Water activity

Spinalonga Boat Trip from Elounda Port

4.4 / 5

220 reviews

Activity provider: Elounda 18 Boat Cooperative
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    Water activity

    Spinalonga Boat Trip from Elounda Port

    Activity provider: Elounda 18 Boat Cooperative
    Likely to sell out

    From US$ 12.21 per person

    Likely to sell out

    Take a traditional Greek wooden boat to the amazing island of Spinalonga! Explore one of Europe's last leper colonies, built on the old Venetian fortress. Take a long walk around the island and learn about the Venetian fortifications.

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
    Reserve now & pay later
    Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today.
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
    Duration 1 hour
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Driver
    English

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Enjoy a wonderful cruise on a traditional wooden boat to the island of Spinalonga
    • Stay on the island for an hour and 10-20 minutes. Boats have been reduced & you may have to wait
    • Explore the former leper colony and the fortifications of the old Venetian castle-town
    • Sail in the Elounda bay and feel the sea breeze while admiring the Cretan scenery
    Full description
    Board one of the traditional wooden boats from Elounda port and let the experienced local crew take you to Spinalonga island. The boat trip begins at approximately 9:30 AM every day from the main port of Elounda village. Stay on the island for an hour and 10 to 20 minutes. In case you stay longer due to the covid situation you might not get on the next one because the capacity of the boats has been reduced and have to wait an extra hour. The last boat trip from Spinalonga usually departs at 6:30 PM. If you want to learn more about the island, you can find local licensed guides on the pier who will bring the island's history to life. Originally, Spinalonga was not an island – it was part of the island of Crete. During Venetian occupation, the island was carved out of the coast for defensive purposes and a fort was built there. During Venetian rule, salt was harvested from salt pans around the island. The island has also been used as a leper colony. Spinalonga has appeared in novels, television series, and a short film.
    Includes
    • Return boat trip to Spinalonga island
    • Experienced English-speaking captain and crew
    • Option for late return with another boat of the same operator
    • Entry ticket to the Spinalonga Island (8€ adult)
    • Food and beverages
    • Guided tour on the island
    • Hotel transfer
    Covid-19 precautions

    You must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed

    Safety measures in place
    • All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
    • You must keep social distance while in vehicles
    • The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
    Traveler requirements
    • You are required to bring and wear a mask

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Meeting point

    Port of Schisma Eloundas (easily accessible by bus/taxi/private car from Agios Nikolaos).

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    Important information

    Know before you go

    • You must purchase a separate entry ticket to enter the Spinalonga island (8€)
    • Either stay 1 hour on the island or, if you want to stay longer, you can take another boat from the same supplier later, without extra cost
    • The boat trips begin at approximately 9:30 AM and depart every 30 minutes. The last return trip is at approximately at 6:30 PM during summer and at 3:30 PM during April and October
    • The total minimum duration of the activity is 2 hours (boat trip + stay on the island)
    • There is a toilet and a bar/coffee shop on the island but you can also bring drinks and snacks
    • The port of Elounda is easily accessible by bus/taxi/car from Agios Nikolaos and there is parking space available at a cost
    • The island gets crowded between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM so visits in the early morning or late in the afternoon are often more relaxing
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    4.4 /5

    based on 220 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4.3/5
    • Transportation
      4.4/5
    • Value for money
      4.1/5
    • Safety
      4.2/5

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    Star rating:

    The trip out to the island was excellent - boat was on time, clean and efficient. The island itself is a must for Victoria Hislop fans and other historians…. Really interesting and lots to see, although there could have been clearer signage. Views to the mainland are stunning, but despair, fear and desolation still hang in the air. We waited over an hour for the boat back, and when it arrived, it had nothing to mark it for Elounda, so we very nearly missed it! We now know that you can also catch the local boat from Plaka, which takes just 6/7 minutes and runs more regularly.

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    July 31, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – United Kingdom Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Great Day trip! Worth the money and the history of the island is fascinating. The shop on the island Is extremely over priced so I recommend waiting until you get back to the mainland! We paid €10 for two cornettos ! We got one boat over and spent 2 hours on the island and got the next available boat back no problem!

    July 18, 2022

    C
    Ciara – Ireland Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Spinalonga is a fascinating place to visit. As regards the Boat trip from Elounda, our voucher was timed for 1100 but we were able to get on an earlier one with no problem. The captain advised on arrival at Spinalonga that the boat would be returning to Elounda in 1 hour and twenty minutes, however if we wished to stay longer then the boats were every 40 minutes (end of May) and you may not get on the one you want and have to wait longer. There are lots of boats operating from various places so it could be confusing which one to get (no signage) on the return however, they announced the boat as for Elounda when it arrived so no problem :)

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    May 30, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – United Kingdom Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Product ID: 155973