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Elounda is a small fishing village close to Agios Nikolaos, on the Elounda Bay, on the island of Crete, Greece. It is popular with European tourists and has several hotels. Elounda is also the closest major town to the former leper colony of Spinalonga.

Agios Nikolaos or Ayios Nikolaos (Greek: Áγιος Νικόλαος, meaning Saint Nicholas) is a common place name in Greece and Cyprus since Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece.

Nikolaos is an ancient Greek name, meaning Victory of the People (Νίκη, Victory + Λαός, People). The first christians of Greek origin in Asia Minor continued the tradition of naming their children with this pre-christian name.

The Spinalonga island is located in the eastern part of Crete next to the village of Elounda.In 1579 the Venetians built a mighty fortress on the island on the ruins of an ancient acropolis. The Venetians kept control of the island even after the rest of Crete fell to the Ottomans in 1669 and it remained under their control for almost another half a century until its capitulation in 1715.The island is also notable for being the last active leper colony from 1903 until 1957. Today the island is unoccupied and it is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.