Grasp the chance to step on the leper colony of Spinalonga, a marvel fortress/island of Venetian engineering on the east side of Crete. This private tour from Chania to Spinalonga, Elounda and Agios Nikolaos tour is one of a kind!

Our professional and licensed tourist guide in Chania, Apostolis Panigirakis, picks you up very early in the morning to head to the eastern part of Crete, where Spinalonga Island is located. The trip lasts around 3 hours, so plenty of sightseeing and relaxation stops are made to keep us comfy. On this Private tour from Chania to Spinalonga, the leper island of Europe, as many say, you will step into forgotten and dark history.

Taking advantage of the transfer time, our professional guide in Chania will educate you about Crete, our history, past, present, and future, our folklore traditions, and the Venetian past of Spinalonga Island, its significance, and how it ended up as an island to isolate those who suffered from leprosy back in the—not so distant—20th century.

As soon as we arrive from Chania to Spinalonga, we make a small sightseeing break to learn about the coves and lagoons created by the shallow waters in the Elounda Area, the Plaka area, Kolokytha beach, and the Archaeological Site of Olous.

We then hop on a boat to cover the 10-minute mini cruise from Elounda to Spinalonga. We are mesmerized by the crystal clear waters, and the proximity where this leper colony has been isolated from mainland Crete: Our licensed tour guide in Crete, Apostolis Panigirakis explains the vicinity of the island, while we see the Venetian fortifications of the city.

The tour to Spinalonga island from Chania continues, as our guide explains the various architectural phases of the island and the new restorations by the Greek ministry of Culture: This way, you are enriched, as you can now understand not only the last settlers of the island, the patients suffering from leprosy, as well as the Venetians that took advantage of the island’s strategic location and the Ottomans that succeed onwards.

While on the island, our guide on this guided tour from Chania to Elounda & Spinalonga gives you crucial details about the important establishments and infrastructure, ready to accommodate the leper colony of the past: Washrooms, Infirmary, coffee place for the limited socialisation of the patients themselves.

After our guided tour to Spinalonga, we take the boat back to shore, where we head to Agios Nikolaos city, the head of the Lasithi peripheral unit, one of the four that comprise Crete. This is a small but peaceful and rustic port town where we relax after an exhausting day for a light lunch and free time. We then follow the way back to Chania, completing this private full-day tour to Spinalonga from Chania with a licensed tour guide.