Agios Nikolaos

Shaking off its reputation for package-tour karaoke evenings and touristy clubs, this resort is rapidly transforming into a charming getaway for couples and families. These days, Agios Nikolaos (or Ayios Nikolaos) is a cosmopolitan destination with top-class harbour-side cafe-bars and restaurants.Ideal for couples of all ages, Agios Nikolaos is an excellent base from which to explore the eastern part of Crete. The town itself doesn't boast any major historical or archaeological sites, but it does have one major curiosity: the harbour area's deep pool. Called Lake Voulismeni, it has many tales and legends attached to it, and was once believed to be bottomless. The lake is very beautiful and attracts visitors from all over the world, with its dramatic red cliffs.Agios Nikolaos also has a fine Archaeological Museum, worth visiting for its growing collection of Minoan artefacts. The museum houses finds from the cemetery of Aghia Photia, dating back to 2300 BC. Besides the Minoan finds, the museum exhibits the skull of a young Roman athlete wearing a gold olive-leaf wreath, dated to the 1st century AD. Many visitors travel to the fortified islet of Spinalonga. The ruins once held Europe's last leper colony.