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The haunted island of Spinalonga is located just off Elounda and Agios Nikolaos in
the bay of Mirabello. You can take a boat trip to Spinalonga on a daily basis from
just 30 euro.
Spinalonga is a popular sightseeing choice for the history and stunning
views you get from atop the island. Also on many boat trips to the island you get
the chance to jump off the boat at a secluded location and have a BBQ and relax on
the beach.
The island of Spinalonga used to be a leper colony until the early 1900’s
and is a sad remainder of our past, and how we treated people who were different.
Spinalonga is famous in Greece for being the last active leper colony in Europe,
being used from 1903 until 1957. The last inhabitant, a priest, left in 1962. This
was to maintain the religious tradition of the Greek Orthodox church, in which a
buried person has to be commemorated 40 days, 6 months, 1, 3 and 5 years after their
death.
There are two entrances to Spinalonga, one being the lepers' entrance, a tunnel
known as Dante's Gate. This was so named because the lepers did not know what was
going to happen to them once they arrived. However, once on the island the leper’s
received food, water, medical attention and social security payments. Previously,
such amenities had been unavailable to Crete's lepers, as they mostly lived in the
area's caves, away from civilization. eating scraps left over by the wolves who shared
their dark homes.
The island is now a ghost town, with many of the buildings falling
into disrepair, a lot of work has gone into conserving the islands history and you
can get guided tours daily around the island. A popular Tour is made by Victor Zorbas
who has guided the island walks for the past 25 years. He wrote a book called “The
Island of the damned” which although locally published has received worldwide acclaim
for his investigative writing.
The tour of Spinalonga takes approximately 1-
A lot more
is known about the disease of leprosy these days and isn't contagious but passed
through blood contact. Looking back on the island through the eyes and words of a
guide is very interesting, and helps you picture what life was like. Little museums
with photos and memories are scattered through the island also.
The trips come in many languages also, usually German, Dutch, French and English. The guides that take you round Spinalonga are very experienced and know a lot about the tragic history of the island, so don’t be afraid to ask any question. You can of course explore the island without the guide but you lose the background of what happened on the island and some things don’t have as much meaning without good explanations from the guides.
Depending on the boat operator, you may get a BBQ on the boat after the tour, they will sail around to a small secluded bay with a small beach and while you relax and swim a BBQ will be prepared on the rocks. The food is great and includes salads, chicken and pork as well a fruit for desert. Drinks are available on each boat, but it is usually recommended you take a few bottles of water to see you round the island, the tour can take just over an hour all the way around.
If you want to know more about the island of Spinalonga then its well recommended
that you pick up a book or two on the subject. There are a few books written on
the island of Spinalonga, each covers the history and occupations of the island before
it was a leper colony.
One of the most informative books was written by Victor Zorbas
and is called “The Isle of The Damned” which can be bought direct from his website
or via Amazon.co.uk Another popular novel is by the English author Victoria Hislop
named “The Island”, a fictional love story based around the real island of Spinalonga.
