The Island of Spinalonga and the nearby villages of Plaka and Mavrikiano were the setting for the best selling novel "The Island" by Victoria Hislop. Daily boat trips to the island leave from Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and Plaka throughout the summer. |
| This small island at the end of the Spinalonga peninsular, near Elounda has a tragic history which provides a fascinating half day trip for visitors. The name means "long spine" in Italian but may also originate from "Steen Elounta" or "in Elounda" in Greek. The fortress was impregnable and a small band of Venetians held off the Turks from 1646 to 1715... and then they only left because of a treaty! The Turks held Crete until 1898 but remained on this small island until 1903. After that, began the dark days of Spinalonga. Leprosy was a feared disease in Crete in those days and the government designated it a leper colony. The story of the community, dedication, sacrifice, love and death needs to be told on the island. The last leper left Spinalonga in 1957.
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| Spinalonga Island |
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