Spinalonga Island
Elounda Gulf, Greece
Spinalonga's fortifications are a familiar silhouette across the Elounda gulf, but a visit deserves more than a photograph from the water. Venetian defences and later settlement tell one part of its story; its use as a leprosy hospital adds a more intimate and difficult chapter. Walk the surviving streets with a guide who can explain both. The short boat journey makes the island accessible from the surrounding coast, without reducing it to a purely scenic excursion.