The village of Elounda is located on the northern coast of Crete, 10 km from the municipality of Agios Nikolaos and is one of the most popular tourist resorts on the island. The town of Elounda consists of seven villages and has a total of about 2,200 inhabitants. The town of Schisma which is the most populated, is often referred to as the center of Elounda.
Mild temperatures all year round, golden beach and crystal clear sea make it one of the favorite destinations on the island of Crete.
Every year Elounda attracts many heads of state, VIPs, actors like Leonardo di Caprio, players like Ronaldo and prominent personalities from all over the world, thanks to its luxury resorts on the sea. Former Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou loved to spend his summers in Elounda, with the whole family. It is also visited almost every year by the royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is no coincidence that in Elounda there are so many landing strips ... for private helicopters ..
Apart from its glamorous face and luxurious resorts, Elounda offers all its visitors some of the most beautiful landscapes of Crete.
Arriving from Agios Nikolaos a magnificent panorama will open before your eyes .. The beautiful lagoon of Korfos, surrounded by almond and olive trees and the Spinalonga promontory. On a clear day it is possible to see the whole of Mirabello Bay, up to the eastern tip of Crete. A truly unpayable panorama!
Although we are one of the favorite destinations of leading figures, the inhabitants of Elounda have maintained their genuineness.
For shoppers, a walk through the expensive boutiques is mandatory!
On the other hand, dreaming costs nothing ..
Elounda beach
Elounda's most famous beach is located in the Skisma area, near the port. The beach is sandy and very well organized, so it is also the most popular. The water is always calm and transparent thanks to the tranquil Korfos lagoon. In addition to umbrellas and sun beds, it offers various sports and recreational facilities, such as beach volleyball courts, a playground and rental equipment for water sports.
In the eastern part of the city is the beach of Hiona (also known as Poros). Hiona beach is also sandy and well organized.
From here the road that leads to the island of Spinalonga, which borders the old salt pans, starts. This road, after a short and spectacular route through the mills and a panoramic bridge, stops near the chapel of San Luca. From here begins the short path to the beautiful beach of Kolokitha.
How to reach Elounda?
Elounda can be reached by car or by bus.
If you have a car it is good to know that we are 1 hour from Heraklion (the capital), 50 minutes from Hersonissos, 40 minutes from Malia and 20 minutes from Agios Nikolaos. If you arrive in Elounda and prefer to start from the visit of the center, know that the central square is nothing but a large parking lot where you can leave your car (€ 1 per hour, € 3.50 for six hours).
For those arriving by bus, there are 13 buses a day from Agios Nikolaos (€ 1.70 each way for a 20-minute journey).
Curiosities about Elounda
In 1984, the president of France, Mitterrand, and the Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi met at a luxurious resort in Elounda to discuss conflict resolution in Chad.
Elounda was used for the filming of the popular BBC television series Who Pays the Ferryman, in the late 1970s. It was also the setting for the Belinda Jones novel Out of the Blue.
Elounda is also present in Victoria Hislop's novel, entitled The Island. The novel was also adapted for Greek television and broadcast as a mini series in winter 2010-11.
What to visit starting from Elounda?
To visit the Venetian fort on the island of Spinalonga, built in 1579 on the ruins of an ancient acropolis, to protect the entire bay of Korfos and control the maritime traffic of Crete. The leper colony, the last in Europe, is located in the Venetian fort, was restored by the lepers themselves who lived there from 1903 to 1957. The community counted up to 300 or 400 members including doctors, priests, shopkeepers and artisans. Do not miss the small beaches of Spinalonga with shallow and crystal clear waters and the charming coves along its entire perimeter.
If you wish to visit the island of Spinalonga, there are daily ferry services departing from Agios Nikolaos and Elounda. We advise you to continue to Plaka: given the short distance from here the tickets cost less: only € 8.00 for the boat trip. An additional € 8.00 is required for access. The small fishing village of Plaka is located just 5 km from the main square of Elounda heading north from Agios Nikolaos.