Full-day tour of Crete’s historic Knossos Palace and Heraklion
'The Palace of Knossos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Crete because it's where Europe's first civilisation began,' says Veta, one of our guides. A born and bred local, she knows a thing or two about the legends and myths surrounding the island's most popular attraction. You'll spend the day watching history come to life as you tour the grounds of the palace, before crossing over to Heraklion for some free time in the capital.Once the hub of Crete's Minoan civilisation, Knossos Palace sits in the heart of what's considered to be Europe's oldest settlement. You'll enjoy a guided tour around its treasures, stopping by the throne room, royal apartments, frescoes and more. And with fast-track access, there's no waiting around in queues.It's then time to head to Heraklion, the island's capital. See the 17th-century Morozini Lions fountain and the 400-year-old Venetian Loggia – which is still the city hall – during a short guided walk around the city centre. We'll round the day off by taking you to the open markets for some free time. Poke around stalls laden with hand-made trinkets and fresh local produce or stop off for a coffee at a local café for some people watching. Other must-sees include the Koule Fortress and the Church of Agios Titos.
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Spinalonga Island guided tour with seaside villages and lunch
The tiny isle of Spinalonga is just a short hop away from Crete but a visit is like stepping back in time. Centuries of history are packed within the walls that encircle it. See it through the eyes of a true local on this full-day tour of its must-see monuments.
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Heraklion Watercity Waterpark with Transfer
A day in the waterpark is the ultimate family holiday activity. The mix of high-octane thrills and relaxing fun means there's something for everyone and very mood. And that's Watercity themed waterpark down to a T.
Amazonas Park and glass-bottom boat tour
It's all about Crete's wild side on this tour. You'll come face-to-face with monkeys, meerkats lemurs and more at Amazonas Park nature reserve and see a world below the waves with a glass-bottom boat trip. And in between, there's free time to chill out in Agios Nikolaos.Your destination for the morning is Amazonas Park, an animal refuge, where you'll get up-close to some of the world's most unusual, beautiful and endangered animals. You'll also find out about their rainforest environments, and how we can help with conservation efforts.At Agios Nikolaos town, you'll have a couple of hours to shop or grab lunch overlooking Mirabello Bay. Next, hop on to a glass-bottom boat for a trip in the bay. You'll glide out into the bay aboard a semi-submarine which features windows beneath the surface. Kids and adults will have a great time spotting the likes of loggerhead sea turtles and multicoloured fish darting around the rocks.
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4x4 off-road tour of Crete’s mountains with taverna lunch
Get ready to go off-road on this adrenaline-pumping 4x4 adventure that will take you well and truly off the radar. Explore the more rural parts of Crete and the beautiful nature as you voyage through the mountains on this small group tour.
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Heraklion airport VIP service and lounge
Make your wait at the airport a breeze with our VIP airport service. Avoid all the usual hassle as you're fast tracked through check-in and security to enjoy unlimited drinks, snacks, Wi-Fi and more in the exclusive departure lounge. An altogether more relaxed way to round off your stay.Greeted on arrival at Heraklion Airport, the VIP service sees you sail through check-in and security with our fast track pass – giving you more time to take advantage of the comfortable VIP lounge and all its benefits.Inside, you've access to complimentary coffee, tea, water, soft drinks and snacks, as well as selected alcoholic beverages too. What's more, there's unlimited free Wi-Fi and access to TV, magazines and newspapers, allowing you to relax right up to take off.
The volcanic island of Santorini lies north of Crete. And this daytrip by fast catamaran is a great chance to take a close-up look at it. Curved around a colossal, sea-filled caldera that was formed by a massive volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago, it's all black cliffs, whitewashed villages and blue-domed churches. It's picture-postcard Greece.Once you're on dry land, you'll take off on a scenic tour, exploring many of the island's attractions and learning about its history. Explore a caldera-edge town, where whitewashed houses, cobbled streets and tavernas cascade down the cliff-face in steep terraces.You'll then have some free time in both Oia and the island's capital, Fira. Spend an hour or so snapping up treats in the quaint shops and boutiques. Or, visit some of the best lookouts to take photos – the views over the caldera are great. It's made for selfies.
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Spinalonga is one of Crete's most talked about sights. It was Europe's last leper colony and scores of lepers lived here, in exile from the mainland, until 1957. Sail to this eerie island just 15-minutes from the mainland and explore this relic of the past.Arriving at the island, you'll find yourself immersed in its history right away. Over the years, it's been a Venetian outpost, an Ottoman town and most notoriously, a leper colony which led to it being dubbed the ‘isle of tears'.A guided walk will show you around the Venetian fortress and the main street lined with the shops and houses where the lepers attempted to live ordinary lives. You'll get to look round the old hospital and graveyard, too. Later, you'll sail back to Elounda where you can swim in the sea, stretch out in the sunshine or watch the world go by at a waterside café. There's also free time to find lunch in a local taverna and a visit to the chic resort of Agios Nikolaos.
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Mountains of Crete 4x4 sunset safari with dinner
Off-road adventures don't get more fun than this. On this evening tour, you'll buckle up for a thrilling ride through the Cretan mountains, taking in villages, landmarks and more. What's more, there'll be a traditional dinner at a local taverna waiting for you. Vaggelis, one of our local expert guides, says 'Lassithi Plateau was said to be the birthplace of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. According to legend, his mother, Rhea, hid the newborn in a cave on the plateau to protect him from being devoured by his father. It's one of the best places in Crete to grab a bird's-eye view of the north'.It all starts the moment you hop aboard your 4x4 and head for the mountains. You'll stop by Aposelemis basin reservoir and ancient Roman aqueducts, before following the path to the village of Kastamonitsa. Here, you'll be greeted with a tipple of fiery raki. Vaggelis says, 'After the grape harvest, the leftover skins, seeds, and stems are fermented and then distilled to produce raki, a tradition that many Cretan families proudly maintain'.You'll continue along the Minoan path, taking in the wildlife and scenery while learning all about local mythology and history. You'll stop for a glass of sweet, sparkling wine and admire Lassithi Plateau, as well as its iconic views. And once you've built up an appetite, you'll head to a local taverna for a traditional Cretan-style dinner with unlimited wine. Finally, as night draws in, you'll head back down the mountain roads, taking in the moonlit coastline and the twinkling lights of towns and villages.
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Crete food and wine tasting with wine factory visit
Crete is the cradle of wine history, with its authentic country life and indigenous grape varieties dating far back to the ancient Minoans. Veta, one of our local guides, says ‘What I like most about showing visitors around on this tour is that they meet the local producers and farmers and hear their stories.' Over the course of the day, you'll taste locally produced olive oil, enjoy a typical Cretan lunch, and sip on regional whites and reds at an award-winning winery.We'll begin our culinary adventure at the Kriti Allios olive oil producer, set among olive groves to the south of Heraklion. Here we'll tour the facilities and surrounding groves before a Cretan olive oil tasting session. ‘Olive oil has been a Cretan staple since Minoan times. Archeologists have found evidence that the Minoans, the earliest Cretan civilization, used olive oil for rituals, medicine and culinary purposes,' adds Veta. After the tasting, there's a tasty farm fresh lunch to tuck into with traditional local delicacies.Next, we'll pay a visit to family-run Titakis Winery. Its wines have won multiple awards in the past decade, especially the Kotsifali reds. After a tour of the estate and the wine production areas, you'll taste four different wines, accompanied by breadsticks and olives. Veta says, ‘There's always a bottle on the dinner table in Cretan homes – and often it'll be from this winery. The Titakis family has a strong focus on the production of rare local varieties.'
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Legend has it that the gods created Dia Island and there's certainly something heavenly about it. On this trip, you'll set sail to the mythical isle whilst enjoying all-inclusive drinks and a tasty lunch onboard. What's more, with plenty of time for swimming, snorkeling and even a spot of fishing too, this trip really gets the holiday vibes going.
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An excursion that gets better and better as the day goes on. Enjoy some sightseeing before an afternoon relaxing in Elafonisi, an idyllic island off southwest Crete. You'll also visit the village of Voulgaro and the Agia Sophia cave.
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