nikolaos

In antiquity the bay served as the port of the city of Lato, and the Venetians built the fortress of Mirabello above it, of which only the name of the gulf remains. The town itself arose only in the second half of the 19th century, when families from Sfakia and other parts of Crete settled around the small Lake Voulismeni, which is linked to the sea by a channel dug in 1870. In 1904 it became the capital of the Lasithi prefecture. Off the shores of the gulf lies the island of Spinalonga, which served as a leper colony from 1903 to 1957. From the 1960s tourists began to arrive, and the town grew around them.

The ten best sights in Agios Nikolaos

1
Lake Voulismeni
The round lake in the middle of town, joined to the harbour; cafés all around it
2
Archaeological Museum
Minoan finds from eastern Crete, including the Goddess of Myrtos
3
Folklore Museum
Small museum of weaving and embroidery right by the lake
4
Abduction of Europa statue
The bull and the princess on the harbour front, the town's symbol
5
Kitroplatia
Small town beach with tavernas, a few steps from the lake
6
Ammoudi beach
Sandy town beach on the Elounda road
7
Almyros beach
The longer sandy beach just south of town, with a freshwater spring
8
Elounda
Fishing village turned resort, 15 minutes north; boats to Spinalonga
9
Spinalonga
The fortress island and former leper colony; boats from Elounda or Plaka
10
Plaka
Quiet fishing village facing Spinalonga, with the shortest boat crossing

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Tours in Agios Nikolaos →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Agios Nikolaos:

Free walking tours in Agios Nikolaos

From the lake to the leper island

Lake Voulismeni · Local legend said the lake was bottomless; in fact it is about 64 m deep. It was joined to the harbour by a channel cut in the 1870s, and the town grew up around it.
Archaeological Museum · The star of the collection is the Goddess of Myrtos, a clay jug in the shape of a woman holding a pitcher, made around 2500 BC. The museum reopened after a long renovation with finds from all of eastern Crete.
Abduction of Europa statue · Greek myth says Zeus took the form of a white bull, carried the Phoenician princess Europa across the sea to Crete, and that their son was Minos. The continent of Europe is named after her.
Elounda · Elounda was a quiet fishing village until the 1970s, when it became one of the most exclusive resorts in Greece. The boats to Spinalonga leave from its little harbour.
Olous · The ancient city of Olous now lies under the shallow water beside the causeway, sunk as this coast slowly subsided. On calm days you can snorkel over its walls.
Spinalonga · The Venetians fortified the island in 1579, and it held out against the Ottomans until 1715, long after the rest of Crete had fallen. From 1903 to 1957 it was a leper colony, the setting of Victoria Hislop's novel 'The Island'.

The mountains of Zeus

Behind Agios Nikolaos the land rises to the Dikti mountains, where Greek myth hid the infant Zeus in a cave so that his father would not swallow him. On the way up are a painted Byzantine church, a weavers' village and a Dorian city on a hilltop. This is a full day by car, climbing to over 800 metres. Take a layer for the plateau, which is cooler than the coast.

Panagia Kera, Kritsa · The church has three aisles built at different times, and its walls carry 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, the most complete Byzantine painting in Crete. Look for the scenes from the life of the Virgin, painted with village detail.
Kritsa · Kritsa is known for its weaving and embroidery, sold along the main street. The village was the main location of Jules Dassin's 1957 film 'He Who Must Die', with many villagers as extras.
Lato · Lato was a Dorian city built in terraces on a saddle between two peaks, with an agora, a temple and a stepped meeting place. Nearchus, the admiral of Alexander the Great, was born here.
Kritsa Gorge · The gorge narrows to a few metres in places, with boulders to climb over, and it can be walked as a loop back to the village in a few hours. It is dry in summer and should be avoided after heavy rain.
Lasithi Plateau · The plateau, about 850 m up, was once dotted with thousands of white-sailed windmills that pumped water for the fields. Most have been replaced by motor pumps, but a few have been restored.
Dikteon Cave · In myth, Rhea gave birth to Zeus here and hid him from his father Kronos, who swallowed his children. Excavations found thousands of offerings left by worshippers from Minoan times on.

The Minoan coast east

East of Agios Nikolaos the coast road follows the Gulf of Mirabello past coves and beaches to the places where the Minoans lived and traded four thousand years ago. Gournia is the best-preserved Minoan town in Crete, and Mochlos was a harbour on what is now an island. Allow a full day with swimming. Start with the town's folk museum, which opens early.

Folklore Museum · The museum shows the woven and embroidered textiles of eastern Crete, with old looms and costumes. It stands right beside the lake, so it fits into a morning walk.
Kitroplatia · Kitroplatia is a small pebble beach right in town, in front of a row of tavernas. In the early morning fishermen still pull their boats up here.
Almyros beach · Almyros means 'salty': a spring of brackish water flows into the sea here through a small reed-lined wetland. The beach is the longest sandy stretch near town.
Istron · The coast at Istron breaks into small coves, and Voulisma, its best-known beach, has fine sand and very clear water. It fills up at midday in August, so come early.
Gournia · The American archaeologist Harriet Boyd excavated Gournia from 1901 to 1904, one of the first women to lead a major dig in the Mediterranean. She uncovered a Minoan town of lanes, houses and workshops around a small palace.
Mochlos · The islet facing the village was joined to the mainland in Minoan times, and the town on it traded across the Aegean. Its tombs produced fine gold jewellery and stone vases, now in the Agios Nikolaos museum.

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Getting to Agios Nikolaos and getting around

KTEL bus station · Buses to Heraklion, Elounda, Kritsa and Sitia; buy tickets inside
Heraklion Airport · About an hour by the coast motorway; flights from Tel Aviv land here

Cheap eats in Agios Nikolaos

Crete has its own kitchen within Greek food: dakos, a barley rusk topped with tomato and soft cheese; kalitsounia cheese pies; snails, wild greens and lamb with stamnagathi. Gyros pita is the cheap quick meal, and a small glass of raki, tsikoudia, comes free at the end of most meals. Prices are in euros and lower than in Israel.

Pita tou Riga · Gyros or souvlaki in pita, about €3.50-5
Sta Orthia · Grill counter for a quick pita, about €3.50-5
I Thraka · Charcoal grill: souvlaki and pita, about €3.50-6
O Nontas · Local grill house for a cheap lunch, about €4-8
Lasithiotikos Fournos · Bakery for kalitsounia and bread, about €1-3
Migomis Cafe · Coffee above the lake, about €3-5

Museums in Agios Nikolaos

Archaeological Museum · The Goddess of Myrtos and the gold of Mochlos
Folklore Museum · Looms, lace and costumes by the lake
Gournia · Walk the lanes of a Minoan town
Lato · A Dorian hill city with sea views
Spinalonga · Fortress and leper colony with a small museum

Nature and day trips near Agios Nikolaos

Kritsa Gorge · A few hours of scrambling in a narrow gorge
Lasithi Plateau · Fields, orchards and old windmills
Almyros beach · Sand and a small wetland
Istron coves · Clear water in small bays
Kardiotissa Monastery · Mountain convent on the road to Lasithi

Things to do in Agios Nikolaos with kids

Spinalonga boat trip · A boat, a castle and walls to explore
Dikteon Cave · The cave where Zeus was born
Kitroplatia · Gentle town beach with ice cream nearby
Ammoudi beach · Sand and shallow water
Lake Voulismeni · Boats, ducks and a walk around the lake

Where to eat in Agios Nikolaos

Potiraki · Small plates and raki on the square
To Karnagio · Fish and seafood
Pelagos · Seafood in an old house with a garden
Migomis · Dinner high above the lake
Gioma Meze · Cretan meze to share

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Frequently asked questions about Agios Nikolaos

What is there to see in Agios Nikolaos?

The top sights in Agios Nikolaos are Lake Voulismeni, Archaeological Museum and Folklore Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Agios Nikolaos?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Agios Nikolaos without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Agios Nikolaos?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Agios Nikolaos, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: From the lake to the leper island.

How do you get to Agios Nikolaos and get around?

The main ways are KTEL bus station and Heraklion Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Agios Nikolaos, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Agios Nikolaos that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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