Agios Nikolaos: Lepers & Lotus Eaters
About 50 years ago in the early 1970s, I used to watch, with my parents, a TV series called The Lotus Eaters which I recall as being very watchable. That series was set here in our next base, Agios Nikolaos, towards the eastern end of Crete. I figured I was one of only a handful of people to remember the programme, yet on our very first walk around the town upon arrival, we find the very bar where it was filmed, still with a commemorative board at its entrance.
The title of that series is actually taken from Greek mythology, whereby those who ate the fruit of the lotus lost the desire to return home. We ponder for a moment whether we are potential modern day Lotus Eaters: is there such a state as losing the sense of “home”? As long as we could still see family and friends, then for us there probably is.
Agios Nikolaos is a brief stop on our rather convoluted journey across the north of Crete from west to east, as we make our way towards the end of the island.
Our early bus out of Hania brings us to Heraklion, the island capital, where we take brunch before boarding a second bus for the next leg from Heraklion to here. Together it’s about five hours on buses but with the route hugging the northern coastline all the way, the journey is continually rewarding and never dull, especially with Meltemi still in playful mood with the waves.
Close to Agios Nikolaos is the island of Spinalonga; it’s possible to get organised boat trips from here if you wish but instead we take the more edifying route of a bus to Elounda and then the little ferry over to the island. For a tiny island Spinalonga has a varied and intriguing history. Seen as a defence against raids on Crete, it was first fortified by the Venetians who created salt pans on its lower levels, and around these salt pans grew a small island population. The Turks were to add to the fortifications later, but the really intriguing history of Spinalonga is its 20th century story. What could be more intriguing than somewhere known as “the island of the living dead”?
With its fortifications easily augmented, this single rock less than a mile from shore became a leper colony, housing sufferers from 1906 right through until its last recorded death in 1957. Initially conditions were dreadful, with leprosy sufferers enduring a literal ostracism with minimal food, no running water and appalling living conditions, sent out of society to suffer in isolation. For them, the sight of life continuing as normal just across the water must have been galling.
Yet life evolved and Spinalonga became a refuge. A young sufferer set about changing Spinalonga, bringing culture and lifestyle and making the tiny rock a place of life for those facing death. Patients became fed and watered and built both a theatre and a cinema. The colony lasted right through until leprosy antidotes were discovered.
In a final twist in its fate, the last priest on the island, not a leprosy sufferer, remained true to the teachings of Greek Orthodox faith and stayed on the island for a further 5 years after the last death. To visit this island now, with the remains of that leper community so visible and so tangible, is highly evocative despite its popularity as a day trip.
Agios Nikolaos has been very welcoming for a couple of nights, and the fish dishes at the seafront restaurants have been outstanding. With its elongated snaking seafront and its so-called “lake”, actually a sea inlet, providing ample opportunity for waterfront restaurants, this is a laid back and confident town basking in its beautiful setting.
Agios Nikolaos 
Fishermen’s Crypt 
Agios Nikolaos
In fact the food of Crete has been wonderfully fresh – the island’s reputation as a fertile land harvesting quality fruit, vegetables and olive oil is clearly richly deserved, the grilled vegetables in particular are delicious. As is the meat. And the fish. And everything else.
Which inevitably brings us to wine. Our recommendation would always be to ask for the house wine whilst in Greece, although you may find it referred to as “village wine”, “barrel wine” or even “bulk wine”. The quality will vary but it is always cheap and is often every bit as good as a more expensive bottle, plus it has the added bonus of being made locally and therefore pairs extremely well with local produce. And just occasionally, one of them turns out to be sumptuous.
From Agios Nikolaos we move on, working our way towards the very eastern end of Crete, from where we will leave the island for pastures new.
17 Comments
Brian Tucker
We too loved Aghios Nicolas and Eloinda and Spinalonga
Great posts!
Try to visit Gournia an ancient Cretian settlement near by your route
Happy travelling
Brian
Phil & Michaela
I think we’ve missed Gournia unfortunately, we’re on the eastern tip now with limited time remaining. Shame!
Alison
Looks like you’re having such a fab time. Lovely interesting post. I read a book about Spinalonga by Victoria Hislop, a great read. Maybe Mrs Hungry Traveller would enjoy it. Have fun in the sun 🍷🧆🍤🦪
Phil & Michaela
Mrs HT says yes she’s read that book too! Thanks Alison, yes a great trio is unfolding here..
Jyothi
Wow.. beautiful fort!!
Toonsarah
Spinalonga looks and sounds really worth a visit. How impressive of that young sufferer to have turned the place into more of a refuge than a punishment! Agios Nikolaos looks really pleasant too, especially with good food and wine to be enjoyed.
Phil & Michaela
All the more impressive as he was a young man in his 20s. Agios Nikolaos is indeed lovely, though we’re intending to get to some less visited destinations next.
grandmisadventures
I loved watching the Lotus Eaters! How fun to see the commemorative sign still there. Another wonderful post from your wonderful visit to Greece 🙂
Phil & Michaela
You know it too!! Thank you for your kind comments x
Melanie Gagon
Wow such a great post! I love learning about the world from other people’s travels!!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you – the world is certainly full of fascinating places
Annie Berger
Loved reading this fascinating post about an area of Crete I knew nothing about
– a gripping tale of how the Spinalonga leper colony not only survived but thrived, your intentionally taking the ‘roads less traveled’ way of reaching the island, and the delicious local food and village wine you found in the seaside restaurants. You made us feel like we were only a few steps behind you enjoying it all, too!
Phil & Michaela
Thanks Annie, glad you enjoyed. It was indeed very interesting!
Lookoom
I expected that after leprosy, the island would be used again in the current epidemic. But it seems that civilisation has made progress. Thank you for the beautiful sunny pictures, it is nice to see.
rkrontheroad
A moving history, with such difficult conditions, but at least they were in a beautiful place.
Phil & Michaela
It was fascinating to walk through it, and so interesting to learn of how just one character was able to change the spirit of the place
rkrontheroad
Yes, how wonderful that his story was able to survive and be told!