Two years ago, I didn’t have time to book a vacation in advance, so I decided to take a last-minute offer to Crete. I knew I wanted to travel to Crete and my first choice was Chania. But since there were only small hotels left, far from the beach, the agent suggested a 4-star hotel in Agios Nikolaos. And so began our journey to this small town.

Agios Nikolaos is located on the east coast of Crete, about 60 km east of the capital of Crete, Heraklion. We flew to Heraklion and took a minibus to Agios Nikolaos. The minibus ride takes about 1 hour. The minibus stops in other tourist places such as Hersonissos, Stalin and Malia. North of Agios Nikolaos is the world-famous exclusive luxury resort of Elounda. Elounda is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. The place is full of 5-star hotels as well as smaller rooms for rent.

For more information about the whole area, visit the website https://www.agiosnikolaoscrete.com/.

We stayed in the 4-star hotel called Santa Marina. The stay included breakfast and dinner. The hotel is located literally 5 minutes from the beach. The beach is covered with yellow sand and clear blue sea and is called Ammos. There is another beach located in the city center, surrounded by cafes and restaurants and it is called Kitroplatia. Umbrellas and sunbeds are paid for at the beach.

Agios Nikolaos used to be a small fishing village. In the center of the city is Lake Voulismeni, famous for the legend that Athena and Artemis bathed there. There are numerous cafes and restaurants around the lake. You can also rent a kayak or a boat that will transport you from one side of the lake to the other. A street full of small shops leads you from the hotel to the lake. In these small shops, you can buy not only souvenirs, but also expensive clothes, works of art, jewelry, copies from local archaeological museums, etc. We found a small children’s clothing store and bought gifts for my brother’s children.

In the evening, Agios Nikolaos is magical as the area around the lake comes alive. There are numerous cafes and restaurants for every budget. The atmosphere is relaxed, the cafes are nicely decorated. Precisely because of atmosphere, and those small streets in the city center, Agios Nikolaos is a small fashionable resort.

A cliff jumping platform has been installed on the lake. An international cliff jumping competition is held here. Only athletes are allowed to jump from the cliff. In 2023, the competition took place in July and we had the opportunity to attend and watch. It was accompanied by numerous light and sound effects, which made it really impressive. In the men’s competition, Constantin Popovici from Romania won, and Rhiannan Iffland from Australia won the women’s competition.

Agios Nikolaos was named after the old church of Saint Nicholas, which is located north of the city center. I suggest you visit the church of Agia Triada, which is located in the city center, near the Santa Marina hotel.

The best restaurants are around Lake Voulismeni, if you like the atmosphere and the view, around Kitroplatia beach, if you like real Greek taverns and dinner by the sea, and around the marina, if you like modern, international dishes.

From Agios Nikolaos you can go on a day trip to Spinalonga. Spinalonga is a small rocky island known for its history as a Venetian fortress and a former leper colony. The island served as a place of exile for leprosy sufferers. Today it is uninhabited.

If you want to see the southern part of Crete and the Libyan Sea, you can go on a day trip to Ierapetra (The bride of the Libyan Sea). It is located about 30-40 minutes drive from Agios Nikolaos. You can see the entrance to the Libyan Sea. The water is deeper, colder and crystal clear.

The best day trip you can take from Agios Nikolaos is to Santorini. You can go to Santorini by ferry from Heraklion. The bus will pick you up around 5 in the morning, the boarding to the ferry is around 7. The ferry ride takes about 2 hours. You will visit the towns of Oia and Fira. Read more about excursion to Santorini here https://npaspace.com/en/santorini-2/.