Spinalonga Beach, Crete: How to Reach It, the Swimming and What to Expect

Spinalonga Beach is a small, quiet beach on the southwest part of Spinalonga, a fortified islet in the Gulf of Mirabello in eastern Crete. Spinalonga Beach sits below the island’s Venetian fortress and looks across the water to the Kolokytha peninsula. You reach the beach only by boat, on the same day trip that most visitors take to see the historic island itself. The beach has sand with rocks in places, blue and usually calm water, tamarisk trees for shade, and a few snack bars, but no umbrellas or sun loungers.

Where Spinalonga Beach is?

Spinalonga Beach lies on the southwest part of Spinalonga, a fortified islet off the coast of eastern Crete. The islet stands in the Gulf of Mirabello, near the villages of Elounda and Plaka and the town of Agios Nikolaos. From the sand you look up at the fortress walls and out toward the Kolokytha peninsula across the channel.Spinalonga is one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations, and its history shapes every visit. The islet once served as a Venetian stronghold that protected the Elounda saltpans. Its later inhabitants were Ottomans, and it eventually became a leper colony until the mid-20th century. Most people arrive knowing this history, yet many are unaware that a beach sits on the island’s quieter southwest side.

How to reach Spinalonga Beach?

Reach Spinalonga Beach by boat, because the beach stands on an islet with no bridge or road to the mainland. Boats ferry visitors across from three departure points: Elounda, Plaka, and Agios Nikolaos. The crossing from Plaka is the shortest, since Plaka faces the island directly across a narrow channel.Plan the beach around the same boat trip you take to tour the fortress, as both share the one landing on the island. Many organised excursions leave from Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, combine the walking tour with time by the water, and return you to your starting port. If you want to travel between Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos at your own pace before boarding, a rental car covering the Elounda and Agios Nikolaos area gives you the most flexibility on departure times.

The beach and its facilities

Spinalonga Beach is a small strip of sand with rocks in places, backed by tamarisk trees that give natural shade. The beach keeps only limited facilities on site. A few snack bars serve drinks and light food, so you can buy a snack with a sea view. There are no umbrellas and no sun loungers for hire, which means you bring your own shade, water and towel.The setting stays quiet and uncommercial compared with the large organised beaches elsewhere in Crete. You sunbathe under the tamarisks, look across to the Kolokytha peninsula, and share the shore with the day-trippers who came to see the fortress.

Swimming and snorkelling

Swim at Spinalonga Beach in water that is blue, usually calm on the surface, and deep close to shore. The calm, clear water suits swimming and snorkelling around the rocky sections, where you can explore the seabed near the sand.Stay within the beach’s own swimming area and do not swim across toward the nearby coast, because the channel carries strong sea currents and frequent ferry traffic. The passing boats and the pull of the current make the open channel unsafe, even though the opposite shore looks close. Keep children in the shallower water near the sand, where the beach is calm and family-friendly.

Combining the beach with the Spinalonga island visit

Combine your swim with the island tour, since the same boat trip delivers you to both the beach and the fortress. Walk the Venetian fortress and the ruins of the former leper colony first, then cool off at the beach on the island’s southwest side. This pairing turns a historical day trip into a half-day of history and swimming in one crossing.Book the crossing as part of a guided excursion when you want the history explained on site. Many Spinalonga boat trips and guided day tours leave from Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos, and several add a Cretan tavern lunch or a swim stop at nearby Kolokytha bay.

Tips for visiting Spinalonga Beach

Visit Spinalonga Beach between June and September, when the weather is warm and sunny and the boats run at their fullest schedule. Use these tips to get the most from a beach with no rental equipment on site:

1. Bring your own shade, water and towel, because the beach has no umbrellas or sun loungers.
2. Wear water shoes for the rocky sections, since the beach mixes sand with rocks in places.
3. Pack a snorkel to explore the clear, deep water close to shore.
4. Combine the swim with the fortress tour to make the boat crossing worthwhile.
5. Keep to the beach’s swimming area and avoid the channel, where currents and ferries make crossing dangerous.

For more coastal ideas after Spinalonga, browse the wider collection of Crete beaches along the Gulf of Mirabello and the Lasithi coast.

Frequently asked questions

What is Spinalonga Beach?

Spinalonga Beach is a small beach on the southwest part of Spinalonga, a fortified islet off eastern Crete, Greece. The beach sits below the island’s Venetian fortress and faces the Kolokytha peninsula.

How do I get to Spinalonga Beach?

Get to Spinalonga Beach by boat from Elounda, Plaka or Agios Nikolaos. The islet has no road access, so a boat crossing is the only way to reach the sand, and the shortest hop is from Plaka opposite the island.

What activities can I do at Spinalonga Beach?

Swim, sunbathe, snorkel and explore the historic island at Spinalonga Beach. The beach pairs naturally with a walking tour of the Venetian fortress and the former leper colony on the same island.

Is Spinalonga Beach family-friendly?

Yes, Spinalonga Beach is family-friendly, with usually calm water and space near the sand for children to play. Keep children in the shallower water by the shore and away from the channel, where the current and ferry traffic are unsafe.

Are there umbrellas, sun loungers or snack bars at Spinalonga Beach?

Spinalonga Beach has a few snack bars but no umbrellas and no sun loungers. Buy a snack or drink on site, and bring your own shade, towel and water for the day.

What are the water and sand like at Spinalonga Beach?

Spinalonga Beach has blue water that is deep close to shore and usually calm on the surface. The shore is sand with rocks in places, so water shoes help on the rockier sections.

When is the best time to visit Spinalonga Beach?

Visit Spinalonga Beach from June to September, when the weather is warm and sunny. These summer months also carry the fullest boat schedules from Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos, and the beach usually stays quiet.