• Crete, Greece

  • 1
As awarded by
Top Travel Specialist since 2008
Condé Nast Traveler since 2008
Top Travel Advisor since 2009
Travel+Leisure since 2009
 
As awarded by
Top Travel Specialist since 2008
Condé Nast Traveler since 2008
Top Travel Advisor since 2009
Travel+Leisure since 2009
 

Crete Island Activities & Tours

Crete Tours - Culinary Lessons tour, Wine and Olive tours, Phaistos, Knossos, Rethymnon

Often regarded by locals as being like a country on its own, Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. Its rich culture and natural environment provide some of the most exciting opportunities for tours in Crete.

Just as vast and fascinating as this Greek island, so too are the numerous True Greece Crete Tours that will uncover this majestic island’s unique culture, vast history, and impressive natural environment. Enjoy a Crete day trip together with a True Greece certified guide and explore the remarkable Knossos Palace where the mythological Minotaur once roamed, then discover the plentiful artifacts at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Journey through one of Greece’s most incredible natural parks on the Samaria Gorge Tour, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the colorful streets on the Chania Walking Tour, learn about the island’s famous cuisine during the Cretan Local Cooking Experience, and sip fabulous flavors during the authentic Wine and Olive Oil Tasting.

Crete sightseeing is truly second to none and your experience on this island will be among the highlights of your Greece tour.

 
  • All
  • Food & Wine
  • History & Mythology
  • Sailing & Outdoor

Cretan Flavors and Tastes

Famed for its rich culture and diverse natural landscape, spend a day immersed in the beautiful natural scenery and rich Cretan flavors of its traditional cuisine. During this tour you will have the opportunity to explore a rural area of Crete where you will learn about the importance of how aroma goes hand-in-hand with flavor and how this is vibrantly evident in Cretan cooking. Your experience will also include an olive oil tasting at a small local olive press workshop, followed a wine tasting at a winery located in the middle of a beautiful vineyard. Complete the day by learning how to make fresh cheese and traditional Cretan pies with exquisite herbs and honey. This tour will surely be one of the most memorable experiences of your time in Crete.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrace fees & taxes.
  • Traditional Lunch.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Elounda.

  • Food & Wine

Crete Sailing Trip

Enjoy the day sailing on a traditional fishing boat called a caique and visit the mystical island of Spinalonga which inspired Victoria Hislop’s international best-selling novel, ‘The Island.’ Also known as the island of the outcasts, Spinalonga is where lepers from Crete and the rest of Greece were kept in isolation until 1957. Upon returning from this famous island with the finest views of the clear blue waters, you will have the chance to enjoy a refreshing swim in an isolated cove before visiting the Byzantine church of Agios Fokas. This church was built in 961 AD to honor the Byzantine Emperor Nikiforos Fokas, who liberated Crete from the Arabs. Your day will end with a delicious private barbecue dinner cooked by a talented local chef.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Traditional Lunch.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 4 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Plaka.

  • Sailing & Outdoor

Exploring Rethymno and Its Villages

Enjoy a day full of Cretan customs, lifestyle, and culture! Together with your True Greece guide, you will visit a beautiful and mystical village where you will have the opportunity to explore a traditional Cretan home before taking a tour of the local folklore museum. Meet with the museum owner and listen to the stories of the local area while tasting some local delicacies and sipping on homemade raki, a popular Cretan alcoholic aperitif. Your experience will also include a lesson with a local chef on how to make traditional Greek desserts, as well as a picnic including homemade beverages. This tour will provide you with a deeper understanding of the lifestyle and customs of Crete.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Traditional Picnic.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 5 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Rethymno.

  • Food & Wine

Knossos Palace & Archaeological Museum Tour

Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site in Crete and is considered Europe’s oldest city. Follow your True Greece guide through the Palace of Knossos and travel back in a time to when the Minoan Civilization ruled supreme throughout the Aegean. Legend has it that in a labyrinth on the grounds of Knossos Palace roamed a creature that was half bull and half man. As you explore the stone corridors, you will quickly understand why the ancient people believed that this was where the legendary Minotaur lived. A visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, where you will be able to learn about priceless artifacts and genuine masterpieces, will provide you with additional insight into the fascinating history of Crete which spans from the Neolithic period to Roman times.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Certified English speaking guide.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).
  • Personal expenses during tour (drinks or food).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion or Elounda.

  • History & Mythology

Lassithi & Dikteon Andron Tour

Surrounded by the Lasithiotika Mountains, the Lasithi Plateau is an impressive plain populated by thousands of windmills. Once reputed to be almost 12,000 in number, the windmills bring the plateau to life with their white sails spinning in the breeze. Follow the breeze to the Northern side of the Lasithiotika Mountains where your True Greece guide will lead you into a cave covered in fascinating rock formations. According to Greek mythological tradition, it is in this cave that Zeus, the father of all the ancient Greek Gods was born. Explore this fascinating area and listen to the stories that surround this legendary place. All who visit this cave will leave with the feeling that they have a fuller sense of the power of Greek mythology.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Certified English speaking guide.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).
  • Personal expenses during tour (drinks or food).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Heraklion or Elounda.

  • History & Mythology

Rethymno Authentic Cooking Lesson

The island of Crete is famed for its rich culture and diverse natural landscape and its unique and colorful cuisine has become just as well-known and respected. Begin your experience in the heart of the picturesque town of Rethymno in a magnificent 1530’s Cretan villa. The interior decor, complimented by the garden’s fresh Cretan herbs, scents and flavors will enrich your senses and stimulate your enthusiasm for the Cretan kitchen. Explore and experience the varied Cretan cuisine by creating dishes ranging from various appetizers to a magnificent main course. Having completed your journey in learning about Cretan cuisine, you will be able to enjoy your masterpieces over lunch. This gastronomic experience will surely give you rich food for thought for when you return home!

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Traditional Lunch.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Rethymno.

  • Food & Wine

Samaria Gorge Tour

A World’s Biosphere Reserve, the Samaria Gorge is one of Greece’s great National Parks. Meet with your True Greece driver first thing in the morning at your hotel for an early start to this trek through an incredible natural environment. The raw beauty of Samaria can only be truly understood in person – it’s vertical walls reach 500m high and are just 300m apart at its narrowist point. Your hike will begin at a height of 1230m and end at a picturesque coastal town, while along the way you will enjoy a truly unique hike through a rocky canyon. If you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse at the endangered wild goat called kri-kri. Hiking the Samaria Gorge will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your Cretan experience.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • Certified English Speaking Guide.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).
  • Hiking/Walking equipment.
  • Personal expenses during tour (drinks or food).

Duration: 10 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Chania.

  • Sailing & Outdoor

Wine and Dine Mediterranean Style

The Mediterranean diet is famed as one of the best in the world! During this tour you will learn about the unique benefits of eating like a local Mediterranean. Located close to a famous ancient olive tree, begin your tour with a visit to a modern olive mill that mixes innovation with tradition quite perfectly. You will have the opportunity to sample local olive oil as well as the popular Cretan alcoholic aperitif called raki, while learning about the area’s unique wine culture and indigenous varietals. This tour also includes a visit to a monastery that houses some of the oldest olive mills in Crete. Your experience will be topped off with a savory lunch that is served with refreshing local wine.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • Traditional Lunch with Wine.
  • All taxes.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 5 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Rethymno.

  • Food & Wine

Wine and Olive Oil Tasting

The largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea, Crete is an island with a rich cultural and natural environment. During this guided tour, enjoy a day full of sunshine, wine, and olive oil! Explore two traditional wineries where you will learn about the unique wine cultivation process of these local Cretan sommeliers. You will have the opportunity to taste ten different types of wines before you head off to a local organic olive oil estate. Your taste buds will once again come to life when sampling the delicious extra virgin olive oil. End your fascinating experience with a lovely picnic in a beautiful scenic environment where you will also have the chance to visit the oldest olive tree in the world!

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • Picnic Lunch.
  • All taxes.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 5 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Rethymno.

  • Food & Wine

Cretan Garden of Herbs Tour

Immerse yourself in the beautiful natural scenery and rich Cretan flavors of its traditional cuisine. During this experience you will have the opportunity to explore a rural area of Crete where you will learn about the importance of how aroma goes hand-in-hand with flavor and how this is vibrantly evident in Cretan cuisine. Wander through a local garden and relish in the sights and scents of the herbs. Learn how to add your own blend of herbs to olive oil for added flavor and aroma and complete your tour with an introductory workshop to herbs and a mini cooking lesson with one of the locals. This tour will surely be one of the most memorable experiences of your time in Crete.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Light meal.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 3 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Elounda.

  • Food & Wine

Cretan Local Cooking Experience

Crete is famous for its varied and colorful cuisine, encompassing ingredients from its rich natural environment and its most important main ingredient of olive oil. Discover rich culinary pleasures from some of the most unique Cretan recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Learn about the importance of the raw materials in Cretan cooking with a visit to a small authentic village in the area of Lasithi. Here you will have the opportunity to sample original Cretan olive oil, local cheeses, as well as visit a herbs workshop. Experience the culinary traditions of the region with a local chef that will guide you through the culinary kaleidoscope of Cretan cooking and food.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • All entrance fees, All taxes.
  • Traditional Lunch.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available From: Elounda.

  • Food & Wine

Crete Authentic Cooking Lesson

Crete is famous for its varied and colorful cuisine, encompassing ingredients from its rich natural environment and its most important main ingredient of olive oil. Dive straight into your cooking class and learn how to prepare traditional Cretan dishes. While your food is cooking, enjoy a guided tour of the local vineyard and a presentation that offers an excellent introduction to Cretan history. Wet your appetite before lunch with a tasting of local wines, and then taste the delicious dishes that you created during your cooking lesson. This gastronomic experience will be one of the highlights of your Cretan experience and will surely leave you with food for thought!

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • Traditional Lunch.
  • All entrance fees & taxes.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).

Duration: 7 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Heraklion or Elounda.

  • Food & Wine

Phaistos Palace & Agia Triada Tour

Located on the southern side of Crete facing the Libyan sea, the ancient city of Phaistos was one of the most wealthy and important pillars of the Minoan civilization in Crete. Discover this fascinating ancient city together with your True Greece guide, and learn about the one of the most powerful Minoan Cretan cities and what role it played in history. Sections of the town were located South East and North East of the palace which lead to the archaeological site of Aghia Triada. Here you will learn about the well maintained Royal Villa, with its halls, shrines and terraces, and how it is an excellent example of the palatial architecture of the time. You will surely be impressed by the fascinating history and sheer size of ancient Phaistos.

Included: 

  • Round-trip transportation from / to your hotel.
  • Certified English speaking guide.
  • All entrance fees & taxes.

Not Included:

  • Tips for guide and driver (non-compulsory).
  • Personal expenses during tour (drinks or food).

Duration: 6 Hours.

Possibility to Combine with Other Tours: No.

Tour Available from: Rethymno.

  • History & Mythology

Interested in a more private experience?

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