Elounda is located approximately 65 km from Heraklion in the Eastern prefecture of the island of Crete. During your stay in Elounda you can choose between: luxurious hotels A’, B’ and C’ class, apartments, rooms and pensions. You can visit the beautiful and historical places of Crete for day trips by bus, rental cars or bikes. Your stay in Elounda can be enhanced by spending some time exploring and engaging in activities such as swimming, fishing, boating, water sports, and sea kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, climbing, walking and visiting the nearby traditional villages. All kinds of taverns, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops are available to satisfy your holiday needs. Located within a sheltered position at the North West of the gulf of Mirambello the enclosed bay of Elounda is a true paradise of the Cretan sea. Here, the land reached out its arms and embraced a stretch of sea. In this region lies the traditional village of Elounda. With the picturesque views of clean, blue sea and the nearby island of Calydon / Spinalonga, the village offers a breathtaking sight of a Mediterranean landscape. The Minoan, Greek Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman Empires have all left their mark on Elounda’s heritage. Elounda is host to two of the most important ancient archaeological sites of Cretan history: the relics of the ancient sunken city of Olous and the Venetian castle on the island of Spinalonga.
Elounda is a fully developed resort with: Banks, post office, clinic, pharmacy, tourist police.
About Spinalonga
The first signs of settlement date back to MINOAN times. In 1579 during the Venetian occupation of Crete the Venetians built a fortress on the island to guard the bay of Mirabello. In 1715 the Turks, who occupied Crete for almost 200 years took over the fortress. Between 1900 and 1957 it was used as a leper-colony. Today the island is an open-air museum.
This pleasant trip takes you through the bay of Elounda. We pass the small canal that connects the bay of Elounda with the rest of the Gulf of Mirabello and reach the sunken city of Olous. The remains of the Venetian saltpans, the old stone bridge and the ancient windmills give this place a romantic air.