Spinalonga is an arrid and now, a barron  island with an area of around 8.5 acres. It is a 20 minute ferry joirney from Elonda. This island has been used for a lot of purposes over the centuries. 

One of the purposes that this island was used for was to keep the Lepers (people with the disease Leprasy) isolated. The first patients to arrive here from Crete was in 1903. At the time the island was occupied by the Turks. The Turks had to move off the island. Eventually the Island became a community for the Lepers and there was a hospital built and most of the staff came from the neighbouring  island. Eventually, in 1948 the disease was eradicated due to the TB vacvination and the island was no more used for that purpose. Saying that, the Island has been barron since 1953.