Spinalonga — The Island of the Forgotten

Spinalonga (Σπιναλόγκα, officially Kalydon) is a small rocky island in the Gulf of Mirabello, which holds one of the most moving stories in the entire Mediterranean. What began as a Venetian sea fortress became Europe's last leper colony — and today is one of Crete's most visited sites.

The Venetians built the fortress in 1579 on the strategically located island to protect the port of Elounda. The fortifications were so strong that Spinalonga was one of the few fortresses never captured by the Ottomans — it only fell in 1715 when the Venetians peacefully handed it over. Under Ottoman rule, a Turkish settlement lived on the island.

The darkest and at the same time most touching chapter began in 1903: The Greek government made Spinalonga a leper colony. Leprosy patients from all over Crete and Greece were banished here — without cure, without hope of return. Over the decades, an astonishing community developed on the tiny island: The residents built houses, founded families, ran businesses and a barber shop, published a newspaper, and fought for better living conditions. In 1948, leprosy was medically defeated, and in 1957, the last 20 residents left the island — Spinalonga was Europe's last leper colony.

The bestselling novel "The Island" (Victoria Hislop, 2005) made Spinalonga famous worldwide and triggered a visitor boom. Today, you wander through the Venetian tunnels, past abandoned houses of leprosy patients, the small church, the hospital, and the ruins of a world that tells of isolation and human dignity. Allow at least 2 hours on the island.

Practical Information: Boats depart from Elounda (15 min., 10€ round trip) and from Plaka (7 min., 8€ round trip) regularly from April to October. Entrance to the island: 8€. Little shade — bring a hat and water. The boats from Plaka are smaller, more personal, and the crossing is shorter.