Europe,  Greece,  History,  Independent travel,  Photography,  Travel Blog

Agios Nikolaos: Lepers & Lotus Eaters

August 17, 2021 /

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. 

Agios Nikolaos

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.

Agios Nikolaos

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”?

Approaching Spinalonga

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.

Spinalonga
From the top of Spinalonga

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.

Village Wine

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.

  • Spinalonga
  • Spinalonga
  • Spinalonga
  • Lepers Cemetery

You May Also Like

Amorgos: The Big Blue

September 12, 2021
Mojacar Pueblo in Spain

On To Mojácar: Pink Lakes, Red Prawns & Silver Moonlight

September 1, 2023
Pont du Gard, France

Southbound Again: Wine Into Water

July 21, 2023

17 Comments

We’d love to hear from you