Spinalonga Island, Crete – A Fascinating Open Air Museum

Imagine being on a ferry and sailing the crystal clear Meditteranean waters with a spectacular island in the backdrop? Well, that’s exactly what I did this month during my trip to Crete in Greece. Crete is a fabulous island with a lot to offer by way of culinary delights not to mention sun and sea aplenty! To my disbelief, the island also offers quite a lot on the cultural front. And the island of Spinalonga, an old leper colony with Venetian ruins located on the north-east coast, topped my bucket list for the trip.

Brief History of Spinalonga, Crete

Spinalonga is situated just off the north-east coast of Crete. It wasn’t originally an island but was cut off from the mainland during the Venetian occupation in the 1500s. As such, a fort was built on Spinalonga and the ‘island’ was used as a defense mechanism.

In the 1700s, Muslims settled on the island and built their houses on top of the existing Venetian structures. During the 19th century, around 250 Muslim inhabitants lived on the island in isolation. This number later grew to 1,112 in 1881 and hence, Spinalonga was one of the largest Muslim settlements in the Mirabello region.

Later on, from 1903 to 1957, the island served as a leper colony (established by the government) and those with leprosy were exiled to the island away from the Greek mainland. In fact, Spinalonga was one of the very last ‘active’ leper colonies in Europe.

The Treatment of Lepers on Spinalonga

Upon arrival on the island, lepers were given food, water, access to medical services and even social security – the latter being something they did not have on the mainland. Therefore, a small community of lepers formed. They were well-supported, with a team of medical professionals including a physician and nurses who also lived on the island. The island also had its own financial department and a priest resided there and ran the local church.

Getting to Spinalonga from Agios Nikolaos

Nostos Cruises took us to Spinalong on the boat from Agios Nikolaos, where we stayed for a couple of hours. The same ferry boat company also departs from Elounda, a town somewhat closer to Spinalonga than Agios Nikolaos. Note that you cannot actually stay on the island of Spinalonga – there are no hotels as the sole purpose is for short tourist trips.

What Can I Expect To See On The Island?

When you arrive on the island, and if you do so with Nostos Cruises, you’ll be assigned a tour guide in the language of your choice. You’ll then walk around the island for approximately 45 minutes to see the main sights – a chapel, the shopping district, the wall of the fort and houses where the lepers resided. After this, you’ll have around half an hour to explore the island by yourself.

Hints and Tips for Those Travelling to Spinalonga

During the Nostos Cruise of 4-hours (priced at 16 Euros as of 23rd July 2018 – but double check on their website for any possible price changes), you’ll also get to swim in the sea for 30 minutes prior to docking at Spinalonga. So be sure to bring your swimming costume and a towel. Entrance to the island itself costs around 8 Euro as well (on top of the boat trip there).

Additionally, it is recommended to take water and cold drinks with you on the boat (or purchase them on the boat – prices are reasonable) as well as plenty of suncream and hats (there is hardly any shade on this island). We also suggest you refrain from buying anything on the island itself as things are extremely pricey – a packet of Lays crisps costs 5 Euro. So rather bring your own snacks if you don’t want to splurge.

In close, Spinalonga is a fantastic cultural experience for those interested in ancient ruins and who also want to see a bit of the Mirabello area and the Mediterranean Sea. The trip with Nostos Cruises combines culture together with cooling off in the ocean – what more can you want on your trip to Crete?