Our most recommended things to do in Agios Nikolaos

Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

1. Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

Spinalonga is a magnificent island with fortresses dating from the Venetian period. It is an island of legends, a triumph to survival in the early 20th century from the scourge of leprosy, now a place of great archaeological and historical significance. On Spinalonga island, enjoy the opportunity to visit the Interpretive Centre there and discover the settlements of the victims and survivors of this former illness. Explore the Venetian fortifications and learn all about the long and fascinating history of the island. Take time to walk around the island and see the views of the bay and the fortifications. Later the cruise continues, passing along other points of interest in the Bay of Mirabello such as the cave of the legendary Pirate Barbarosa, the sunken ancient city of Olous, and the island where the endemic and hardy Cretan Kri Kri goats live. Have time to relax and swim in the exquisite turquoise waters of Kolokitha Bay. The 40 m boat features two bars, a lounge, and a restaurant serving Greek and international cuisine at reasonable prices with high-quality service from the crew.

Heraklion Area: CRETAquarium Admission Ticket

2. Heraklion Area: CRETAquarium Admission Ticket

Venture into the ocean’s depth with a 1-day admission ticket to the CRETAquarium. One of Europe’s largest aquariums, over 2,000 sea creatures lice the CRETAquarium's 60 diverse habitats. Delve into the caves and crevices of the Mediterranean, where stingrays and rock-like scorpionfish slither about. Pop out into the open ocean, where menacing sharks circle, waiting to be fed. Get up close and personal with jellyfish and schools of vibrant tropical clownfish through shallow, open-topped tanks, which allow a new viewing perspective of well known species.  Above all, gain a new appreciation for the unending diversity of the world’s most mystifying environment. When you’ve had your fill of looking at the ocean’s residents, why not pop in for a dip? The CRETAquarium is, fittingly, right on the beach.

Agios Nikolaos: Semi-Submarine Cruise

3. Agios Nikolaos: Semi-Submarine Cruise

Board a comfortable air-conditioned semi-submarine vessel at the port of Agios Nikolaos. Discover marine life which inhabits the coastal waters of Agioi Pantes Island. Learn more about the flora and fauna you will see from the onboard audio guide. See many different species of colorful fish as the boat crew feeds them. If you are lucky, you may spot curious sea turtles, dolphins, and seals who sometimes choose to investigate the vessel. In the second part of the tour, take a seat on the main deck of the boat in order to admire the spectacular views of Agios Nikolaos Bay. Feel the sea breeze as you cruise through the bay before heading back to the port.

Cruise to Spinalonga & BBQ at Kolokytha From Agios Nikolaos

4. Cruise to Spinalonga & BBQ at Kolokytha From Agios Nikolaos

Enjoy a fun cruise in the Greek sun with a barbecue by the sea. Explore  Kolokytha Bay and the historical island of Spinalonga. Start your day boarding the boat at the pretty harbour of Agios Nikolaos. Cruise across the beautiful Bay of Mirabello before arriving at the legendary island of Spinalonga.  On Spinalonga island you will have an hour and a half to tour around and explore the Venetian fortifications and old homes of the victims of leprosy. Learn about the history and people who lived on the island during the first half of the 20th century from the printed guide that will be given to you free of charge. Later the boat takes you on the other side of the Kolokytha island and moors at the beach of the same name. Kolokytha is a beautiful bay with crystal-clear turquoise waters. Relax, swim and sunbathe while the boat crew prepares a hearty barbecue for you. Enjoy grilled pork chops, cabbage salad, bread, wine and seasonal fruits. 

Hersonissos: Sunset Catamaran Trip with Finger Food & Drinks

5. Hersonissos: Sunset Catamaran Trip with Finger Food & Drinks

Sailing trip suits better for newlyweds and couples, it can become as well a budget option for family vacation. We take on boat tours snorkelling & fishing equipment, sup, inflatable flamingo & unicorn, guests’ popular photo shoot objects. You will dive in crystal clear Mediterranean water. White Cretan wine and light snacks: cheese, fruit are served on board. Products are purchased from local farmers market. The highlight of the cruise - meeting sunset at the bay exit. Incredibly beautiful and exciting sight.

From Ierapetra: Cruise Around Chrissi Island With Swimming

6. From Ierapetra: Cruise Around Chrissi Island With Swimming

Start your boat cruise from the port of Ierapetra and head to the exotic Chrissi. Sail in the emerald waters of the Libyan Sea, accompanied by seagulls and dolphins. The self-service bar of the ship remains open during the cruise, offering light meals, with salads, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and ice cream available to purchase. Jump off the boat and swim in the refreshing water off the coast of Chrissi Island. After a relaxing swim, dry off on board and enjoy views of the island's blue and green waters, golden beaches, and protected cedar forest. The cedar forest extends to the center of Chrissi, covering an area of 350,000 square meters. The colors of the rocks are spectacular, while almost the entire island is covered by golden sand. 

From Heraklion: Spinalonga, Plaka, Agios Nikolaos, & Elounda

7. From Heraklion: Spinalonga, Plaka, Agios Nikolaos, & Elounda

Start with pickup from your hotel and travel along the north-east coast and by St. George’s Gorge. After a short ride, visit an olive oil farmwhere you can experience first-hand the standardization of extra virgin olive oil, table olives, and olive paste. Taste authentic Greek olive oil, which is famous worldwide for its great taste as well as other authentic Cretan products like “raki” and honey. Travel next to the cosmopolitan city of Agios Nikolaos on the Gulf of Mirabello. Agios Nikolaos is famous for its picturesque bottomless lake, explored by the ocean researcher Jaques Cousteau and the subject of numerous legends. Discover the pretty city on your own, stroll through the shops, or relax in one of the cafes and watch the world go by. Continue to Elounda, enjoying some of the most beautiful views of Crete. Look across the Elounda Lagoon at the enchanting islands of Spinalonga and Kolokitha. Spinalonga has been an important place throughout history. Have some time to explore the island on your own. After a short drive, you will reach Plaka, a small fishing village directly opposite Spinalonga. From there a 10-minute boat ride takes you to the island. Plaka was the ferry port of the leper colony, whose history was documented in a book and a Greek television series. Visit the filming sites, enjoy lunch or have a refreshing swim. The last stop of the day is Elounda, a former fishing village but today a famous holiday resort with the most 5-star hotels in Greece. Take plenty of time to stroll through the picturesque harbor and have a cup of coffee before heading back to your accommodation.

Heraklion: Spinalonga Agios and Elounda Boat Tour and BBQ

8. Heraklion: Spinalonga Agios and Elounda Boat Tour and BBQ

Enjoy a walking tour of the island of Spinalonga during a full-day excursion from Elounda to the island. Visit Agios Nikolaos and Elounda and swim in the crystal-clear waters of Kolokytha, where you can enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch. Leave from Heraklion, in a spacious, comfortable bus and travel to the designated locations, along the coast through the St. George Gorge to Elounda, a tranquil coastal resort. Board the boat around 10:00, and visit the bay and the beach of Kolokytha, a secluded haven that offers a respite from daily life. You can swim and eat a delicious BBQ on board. Take the boat to Spinalonga around 12:45, traveling across Mirabello Bay. Learn about Spinalonga's complex history as a natural barrier for Olous in Ancient Greek times, a Saracen pirate refuge, a Venetian fortification, and a Turkic settlement. Depart from Spinalonga at appr. 2:45 pm. As you head towards our last destination from Elounda by bus, you will have the opportunity for a quick olive oil tasting, before arriving at the capital town of Lassithi, Agios Nikolaos at around 3:45 pm. Relax in a café next to the bottomless Lake of Voulismeni and enjoy your walk to the local shops. Return to Heraklion after the excursion, at approximately 6:30 pm.

Crete: Mirabello Bay Cruise with Onboard Cocktail

9. Crete: Mirabello Bay Cruise with Onboard Cocktail

The cruise starts at 11:00 o’clock from Agios Nikolaos port. We start with a slow cruise along the Mirabello gulf to Kolokytha beach, lasting approximately one hour. There the ship will anchor, and you can enjoy the turquoise waters and swim in the crystal-clear waters for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Afterwards we continue to our second hidden beach in Skistra Bay, a perfect place to snorkel and relax and enjoy a cocktail (included). Here we stay again for an hour and 15 minutes for swimming. Fresh fruit is served and those who are hungry can order food on board. Around 15:45 you are back at the port of Agios Nikolaos where the bus is already waiting for you to take you back to your hotel. The romantic atmosphere together with the extraordinary landscapes make the cruise ideal for creating unforgettable memories. Attention: for Agios Nikolaos and Elounda area is no pickup service, but meeting point at Agios Nikolaos port.

Zeus Cave and Lassithi Plateau Day Tour

10. Zeus Cave and Lassithi Plateau Day Tour

Start your tour with pick up in an air-conditioned Land Rover from your accommodations at 10 AM and head into the Dikti Mountain Range. You'll pass through several traditional and very picturesque mountain villages. There will be plenty of opportunities to stop for photos or to have a coffee at a real taverna. At the Lassithi Plateau, you might see eagles and vultures, as both nest around this area. Next, you’ll reach the base of Mount Spathi. The Psychro Cave, the birth place of the Greek god Zeus, is located on the north face of Spathi. You’ll walk 15 minutes up the steep hill to the entrance of the cave and from there follow the path down into the spectacular cave.   Next, enjoy a traditional Cretan meze lunch with local wine. After lunch, you'll continue around the plateau and then descend taking in views of the north coast and the impressive Aposelemis Dam. You will then visit a 2400-year-old plane tree, the oldest on the island, as well as the Selinari Monastery.

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What people are saying about Agios Nikolaos

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 3,482 reviews

Great day out! Michael, our tour guide, was brilliant and knew a lot about the local areas. As it was the national Independence Day of Greece , we had our schedule moved around a little so we were able to experience the parades that were happening - a really lovely consideration for the team to have made! Our pick up was very smooth and the bus journey was a beautiful route that allowed us to see the Cretan scenery. Elounda and Agios Nikolaos are stunning places and definitely worth a visit!! We had a good amount of free time in each place - the best part, jumping off our boat into the sea on our way back from Spinalonga Island! Bucket list check! Highly recommend this day out to everyone!

Highly recommend the trip to Zeus cave. Our tour guide- Petra, was amazing and answered any questions that we had. The views were out of this world and Petra kindly pulled over to allow our group to take some amazing photos. Thank you!

It was a long but fun day. Visited two beautiful and nice pictures and a beautiful lake with a nice view. Everything was well arranged, they were on time at the pick-up location and a nice guide.

Altough you don't have to much time, the tour was enough to see the important stuff in Heraklion. The guide was constantly giving us information and the bus driver also was very friendly

Very nice trip. They picked me up in a van very close to my hotel because the streets were very narrow. Recommended!