Our day starts by visiting the place where European civilization began, Minoan palace of Knossos. Here exactly was a labyrinth of Daedalus, here ruled a legendary King Minos, son of Zeus and Europa and was imprisoned in the labyrinth a dreaded Minotaur.
After a beautiful route, we will arrive in Heraklion where you can visit one of most important museums in Greece, Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
The final attraction of the day is a walk to explore the streets of the town of Heraklion and browsing through the famous vegetable market.
And finally after your shopping, you will relax at the numerous small cafes there are near Heraklion market.
So, our journey starts with first stop in Mochlos a small picturesque fishing village located In the gulf of Mirabello. Take the just 5 minute boat ride away to the island which is a sight of ancient Minoan settlement where tombs, buildings, and houses have been discovered over the past few decades. After a 40 minutes drive we reach Sitia where you can explore the Kazarma fortress and the archaeological museum.
Our next stop is can be the old monastery of Toplou with its ancient icons. A fortified monastery built in the 16th century. Last stop will be Vai, the only natural palm tree beach in Europe. Sunbath or swim in the tropical waters, just relax in the waterfront tavern.
Our first stop can be in Elounda, the superb location at the head of the peninsula of Spinalonga and the lagoon that it creates, have made it extremely popular. After 5 minutes’ drive we reach the village Plaka located opposite the island of Spinalonga.
Then we will go up to the mountains where you will be surely enchanted by the landscape of the lagoon, we can stop in Fourni & Kastelli, two traditional beautiful villages full with colors and aromas. After a magnificent route we will reach Neapolis with several beautiful churches, with the largest being the Cathedral of Panagia (Virgin Mary) in town centre, built in an older temple. This is the second largest church in Crete. In Neapolis, you can enjoy your food or coffee, in the full of trees main square, near the Cathedral.
And our last stop of your trip will be Amazonas Park which is a private zoo with animals from South America, especially parrots and monkeys. There are also some domestic animals like donkeys and goats.
Lassithi is located in the mountains of Diktis at an altitude about 850. This is an almost perfect level with a maximum length of 10 km and 5 km wide! It is full of vegetable gardens and has about 10,000 windmills! It is the largest and highest plateau of Greece! Our first stop can be at the small mountain village Mochos, where you can walk on picturesque streets or just have a cup of traditional Greek coffee in local kafenion. Then we can stop in a village Krasi, where in the centre of this place, you will see centuries old oak the biggest tree in whole Crete.
Then we drive to Kera Kardiotissa monastery with its famous icon of Holy Mother as well as frescoes from 13th and 14th century. After Kera another stop and main one follows to the Psychro village, where you can walk up it to the famous Cave of Zeus. This place is breathing of history and mythology.
Our last stop will be at the original folklore museum of Aghios Georgios village and our last visit will be at Eco Park, where you will see the process of making traditional Cretan Raki.
Since 1865, the Vassilakis family has produced extra virgin olive oil on their estate in the Mirabello region of Crete, one of the area’s first olive producers. The current Vassilakis generation took over in 1980, preserving time-honoured cultivating and harvesting methods that respect the environment.
With a guided tour of the family's first manufactory and then to our state-of-the-art facilities, the visitor can get a full picture of the entire production process. The tour ends with tasting sessions and tips on how to recognize a good olive oil.
Don't leave before purchasing a few bottles to bring back home.
Welcome to CretAquarium, the Aquarium of Crete, the fist large aquarium of Greece and one of the largest and most modern ones in Europe! Sixty tanks and more than 2000 creatures of the Mediterranean Sea bed await to be explored by visiting its top-of-the-notch facilities that represent underwater sceneries of Crete and the Mediterranean basin. Walk around, explore and then relax at the wonderful areas of CretAquarium with views to the Cretan Sea!
The underwater journey in the Mediterranean starts here!
First highlight of our day, is the old Byzantine church of Panagia Kera. Is one of the most important churches in Crete, located in a remarkable setting, high in the mountains of Dikte, at an altitude of 630 meters overlooking a valley.
After 5 minutes’ drive we reach Kritsa which is built on two hills at the foot of the mountain at an altitude of about 365m. During your visit to Kritsa, you will enjoy the walk in the paved square with large trees. You will walk through the narrow streets with stairs and stone fountains. You can rest beneath the towering eucalyptus trees next to the running water. You will visit the churches located in the village.
Next visit is the famous archaeological site of Lato. Ancient Lato contained a double acropolis. People lived in houses of simple construction that had two square rooms with a hearth in the center. The other prominent structures include the remains of the large temple of the city and an open-air theater which could accommodate about 350 persons.
Our last stop will be the international cosmopolitan seaside resort, of Agios Nikolaos. The lake, the town’s jewel, is known for its many legends. The lake becomes one, with the sea through a narrow canal, and is surrounded by red rock formations and lush vegetation. A stroll in the shops is always a pleasure. The town is filled with traditional coffee shops that serve local dishes and raki.
Heading to the west part of the island we make our first stop at the Monastery of Arkadi. which is the first eternal symbol of freedom and heroism, the most famous historical Monastery on Crete.
We continue to the one and only fresh water lake on Crete, Kournas which lies in a valley, in a beautiful area between the hills and the surrounding mountains. Here you can walk around the lake and see how the colour of the water changes according to the time of day, have a refreshing swim and enjoy a meal in one of the numerous tavernas close by, enjoying the lovely views.
After 10 minutes drive, we reach Georgioupoli which is a popular seaside resort. It is a small coastal town, situated in a lush valley filled with rivers and springs. One landmark is the road and the square with the numerous eucalyptus and cypress trees. The town's highlight is the picturesque chapel of St Nicholas, that is built on the end of the small pier and looks like floating on the sea surface.
The last stop will be the town of Rethymnon, where you can observe a unique and exciting blend of Byzantine, Venetian, and Turkish cultures. The old town has remained almost unaltered for 800 years. A walk around the harbor or by the seaside will be the end of a perfect day.