Agios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος), literally meaning Saint Nicholas is a boheme town in the Lasithi prefecture, being also its capital city. It was named after the saint with the same name and it’s a common placename in Greece, as St. Nicholas is the patron saint of the sailors. It was first settled in the Bronze Age by the Dorian occupants of the ancient city of Lato (the ruins are close to the city and you can visit them) but having a port made them move next to the sea.

Today it is a popular tourist destination, as its location in the east side of Crete makes it easier to access the important tourist points, such as Vai Beach, Ierapetra (for the Chrissi island cruise), Makri Gialos (for the Koufonissia Island cruise), Spinalonga, and many others. You can find a lot of accommodation options in the city and its surroundings, just that you might not like the beaches. 

How to get there? Well, by car or by bus. It is located 64km from Heraklion, so it’s approx. 1h drive. You can also take the public bus, either the one that stops in Agios Nikolaos or any other bus in Sitia or Ierapetra direction. By bus, the trip takes around 90 mins/one way.

What to do here? Well, for me, one day was more than enough, and not even a full day, as I have arrived there around 1pm and went back to Heraklio with the 6pm bus. But if you stay here for a couple of days, there are many things to do:

1: Climb to the viewpoint (marked as such on maps) to have a bird-eye view of Lake Voulismeni, the city, the port and the sea

2. From the viewpoint, take a stroll on the streets full of life, shops and tavernas

3. Descend from the viewpoint on the lake’s shore and have a look at the small grotto church

4. Have lunch or coffee near the lake Voulismeni

5. Have lunch or coffee in the port area

6. Walk along the port and see the statue “The Abduction of Europe” (it’s called otherwise, but I keep that word to myself)

7. Walk a little further and see the Horn of Amalthea statue

8. If you arrive early in the morning, go to Voulisma beach. It’s a blue flag beach just 15mins drive from Agios Nikolaos with astonishing blue waters (it’s on my list, this year the weather was not friendly). It is located in the village of Istron and if you arrive by car, make sure you arrive as early as possible. Otherwise, you will have a loooong walk to and back from the beach (no parking available). If you go by bus, its schedule is almost every hour, starting July 1st to mid-September, from Agios Nikolaos main bus station.

9. Go to Kritsa village 

10. Visit the ancient city of Lato

11. Take a day trip to Spinalonga. The island has a very sad history as the last leper colony of Europe. I will detail that separately

12. Go to Elounda (the home of luxury AI hotels and where celebrities spend their Greek Summer holidays) for a day at the beach 

Or to Plaka (a beautiful village with a rocky beach, but with a view)

13. Go to Amazonas Park, Crete’s zoo. If you are there at the feeding time of the lemurs, at 12:00 PM, don’t miss to feed them. They are friendly and they like to put a show.

14: Visit the Monastery of Selinari – it got its name after the Goddess of the Moon, Selene, as the legend says that it was build under the moonlight, during the Ottoman occupation, when building new churches was prohibited

15. Go to Ancient Naxos, where you have a beautiful view over Mirabello Bay and Elounda Bay