Full day Spinalonga Ag Nikolaos Kritsa Olive Tour from Heraklion

From $962 • 8 hours 30 minutes • Compass Transfer & Travel Services • Agios Nikolaos, Agkisaras, Greece • Pickup available • Free until 1 day before

View all (17)

Why we love it?

The Full Day Spinalonga Ag Nikolaos Kritsa Olive Tour from Heraklion offers an immersive exploration of Crete's rich history and scenic landscapes. Spanning 8 hours and 30 minutes, this tour is ideal for history enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, providing a blend of cultural insight and stunning views. Participants will visit the historic island of Spinalonga, known for its Venetian architecture and poignant past, before heading to the picturesque town of Agios Nikolaos and the charming village of Kritsa, famous for its olive groves. With private transportation, a licensed tour guide, and amenities like WiFi and bottled water, this experience ensures comfort and convenience while uncovering the unique stories of the region.

Inclusions

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Licensed Tour Guide
Pick up and Drop off

Exclusions

Lunch
Admission fee €20 to Spinalonga island

Itinerary

The tiny

teardrop-shaped island of Spinalonga, just off the southern coast of Crete’s Lassithi region, wasn’t always on the tourist map. Today, taking a boat trip there is a must for any visitor to Elounda. On the island are the remains of a 16th-century Venetian fortress, built to protect the strategically important Bay of Mirabello. The castle is visible from the coast and gives a special beauty to the landscape. However what makes Spinalonga unique are the ruined houses and buildings of the settlement that was from [ ] official leper colony for Greece. While walking in the narrow roads of Spinalonga you will experience what you can read in history books and in Victoria Hinslop’s best-selling novel “The island”. Around the island’s perimeter there is a 1,5 path leading you through the ruins and all the prickle pear trees of the island.

Step 2

A picturesque town of Crete – calm enough to relax and busy enough to be interesting. In Ag. Nikolaos visitors can admire the beautiful lake, surrounded by red rock formations and lush vegetation, it becomes one with the sea through a narrow canal. Following the canal, we reach the harbor of Ag. Nikolaos. The town is full of shops, cafes and restaurants with local and international cuisine. Among the shops, some sell traditional Cretan artifacts, art, copies from the local archaeological museums, jewels, impressive embroidery, local products, and many delicacies

Step 3

Kritsa is one of the oldest and most picturesque villages in Crete, Greece, built amphitheatrically on a rock hill, named Kastellos, surrounded by olive groves, at an altitude of 375 m. It is part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. During the Middle Ages, it was thought to be the largest village in Crete. Kritsa has been destroyed many times during the last centuries because it participated in all of Crete's revolutions. It is located 10 km from Agios Nikolaos.Before the entrance of the village is the old Byzantine Church of Panagia Kera with unique, in technique and importance, Byzantine frescoes (13th and 14th century).

Step 4

You learn how olive oil is made, today and in the past, stopping at the outdoor olive museum where the original 1865 family stone mill is displayed.
The tour includes an olive oil tasting testing, during which visitors are given tips on how to recognise a superior olive oil.

Please Note

Stroller or pram accessible
Not wheelchair accessible
No public transportation nearby
Infants must not sit on laps
The pick-up point will be just outside the reception of your hotel. For cruise passengers, it will be outside the main building at the harbor. Your driver will be waiting for you with a sign bearing your name. If your address is not listed, please let us know so we can check if a pick-up can be arranged for you or if another pick-up point near your residence is possible.