GREECE · THE ISLANDS
The Greek classics.
The 15 most popular crete tours in Greece, with what each one is really like on the day, who runs it, and what it costs.
A guided day trip from northeast Crete to Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, and Spinalonga by boat, with free time and a swim stop.
“Great option to see the east side of the island. Our guide and driver were great, so were the boat tour operators. This tour was a fantastic use of time and definitely worth the money.”
Guided Samaria Gorge trek from Chania to Agia Roumeli, with ferry ride. Challenging 17-km walk, then time to swim.
“The organization was great — everything ran smoothly from start to finish. No waiting, no confusion, and clear instructions throughout the day. The guide spoke very good English and was professional, though she was a bit on the pragmatic side, spending about 40 minutes going through the don’ts. It made sense given the nature of…”
Boat trip from Agios Nikolaos to Spinalonga with Kolokitha Bay swim stop, live guide, and onboard bar on Mirabello Bay.
“We had a wonderful trip by boat to Spinalonga. The boat and facilities were excellent and the crew were friendly and helpful. Our son enjoyed the swim stop and had approximately 20 mins to enjoy the water. We then carried on to Spinalonga and again this was all very well organised. Our guide was friendly…”
Small-group sailing from Heraklion to Dia Island with swim, snorkel, SUP, and a Mediterranean meal plus unlimited drinks in 5.5 hours.
“Amazing experience!! The food and staff were amazing, the location is stunning, we had the most beautiful day”
Prebook Knossos Palace entry with a phone e-ticket and optional audio. Walk the Minoan palace at your pace, skip queues.
“better with the audio guide otherwise you would probably just zoom through and not understand much. Although the audio guide had no speed option so it was slower than preferred”
CRETAquarium in Heraklion puts Mediterranean life on display across 60 habitats with 2,000 creatures, for about a 1-hour visit.
“The excursion took about 1 hour. We’ve seen A LOT of different fish and other marine life in different tanks. Place is well kept, lady at the ticket counter was friendly and in general very good value for money. No complaints.”
Chania to Elafonisi guided day trip with hotel pickup: pink sand, clear water, Topolia Gorge scenery, and free beach time.
“What an incredible experience we had thanks to the kind and extremely skilled driver Manolis and sweet, knowledgeable Simona. These 2 are the dream team ❤️ take the trip, don’t even hesitate, you’re not gonna regret it! It was the highlight of our trip to Crete.”
Full-day boat trip from Chania or Rethymno to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island, with hotel pickup, a Venetian castle hike, and swim time.
“Nice trip to two popular destinations, we had quite enough time in each of them, considering how much the transportation takes. The ship had some food and drink options, and natural water was surprisingly cheap (0.6 eur per 0.5 l). Snacks are expensive in the port, better buy something in advance. Air conditioning wasn't regulated…”
A long but well-paced Crete day trip with Rethimno’s old alleys, Chania’s harbor streets, and a nature walk at Kournas Lake.
“this trip was great. punctual collection. comfortable transport. knowledgeable guide. lovely destinations. well worth a visit. nice to see parts of the island you wouldn't normally see. and no selling trip either. definitely recommend. great value for money”
Hike Samaria Gorge from Rethymno with a multilingual escort, then cool off in Agia Roumeli and ride the ferry back to Sfakia.
“The pick up was on-time and the drive was very smooth and safe. The guide was very informative and clear with his instructions and how the day would proceed.”
Prebooked e-ticket plus an audio guide for Knossos Palace in Crete. Save time, wander at your pace, and learn Minoan life.
“It was a great way to experience the historical site of Knossos. The audio guide allowed us to experience the site at our own pace. If we missed some info or forgot something we could always just go back and listen or read it again. We are not big fans of museums or history but…”
Santorini day trip from Heraklion: high-speed ferry, guided Oia and Fira, about 5.5 hours to explore, plus optional hot springs.
“Loved it from start to finish. So well organised and what a joy to visit such a beautiful island. already planning our return!”
Quad bike safari from Rethymno: off-road Maroulas trails, shallow water crossings, kafeneion by Lake Potami, Prassies snack, 4 hours.
“We had a great time, we went to places normally inaccessible and covered a lot of ground. All the staff were professional but fun.”
A 3.5-hour Agia Pelagia quad tour mixing ghost village history, orange villages, olive mill tasting, and Cretan viewpoints for $50.
“all very good. a great mix of terrain and views. might have been nice to go to a beach on way back for a seim??”
Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island with snorkeling, SUP, lunch, and unlimited drinks on a luxury yacht. Shared or private options.
“Excellent day! The water was perfect, our guide was great and the day was perfect. Sunset was beautiful.”
