Plaka is a small traditional fishing village just 13 kilometres north of the town of Agios Nikolaos in Lasithi with a tiny port and crystal clear waters. It’s located across from the famous Spinalonga Island (Victoria Hislop’s novel, “The Island”) on the western coast of the Elounda lagoon (Korfos).
From Agios Nikolaos city, just follow the coast road to the north, to beautiful Elounda village and continue your trip to the Plaka village at the tip of the peninsula. There is also a public bus KTEL Irakleiou – Lasithiou connecting Plaka to Elounda and Agios Nikolaos with a cheap fare.
Plaka village still keeps its authentic style but in recent years the small village has more, developed into a destination for luxury holidays. There are quite a number of luxury and extremely expensive villas with private pools for rent in and around the village.
Plaka in recent years has become a tourist attraction from the luxurious hotels around the village and therefore the number of upscale restaurants, scenic fish taverns where you will be able to taste Cretan cuisine and tourist shops has increased dramatically and you can sit next to rich and famous people from around the world.
Plaka is offering a wonderful view of Kalydon island, where the famous Venetian fortress of Spinalonga stands. Spinalonga fort operated as a leper hospital during the primary half of the 20th century. The island can be reached primarily by boat Plaka. Indeed, Plaka’s existence is very linked to Spinalonga, because the village was built for serving the leper village in Spinalonga. Today, in Plaka you’ll find several traditional restaurants and wonderful old houses, which offer you the impression that point has stopped here 200-300 years ago.
Beaches in Plaka
There are two small beaches within the Plaka village, Agia Marina and Plaka beach, both with crystal clear waters and big pebbles and stones but there are very quiet and sheltered from the winds that hit the island during the summer. You have got to be very careful to get onto the sea because of the rocks on the beach and in the sea. Also, you have got to watch out thanks to the clear waters the beaches are that the home of sea urchins.
In the centre of the village, there is a small port where local fishermen will transfer you across the bay to see the Spinalonga fort and the leper community. The boat trip is 8 euros and the boat trip lasts about ten minutes. There are also some organized boat trips from nearby Agios Nikolaos and Elounda. Keep in mind that there is a fee for entering the island of 8 euros and children under 10 can enter without a charge.
From Plaka to Spinalonga
The Spinalonga island was a leper colony and hospital in the early years of the 20th century, and Plaka village was built to bring goods and other people to the island.
You can visit Spinalonga also by taking a boat from Elounda port and it takes almost twenty minutes to reach the Spinalonga. The boats from the harbour are leaving almost every 30 minutes until 16:00 during the summer.
The distance from Plaka to Agios Nikolaos is 25′ minutes, it is 8′ from Elounda and 30′ from Neapoli.
The distance from Kato Gouves to Plaka Lasithi is 54 kilometres and it takes about an hour by car to reach the gorgeous village.
