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Crete Adventure: Explore Villages and Knossos
5.0
16 Ratings
Iraklio
Immerse yourself in the authentic charm of Crete with this tour. Discover traditional villages, explore the picturesque Lasithii Plateau, indulge in olive oil and wine tasting, and savor a delicious Cretan lunch. Unforgettable experiences await!
Immerse yourself in the authentic charm of Crete with this tour. Discover traditional villages, explore the picturesque Lasithii Plateau, indulge in olive oil and wine tasting, and savor a delicious Cretan lunch. Unforgettable experiences await!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Heraklion - Join this full-day small group tour or opt for the Private option to discover the authentic side of Crete, away from the resorts. Explore the Traditional Villages, the Old Wind Mills, visit an olive oil factory to learn about olive oil production, and of course, sample various types of olive oils. Discover the Lasithi Plateau, situated…
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Heraklion - Join this full-day small group tour or opt for the Private option to discover the authentic side of Crete, away from the resorts. Explore the Traditional Villages, the Old Wind Mills, visit an olive oil factory to learn about olive oil production, and of course, sample various types of olive oils. Discover the Lasithi Plateau, situated 900 meters above sea level, and enjoy the breathtaking views while traveling in our comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles.
Gain insights into local traditions, history, culture, and myths.
After all the exploration, indulge in a Cretan traditional lunch at a family restaurant on the mountain (OPTIONAL).
Following this, we will head to Knossos Palace, where you can explore the oldest civilization in Europe. We can tailor the tour to your preferences and needs; for instance, if you wish to visit a winery, Knossos Palace, or the Archaeological Museum, just let us know.
Finally, it’s time to return to your hotel or cruise ship.
What's Included
- Pick up and drop off from your hotel, cruise port, or meeting point
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan or minibus with free Wi-Fi
- Olive oil and Raki tasting
- Bottled water, coffee, and tea
- Liability insurance
- Informative English-speaking local driver guide
- Pick up and drop off from your hotel, cruise port, or meeting point
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan or minibus with free Wi-Fi
- Olive oil and Raki tasting
- Bottled water, coffee, and tea
- Liability insurance
- Informative English-speaking local driver guide
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Lunch
Additional Information
Join this full-day small group tour, or opt for a Private tour upgrade, to experience the authentic side of Crete. Walk along the paths of the Greek Gods and through the narrow streets of old traditional villages, where it feels as if time has stood still. Visit an olive oil factory to learn about and taste various olive oils. Drive around the Lasithi…
Join this full-day small group tour, or opt for a Private tour upgrade, to experience the authentic side of Crete. Walk along the paths of the Greek Gods and through the narrow streets of old traditional villages, where it feels as if time has stood still. Visit an olive oil factory to learn about and taste various olive oils. Drive around the Lasithi Plateau, reaching an altitude of approximately 900 meters above sea level, and discover the ancient windmills. Enjoy a traditional Cretan lunch at a family restaurant on the mountain (lunch is OPTIONAL). The final stop is to visit and explore Knossos Palace, which is also OPTIONAL.
Location
Capsis Astoria Heraklion
Plateia Eleftherias
We can pick you up from from Heraklion city - area , Hersonisos, Malia , Gouves , Analipsi , Anissara , if your hotel or address is not listed please let us know.
We can pick you up from Rethimno , Agios Nikolaous or Elounda if you are 5people or more or you book the Private option.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(16 Ratings)
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L931uoverenas
May 1, 2025
The best day of the whole holiday - There were four of us in the air-conditioned Mercedes. Mike was a bubbly source of knowledge. We learned about geography, history, flora and fauna, and mythology. And seen so much! Being at the Palace of Knossos at 8:30 in the morning brings enormous benefits. Afterwards we had a delicious olive oil lunch time, a Greek iced coffee and lunch. Nobody's really starving here. Driving by car is great because the guide can simply stop spontaneously at the side of the road to enjoy fabulous views. Never in my life did I think 8 hours could be so entertaining and worth knowing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Crystal_d
Apr 28, 2025
Good - Loved the olive oil factory tour- wish there was more olive oil tasting and a honey tasting. Guide was VERY accommodating with scheduling
Review provided by Viator
George
Apr 22, 2025
Believe the great reviews! This is special - We booked this tour last minute, feeling a bit nervous to be around new people, which is something I really struggle with — but Stavros immediately put us at ease. From the first hello, he treated us like friends, not clients, and made the whole experience feel personal and relaxed. The vehicle was super comfortable, and once we collected the rest of our group, things just got better and better.
The locations we visited were stunning—some even spontaneous—which gave the tour such an authentic feel. Highlights included an olive oil producer, a local pottery studio, and other beautiful, off-the-beaten-path stops we’ll never forget. We really felt that we were having an authentic Cretan experience, we were being shown around by someone who loved his community and believed it was worth seeing and sharing.
A note to fellow travellers: please make the effort to support the local businesses you visit whilst touring around. These makers and producers are facing some big economic challenges, and every purchase helps keep these incredible traditions alive. Plus, every conversation is incredibly special.
Thank you, Stavros—this wasn’t just a tour, it was a day we’ll always treasure and we look forward to coming back and spending another day with you and your team!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
590lindseyc
Apr 12, 2025
Great family friendly tour - Our tour guide Michael showed us around Crete all day. We saw beautiful parts of the island we otherwise would have not visited. We took this tour with our two children (ages 5 & 1.5 years) and they had a great time. The van was fitted with car seats if needed.
Our favorite stop was the Olive oil farm and meeting the farmer. He was so kind and the Olive oil was delicious! A one of a kind experience we will not soon forget. Thank you for a fantastic day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rach_d25
Oct 27, 2024
Fantastic! - We went on the tour today with Stavros, joined by his wife Kate - absolutely lovely people! We were picked up at 8:10am and the whole day from start to finish (around 5pm) was full of information, quizzes, laughter and food! Unfortunately, Zeus's cave is closed at the moment but that's out of their control. We travelled in a small group with another couple in a comfortable air- conditioned van. Saw some great views and lovely villages, ate some amazing food and learnt a lot about Crete. So glad we booked with Explore Real Crete and would definitely recommend it to others. Thank you, Stavros and Kate 😆
Review provided by Tripadvisor
469jacquip
Oct 11, 2024
Awesome tour - What a fantastic tour! We had a day with our guide Ed (AKA son of Zeus) and he made our day so much fun and memorable. We had a unique experience that we would not have received if not on this tour! Absolutely made our time on Crete and we cannot recommend highly enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adrian
Sep 8, 2024
Incredible and authentic experience of Crete - Stavros gave us the best experience of our trip to Crete, maybe even of all of our several trips to Greece so far. He is truly passionate about Crete and showing his customers the best it has to offer. He avoids tourist traps and instead gives you a chance to try the best local produce directly from the farms. He offers excellent local wine or raki to go with it. We took the trip to see the cave of Zeus, some local villages, windmills, olive factory and the Knossos palace. On every step of the way Stavros had been knowledgeable, helpful, entertaining and kind. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peyton
Sep 1, 2024
The best way to spend one day in Crete! - Our guide Ed was living ray of sunshine. The tour was very interesting and covered a variety of activities including some cute small villages where you could eat fruit right of the vine, the Cave of Zeus (where some of us rode Donkeys and Ed was a chivalrous helper to my Grandmother) and organic farms where we picked strawberries and had the most delicious Watermelon of my life right off the vine.
We also enjoyed local history and mythology relating to Knossos, the Lasithi Plateau, the city of Heraklion, and Olive Pressing.
What an amazing experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Philipnc2130cu
Aug 21, 2024
Crete at its finest! - Stavros gifted us with a wonderful day full of memories that will stay with us for years. He went above and beyond to make the tour work smoothly for us and was attentive at every point of detail.
In addition to the fantastic main tour visits there were a number of further touches throughout the day and we were always made to feel comfortable.
One of the best day tours we’ve ever had anywhere in 25 years of global travel.
I can’t imagine a better way to enjoy a day in Crete.
Thank-you!
- Memorable extras:
- Morning iced coffees in a beautiful village square.
- Chilled white wine whilst strawberry picking.
- Keeping our young daughter engaged and energised throughout.
- Donkey ride up to the Cave of Zeus.
- Wide native knowledge of Crete and its history.
- Stunning views from the lunch stop restaurant with delicious food.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Briando8619xz
Aug 19, 2024
Great tour, best guide! - The attractions were great, but what made this trip truly unforgettable was our exceptional guide, Stavros. He was outstanding and the best guide we've ever had.
From the start, he was punctual and considerate, treating us to a wonderful cup of coffee in a picturesque village before embarking on our 'long' day. Throughout the trip, Stavros shared his vast knowledge of Crete, Greece, and beyond with enthusiasm and humor, making time fly. He went above and beyond, taking us to local farms to sample delicious fruits and yoghurt, a highlight of the trip.
I highly recommend booking a tour with Explore Real Crete, especially with Stavros as your guide. You won't be disappointed! We miss you, Stavros!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
