Agios Nikolaos, Crete - Alpha & Omega

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Agios Nikolaos, Spinalonga island

Agios Nikolaos, in the east of Crete, is a small town of 20,000 inhabitants, in the splendid Mirabello Bay. , the cosmopolitan capital of eastern Crete, often compared to το γαλλικό Saint-Tropez. In the centre of this seaside town, the port and the small circular lake of Voulismeni. are a meeting point for Cretans and tourists alike. 10 km north of Agios Nikolaos, the village of Elounda, Crete, luxury tourist destination, and, opposite, the famous island of Spinalonga, with its beautiful Venetian fortifications. (see "Agios Nikolaos city"our blog)

How to get there
Agios Nikolaos has no airport, so you have to go via Heraklion, an hour's drive away. It can also be reached by boat from Piraeus but the connection is not direct. There are several stopovers in the Cyclades and the journey takes over 15 hours. On the other hand, the connection by boat with Karpathos and Rhodes the link is direct and very interesting (for buses, see KTEL)

To know, to visit, to do
In recent years, Agios Nikolaos has developed into a fashionable seaside resort, its main assets being the beautiful beaches in the vicinity, its tranquillity during the day, its oriental charm and, at night, its lively nightlife.

To visit in the surroundings
, a popular seaside place with luxury hotels and beaches. Panagia Kera, a remarkable white Byzantine church in the middle of olive trees. And, finally, to visit the island of Spinalonga, a beautiful Venetian citadel but also a place of exile for lepers until 1957. Victoria Hislop's best-selling novel "The Island of the Forgotten", translated into 30 countries, described the lives of its unfortunate inhabitants, isolated on the island, during the first half of the 20th century.

Restaurants
Karnagio (12-20€), family atmosphere and local cuisine. Gioma mézé (12-20€), Cretan cuisine and beautiful views of Lake Voulismeni.

Pictures of Agios Nikolaos

Rent a car

by the french guide “Guide du routard”

Top 10 in Crete: Loutro – Elafonisi – Falasarna – Balos – Chania – Samaria gorge – Rethymnon – Knossos – Agios Nikolaos – Vai Beach

Home » DISCOVERY » Crete, Top 10 » Agios Nikolaos, Crete

Agios Nikolaos town, Crete

The city

Agios Nikolaos, city map
To see: : Lake Voulismeni, the fishing port, the narrow streets, the archaeological museum, the chapel of Saint Nicholas, the beaches in the vicinity.

A charming little seaside town, often compared to St. Tropez, attracts crowds of visitors every year to enjoy the beautiful Mirabello Bay. It is the place where tourism first started in Crete in the 1960s, thanks to its proximity to the chic resort of Elounda, the beautiful beaches around it and its nightlife.

In the centre of the village, the picturesque fishing port around the small circular lake of Voulismeni is a meeting point for locals and tourists alike.

The winding streets with many small shops and a wide choice of tavernas and restaurants where you can enjoy Cretan culinary specialties.

Agios Nikolaos is today a small town of 20,000 inhabitants, the capital of the prefecture of Lasithi, with a large tourist influx during the summer months. It has no airport, but is connected daily to Athens, and more precisely to Piraeus, by a regular ferry service. Unfortunately, the haphazard and sudden expansion of Agios Nikolaos from a picturesque fishing village has largely destroyed the traditional character that the town retained until the 1960s.

Unfortunately, tourism has encouraged the sudden and disorderly expansion of the town. Its charm and traditional character, preserved until the 1960s, has not survived the lure of mass tourism.

Scattered throughout the town, a few traditional houses still exist, and these are now preserved buildings that usually house restaurants or luxury guesthouses. Most of them are located on the hill south of Lake Voulismeni, where the Venetian fortress Mirabello once stood.

There are few Venetian monuments left in Agios Nikolaos. The Mirabello fortress no longer exists, and only its name survives in the name of the bay of the same name.

There are few Venetian monuments left in Agios Nikolaos. The Mirabello fortress no longer exists, and only its name survives in the name of the homonymous bay. As for the small Byzantine church of St. Nicholas, which gave its name to the town, it has at least managed to remain standing and has preserved its frescos. Now that the restoration and maintenance work has been completed, you can visit this small chapel and admire the 14th century frescoes.

Around Agios Nikolaos

The real gem of Agios Nikolaos is its archaeological museum, near Lake Voulismeni. It may not be very big, but it has some interesting exhibits and it's worth going early in the morning to have plenty of time to spare. In its seven well-maintained halls you will see important treasures dating from the Neolithic to the Roman period that have been found in eastern Crete.

In its seven well-maintained rooms, you'll see important treasures dating from the Neolithic to the Roman period that have been discovered in eastern Crete.

For those who want to discover the Cretan culture, Agios Nikolaos is the ideal starting point. We recommend some excursions such as :

KritsaThe village is known for its handicrafts, colourful streets, folklore and four Byzantine churches with 16th century frescoes. Jules Dassin shot some scenes from his film The One Who Must Die, based on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel Christ Reckoned. (Map of Kritsa, Crete)He who must die"based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, "Le Christ recrucifié“.

The Lassithi Plateau. At an altitude of more than 800 m, the Lassithi plateau is nestled in the mountains. It was once famous for its 10,000 windmills, which irrigated crops and provided water.

Panagia Kera. . A remarkable white Byzantine church in the middle of olive trees, one km from the village of Kritsa. Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, it was founded in the 13th century. Originally it consisted of a single nave with a dome. Two side aisles with barrel vaults were added in the 14th century.

Elounda, Crete. . A site sought after for its charm, its beaches and its luxury hotels. An opportunity to visit the island of Spinalonga with its beautiful fortress built in ancient times and rebuilt by the Venetians in the 17th century which was the last stronghold to resist the Turks. It was conquered 50 years after the occupation of Crete (1669)

(see our page Agios Nikolaos & : Map of Agios Nikolaos region)