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The Village of Eloundaby Minoa.info / Juhani
Elounda, also known as Elunda, is one of the most well-known holiday villages in Crete lying 10 kilometres North of Agios Nikolaos. During Minoan times it was named Olus. From the sunken towns’ remains writings have been found that connect the ancient town to Knossos and Rhodes. Panorama from the village. Panorama from the beach road to Plaka. Panorama from the Kalypso hotel to the harbour (day/night).
Elounda is known for the salty bay (salt production), the island of Spinalonga and one of the world’s best Spa hotels. In the picture, on the opposite shore can be seen the modern wind turbines, but behind the village, on the mountains, there are plenty of windmills from the old days. In the front of Elounda there are the ruins of the ancient town, Olus, that sunk into the sea. The ruins can be seen from the bridge that goes across the bay and, especially for divers, they are easy to reach. The bay of Elounda is sheltered and the centre of the village is very typically Cretan. The fishing boats are in active use and the tavernas at the beaches offer fish that is caught from the bay.
One of many beaches of Elounda
There
are plenty of hotels in Elounda, including one of the world’s best Spa
Hotels. According to the Sunday Times Travel publication, Porto Elounda
de Luxe Resort was nominated the worlds best Spa in 2008. There is also a
high quality 9-hole, par-3 golf course, 54 handicap required.
One of the most well-known tourist attractions on Crete is the island of Spinalonga. From Elounda harbour a boat sails to the island, or another choice is to drive to Plaka and take a boat from there. From Plaka it takes about 15 minutes to the island, and the boat leaves every 30 minutes. The island is worth visiting because of its dark history. It was a place of exile for those who had leprosy, and it was formed into an isolated community, which was supplied from Plaka. Residents of Spinalonga received a pension, so they were active in trading and brought an extra income to the people who lived on the mainland. The colony of Spinalonga was closed in 1957. However, the history of Spinalonga goes further back than that. The island was a good post to protect Elounda bay against intruders, and that was the reason why it was fortified early. The island was also a place of refuge for the Christians against the Muslims. When the Turks conquered Crete, Spinalonga was still in the possession of the Venetians.
Additional Information:
BOOK A HOTEL in Elounda
Elounda on Google maps
Porto Elunda de Luxe website: http://www.portoelounda.com
Bus schedules to Elounda: http://bus-service-crete-ktel.com/timetables.html
Sources:
Merja Tuominen-Gialitaki: "Vieraanvaraisten jumalten saari"
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