An Agios Nikolaos day trip pairs a lakeside town in eastern Crete with a boat to Spinalonga. It is one of the tours in Greece listed on Greece VIP.
This post covers what each tour includes, the operators and the drive from Heraklion. It also covers Lake Voulismeni, the town sights, museums, Spinalonga, Kritsa and Lato, food, pickups, reviews and history. Weather, the best season and common questions come last.
Each section ends with a tour from eastern Crete that can be booked online.
What does an Agios Nikolaos day trip include?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip includes a coach from the Heraklion resorts and free time in the town. A boat to Spinalonga follows. Longer versions add Elounda, a swim stop and a barbecue lunch.
The version with the largest review count starts with free time in Agios Nikolaos. Guests walk by the lake, shop and sit in the cafés that ring it.
The coach then moves on to Elounda, a former fishing village, for a short stop and a swim. From there, a boat crosses to Spinalonga.
Entry to Spinalonga costs extra on that trip. A swim stop at a hidden cove comes on the way back.
Escorts on that Agios Nikolaos day trip speak English, German and French. The listing holds 6,046 reviews.
Barbecue versions anchor at Kolokytha for lunch on board. The menu brings pork, Greek salad, feta, bread and fruit with wine or a soft drink.
Reviewers of the main trip advise sturdy footwear for Spinalonga, where the paths are very uneven. One called the island a good trek.
A barbecue cruise reviewer named the swim in clear water a highlight of the day. Another reviewer called a packed trip long but worth it.
On one cruise, the crew brought a cake for a guest’s birthday and the whole boat sang.
- Not included: Spinalonga entry on the main listings.
- Vegetarians: One cruise serves vegetable patties instead of chicken.
- Sunday: One operator swaps the boat barbecue for a taverna dinner.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip therefore mixes a town visit, an island and the sea.
Which tours run an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip comes in three forms. One is a town-and-Spinalonga coach trip. Another is a barbecue cruise with Kolokytha, and a third adds Plaka or an olive mill.
The coach trip with the largest review count holds 6,046 reviews. It visits Agios Nikolaos first, then Elounda and Spinalonga.
A barbecue cruise with 617 reviews starts from Elounda. It swims at Kolokytha Bay, tours Spinalonga and visits an olive oil factory before the town.
A cruise from Agios Nikolaos harbour holds 533 reviews. Its escorts speak Italian, German, English, French and Polish.
A Plaka version holds 175 reviews and offers a choice. Guests visit Spinalonga or take a boat to a secret swim spot instead.
Another cruise with 171 reviews swims at Kolokytha, tours Spinalonga and stops for a quick olive oil tasting. Its escorts speak seven languages, Romanian among them.
On that cruise, guests can stay on the boat and swim instead of visiting Spinalonga, a reviewer noted.
A smaller cruise with 80 reviews adds an escorted walk through the old leper colony on Spinalonga.
- Heraklion start: All five listings collect guests around Heraklion.
- Rethymno start: The Plaka version reaches as far west as Rethymno.
- Private: A private day by jeep pairs Agios Nikolaos with Plaka beach.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip with a boat leaves less time in the town itself.
How far is Agios Nikolaos from Heraklion?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip from Heraklion covers 64.7 km each way by road. The coach follows the north coast east, then turns through the St. George Gorge toward the town.
From Hersonissos, the drive to Agios Nikolaos runs 36.9 km. From Malia it runs 29.2 km.
From Rethymno, the drive grows to 140.8 km. From Chania, it reaches 212.3 km.
Elounda lies 10.3 km north of Agios Nikolaos by road. Plaka, the boat port for Spinalonga, lies 14.1 km away.
Kritsa, the hill village, sits 11.0 km from the town. Travellers can also arrive through Sitia airport or the town’s own harbour.
Heraklion airport and its daily ferries lie 64 km from the town, its encyclopedia entry notes. The town lies east of Heraklion, north of Ierapetra and west of Sitia.
The road south to Ierapetra on the Libyan Sea runs 34.9 km. The road east to Sitia runs 62.3 km.
Heraklion airport lies 61.7 km from the town by road. The Lasithi Plateau, inland to the west, lies 50.6 km away.
The Minoan town of Gournia lies 18.7 km away on the coast road toward Ierapetra. Coach tours to Agios Nikolaos do not stop there.
- Heraklion: 64.7 km by road.
- Malia: 29.2 km by road.
- Elounda: 10.3 km by road.
Guests based in the west can compare the Chania day trips from Rethymno closer to home.
What is Lake Voulismeni on an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip centres on Lake Voulismeni. This small round lake sits in the middle of the town. A channel links it to the harbour, and cafés and fishing boats line its edge.
The lake measures 137 m across. A university survey in September 2000 found its deepest point at 48.8 m.
Captain Thomas Spratt of the Royal Navy surveyed it in 1852 and recorded 64 m. That older figure still appears in print today.
Spratt also noted a small stream flowing out of it. That proved a freshwater spring still fed the lake. The great earthquake of 1856 is the leading suspect for blocking that spring.
The water then went stagnant, and locals called it Vromolimni, the stinky lake. An Ottoman governor dug the first channel to the sea between 1867 and 1871.
The French Army built the wider channel seen today between 1905 and 1907. The concrete road bridge over it opened in 1954.
A local myth calls the lake bottomless, or the crater of a volcano. The rocks around it are limestone breccia, with no volcanic rock anywhere near.
The lake is about 134 m wide against its depth, which fed the myth. Locals also saw the water stir during the 1956 Amorgos earthquake and wrongly blamed Santorini.
- Legend: The goddess Athena is said to have bathed in it.
- Easter: Crowds gather at the lake for fireworks at midnight.
- View: A small park above the lake looks down over it.
Tour listings on an Agios Nikolaos day trip send free time straight to the cafés on this lake.
What else is there to see on an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip also takes in the harbour, small beaches and shopping streets. A lakeside park adds shade. Boats in the harbour leave for Spinalonga and Kolokytha.
The lagoon park has a trail, traditional fishing boats, ducks, pigeons and an amphitheatre. Cafés fill the edges of the water.
The town has small beaches of its own. A local flora exhibition called Iris and a string of fairs add to the programme.
Tourism here is mainly West European, while Greek visitors arrive in mid August. Eastern Crete also draws a large number of Russian visitors.
The name Agios Nikolaos is common across Greece and Cyprus. The stress falls on the second syllable of Nikolaos.
The town became famous in the 1960s, when directors such as Jules Dassin and Walt Disney discovered it. Productions filmed here include He Who Must Die and The Moon-Spinners.
The series The Lotus Eaters was made here too. Daphne du Maurier set her story Not After Midnight in and around the town.
Tour listings point guests to the narrow shopping streets and to a coffee by the lake. One listing calls Lake Voulismeni the town’s signature sight.
- Islet: Tiny Agioi Pantes lies off the coast.
- Visitors: Greek tourism peaks in mid August.
- Studies: A university department now teaches tourism in the town.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip rewards guests who leave the main square and walk the waterfront.
Which museums and ancient sites does an Agios Nikolaos day trip include?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip can include the Archaeological Museum and the remains of ancient Lato pros Kamara. A dig at Priniatikos Pyrgos lies near the town.
The museum’s first collection dates from 1969. Its building reopened to visitors after a full renovation.
The largest collection comes from the Agia Fotia cemetery near Sitia. The first room holds its vases and hundreds of bronze blades of different shapes.
Fish hooks from early Minoan Crete sit among the finds as well. Ancient writers once confused Lato pros Kamara with Lato itself.
The town stands partly on the ruins of Lato pros Kamara, the ancient port of Lato. Its remains are limited, but a large Roman cemetery survives.
Priniatikos Pyrgos was first settled around 3000 BC. People lived there through the Minoan, Classical and Roman periods, up to 4,000 years in all.
An international team has excavated the site since 2007, under the Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens.
- Lato pros Kamara: Its port stayed in use under Roman rule.
- Lato: The hill city lies about 3 km from Kritsa.
- Lato’s end: The hill city was destroyed around 200 BCE.
Guests who want a slower pace inland can look at the Lasithi Plateau tours.
How does an Agios Nikolaos day trip combine with Spinalonga?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip pairs the town with a boat to Spinalonga, the fortified island off Elounda. Boats leave from Agios Nikolaos harbour, from Elounda or from Plaka.
The island served as a natural barrier for ancient Olous and later as a refuge for Saracen pirates. Venetians fortified it, and a Turkish settlement followed.
It is best known as one of the last leper colonies in the world. Listings call it the island of the forgotten.
Escorted walks lead through the old market street and the houses of the patients. The former hospital and the churches of Saint Panteleimon and Saint George stand along the route.
The main trip’s escort covers the island’s story, from Venetian and Turkish times to its years of isolation.
Plaka served as the ferry port for the colony. A book and a Greek television series later told its story.
Guests who skip the island can swim from the boat instead on two of the cruises. Entry to Spinalonga is always paid separately.
- Footwear: The island paths are uneven and rocky.
- From the harbour: One cruise sails directly from Agios Nikolaos.
- From Elounda: Three barbecue cruises board there.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip with Spinalonga covers the town and the island in one outing.
Can an Agios Nikolaos day trip add Kritsa and Lato?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip can add Kritsa, a hill village 11 km away. The ruins of Lato lie above it. Private tours and hiking trips reach them. None of the five coach tours above stops there.
Kritsa is thought to have been the largest village of Crete in the Middle Ages. Its neighbourhoods are Palemilos, Koukistres, Christos and Pergiolikia.
Lit up at night, the village takes the shape of a scorpion. The Kritsa Gorge lies on the route toward Tapes or Lato.
The oldest settlement nearby, on the rocky hill of Kastellos, dates to the 13th and 12th centuries BCE. Lato is thought to have been founded when Kastellos was left empty.
Lato stood between two peaks, each one an acropolis. Its ruins date mainly from the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.
The city is thought to take its name from the goddess Leto. Its coins show the goddess Eileithyia, and Nearchus, admiral of Alexander the Great, was born there.
Arthur Evans made a small study of Lato between 1894 and 1896. The French School of Archaeology began systematic digs in 1899. Signs at the site are in English and Greek.
For a small fee, visitors walk through the centre of the city. It holds the main gate, shops and a portico. A sanctuary, a central cistern, the agora and a great temple follow.
- Hike: A Kritsa Canyon walk holds 59 reviews.
- Picnic: A Kritsa gorge hike adds a picnic and a swim stop.
- Jeep: An open-top jeep tour explores the Thripti mountains.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip with Kritsa suits guests who want village life as well as the sea.
What food comes with an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip serves a barbecue on board on the cruise versions. Free time in the town leaves lunch to each guest, with cafés and tavernas around the lake.
One cruise grills pork steak and serves it with Greek salad, bread, feta and fruit at Kolokytha Bay. Another serves chicken, bread and salad on the beach.
Lunch on that beach comes with a glass of wine or juice. Vegetarians and vegans get vegetable patties instead.
Two versions stop at an olive oil factory or mill for a tasting of Cretan products. One calls it a quick tasting on the way to the town.
In town, guests take a coffee or a meal by the lake. The listing with the largest review count suggests a drink at one of the lakeside cafés.
A Plaka version stops for Cretan products so guests can taste local flavours. One reviewer of a cruise from Elounda found the food just fine but the day excellent.
On Sundays, one operator replaces the boat barbecue with dinner at a taverna.
- Drinks on board: Wine or a soft drink with the barbecue.
- Extras: Bars on the cruise boats sell more drinks.
- Kritsa: A village cooperative has made olive oil since the 1930s.
Guests who want a full meal and a class can compare the cooking classes in Crete.
Where does an Agios Nikolaos day trip pick up?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip picks up along the north coast between Heraklion and Malia. One version reaches west to Rethymno, and a cruise meets guests at the harbour in Agios Nikolaos itself.
The trip with the largest review count lists eight pickup areas. They run from Ammoudara and Heraklion to Hersonissos, Stalida, Malia, Sisi, Analipsi and Anissaras.
The harbour cruise lists 12 pickup areas. Gazi, Agia Pelagia, Ligaria and Kokkini Hani join the usual resort strip.
The Plaka version offers 30 pickup points. They reach west to Fodele beach, Bali, Panormos, Rethymno, Petres and Georgioupoli. Gazi, Ligaria and Kokkini Hani are on the list as well.
A smaller barbecue tour lists 20 pickup points, from Kato Gouves and Karteros to Sisi, Malia and Analipsi.
A barbecue cruise from Elounda lists 118 drop-off points across the resort coast. Pickup on that trip depends on the option chosen at booking.
Guests who reach Agios Nikolaos on their own can board the harbour cruise. It moors on Koundourou Street. The operator asks them to arrive early.
- Heraklion area: Covered by every coach version.
- Rethymno area: Only the Plaka version reaches it.
- Hotel door: Pickup points mix hotels, bus stops and landmarks.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip from Rethymno faces a drive of 140.8 km each way.
What do reviewers say about an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip earns praise for well-run days and good escorts. Clear water at the swim stops wins praise too. Complaints mention long hours on the road and a late pickup now and then.
On the main trip, one reviewer praised a punctual day and a great escort. Another called Spinalonga a good trek and advised proper shoes.
Reviewers of the harbour cruise called it a long day but worth it. One praised an organised escort. That escort spent much of the time moving the group aside for others.
On the Plaka version, reviewers praised a caring, knowledgeable escort. They called the day well organised and good value.
A barbecue cruise reviewer named the clear water the highlight, despite a slightly late pickup. Another found the escort spoke too softly to follow.
On a smaller cruise, reviewers praised the office staff for helpful contact before the day.
A main-trip reviewer picked it for its swim stop and was glad of the choice. A harbour-cruise reviewer called the escort terrific.
Another Elounda cruise reviewer enjoyed the boat trip, the swim in the sea and the beach.
One reviewer on the Elounda cruise valued the option of staying on board. Guests there can swim instead of visiting Spinalonga.
- Praise: Organisation, escorts and swim stops.
- Complaint: A soft-spoken escort on one cruise.
- Tip: Wear proper shoes for Spinalonga.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip pleases guests who accept a long day for a lot of sights.
What history does an Agios Nikolaos day trip cover?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip passes Minoan, Dorian, Roman and Venetian layers of Lasithi history. Dorians from the hill city of Lato first settled the harbour. Venetians and Ottomans later held the coast.
Dorians from Lato settled Agios Nikolaos in the late Bronze Age. Easy access to the harbour had come to matter more than the safety of the hill fort.
The harbour town, Lato pros Kamara, stayed in use after Lato fell. Ancient writers mixed up the two places, but modern scholars tell them apart.
The Minoan town of Gournia lies on the coast south-east of Agios Nikolaos. Its modern name comes from the stone troughs found at the site.
Harriet Boyd Hawes dug Gournia in 1901, 1903 and 1904. Her team exposed sixty houses, a cemetery, a road system and a central building.
Lasithi holds Minoan ruins at Vasiliki, Fournou Korifi, Pyrgos, Zakros and Gournia. Lato and Itanos were Doric towns.
The Selena range rises to 1,556 m in the north of Lasithi. The Thripti range reaches 1,476 m in the east.
Beaches and a mild climate all year draw visitors to Lasithi. Vai, Agios Nikolaos and the island of Chrysi serve mass tourism, while Myrtos, Xerokambos and Koutsouras stay quieter.
The lake channel, the 1960s film crews and the growth of tourism shaped the modern town.
- Olous: A Dorian-era settlement near Elounda.
- Vai: Known for its date palm forest in the east.
- Plateau: The Lasithi Plateau below Mount Dikti is famous for windmills.
Guests who want the island fortress in more depth can compare the Spinalonga tours.
How does weather shape an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip meets hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Model weather data for the town gives a 32.7 °C July high average this year. August averaged 33.1 °C.
The heat peaked at 37.4 °C on 21 July and 37.3 °C on 26 August. August stayed almost dry, with just 0.3 mm of rain.
July brought 13.6 mm of rain and a gust of 86.4 km/h on 29 July. The listings note that itineraries are subject to change.
September turned wet late in the month. It logged 118.5 mm of rain, 39.1 mm of it on 23 September.
April brought the heaviest single day of the year so far, with 62.6 mm on 25 April. A gust of 88.2 km/h hit on 1 April.
Last summer ran hotter. Last July averaged a 34.8 °C high and peaked at 38.9 °C on 22 July. It brought no rain at all.
September averaged a 28.5 °C high this year and peaked at 34.8 °C on 13 September. Last August averaged 32.8 °C, with 6.1 mm of rain.
Winter rain runs steady. January brought 64.0 mm and February 72.8 mm this year, and March logged 79.2 mm. Last October brought 45.1 mm and last November 27.2 mm.
The town has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with very mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
- Last August: Peaked at 38.5 °C on 22 August.
- Last February: A gust of 100.1 km/h on 5 February.
- Coldest morning: 4.4 °C on 2 January this year.
An Agios Nikolaos day trip in high summer calls for shade, water and a hat at Spinalonga.
When is the best season for an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip suits late spring, June and September to October best. June averaged a 30.6 °C high this year, and October so far 23.7 °C.
June stayed nearly dry, with 10.7 mm of rain. It peaked at 33.1 °C on 30 June.
Last September averaged 30.0 °C with only 10.7 mm of rain. Last October averaged 25.4 °C and reached 31.1 °C on 27 October.
Last November stayed warm at a 23.3 °C average high. Last December cooled to 18.0 °C but brought 90.3 mm of rain.
Winter days stay mild by the sea. January averaged 17.2 °C this year, and February 18.7 °C, with a warm 23.6 °C on 7 February.
March averaged 17.3 °C this year, against 21.2 °C last year. Last March hit 33 °C on 16 March, an early heat spike.
October reached 26.8 °C on 11 October this year. Last November still hit 27 °C on 10 November, and last September opened at 34.7 °C.
Last January averaged an 18.0 °C high, warmer than this year’s 17.2 °C. April turned wet this year, with 126.3 mm in total, against 93.3 mm last year.
Last April averaged 20.6 °C and peaked at 27.3 °C on 18 April. Last June averaged 31.5 °C, close to this year’s 30.6 °C. Swim stops at Kolokytha suit the warm months.
- April: 21.1 °C average high this year.
- Last June: Just 0.1 mm of rain.
- Greek holidays: Domestic visitors peak in mid August.
Guests who want a calmer sea day can compare the catamaran cruises in Crete.
What do travelers ask about an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
An Agios Nikolaos day trip raises questions on Spinalonga entry, lunch, languages, access and cancellation. Entry to Spinalonga costs extra, and free cancellation runs up to 24 hours ahead.
Is Spinalonga entry included on an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
No. The main listings leave the Spinalonga entry fee out of the price.
Is lunch included on an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
On the barbecue cruises, yes. On the town-and-island coach trip, lunch is up to each guest.
Which languages do escorts speak?
English, German and French on the main trip. Other versions add Italian, Polish, Russian or Romanian.
Can guests skip Spinalonga on an Agios Nikolaos day trip?
Yes, on two versions. Guests swim from the boat or take a separate boat to a quiet cove.
Is the trip suitable for reduced mobility?
A cruise from Agios Nikolaos harbour does not suit guests with mobility impairments. Spinalonga has uneven, rocky paths.
How far is the drive?
It is 64.7 km from Heraklion and 29.2 km from Malia by road.
Is Lake Voulismeni bottomless?
No. A survey in 2000 measured its depth at 48.8 m.
Can guests visit Kritsa on the same day?
Not on the coach tours listed here. Private tours and hiking trips reach the village.
Does an Agios Nikolaos day trip run in winter?
Yes. Small-group winter tours visit Plaka, Spinalonga and Agios Nikolaos out of season.
What do guests bring?
Comfortable shoes for Spinalonga. One barbecue cruise adds beachwear, a towel, sunscreen, a sun hat and cash.