Overview

Crete is a wonderful island with so much to offer. With the exception of the peak of summer, it is rarely crowded making this an ideal destination for groups.

Crete is an island with a coastline of 1,000kms with numerous coves, sandy beaches and peninsulas. It is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest in Greece. The island is historically important as the home of the Minoan civilization with important archaeological finds at the palaces of Knososs, Phaestos and Malia. However it is more than this!

The island has considerable diversity in both its landscapes and more recent history with strong influences form the Roman, Venetian, Byzantine, Ottoman Empires and the Battle of Crete during WW2. This is an island with plenty to offer! We recommend travel between April and October.

Accommodation

Hotel Magda

4 Star

The hotel was built and renovated between 1993 and 2007. The hotel is located in Gouves, 16 km from Heraklion, 14 km from the airport, 6 km from Hersonissos, 3 km from the traditional old village of Gouves, 200 meters from the resort centre of Gouves, and about 80 meters from a beautiful sandy beach. Close to the lovely sea front, you can also find bars and restaurants for your entertainment in the area. There are 121 rooms on 2 floors each with a bathroom, balcony, air conditioning hair dryer TV and phone. Meals are buffet style and dinner is also self service.

Hotel Astir Beach

4 Star

Situated in Gouves, only 16 Km east of Heraklion city, on a blue flag beach, the hotel offers 164 modern and comfortable rooms equipped with private bathroom with bath tub or shower, direct dial phone, of the sea.  In the main building there is also a spacious and comfortable restaurant, an indoor bar, a lounge with satellite TV, pool table and a conference room for about 45 persons.  There is a swimming pool and various sports facilities in the grounds.

Hotel Europa Beach

3 Star

+

The hotel is situated on a pleasant sandy beach, 20km east of Heraklion. The hotel has a spacious reception area. There is also a lobby bar, Internet café, hairdressers, beauty salon, conference hall, luggage hall, shop and a doctor at the guests' disposal. The restaurant was built in 2000 and is a non-smoking area. It has 120 seats, 2 open-air terraces with a sea view and serves a rich breakfast and dinner buffet. Special menus for vegetarians and children are offered. There is an Olympic-size outdoor swimming pool, a children's pool (60 cm deep) and a pool-side bar, open 24 hours. Sun chairs and parasols at the pool are free of charge. Rooms are simply furnished with private facilities.

Sample Itinerary

• Day 1

  Fly to Heraklion and transfer to your hotel. Possible visit to Palace of Knososs as part of hotel transfer.
• Day 2

  Visit Lisithi Plateau and Dicti Cave. Continue to Thrapsano for pottery making and return via Peza for wine tasting.

  Eve: In-House
• Day 3

  Guided visits to the Roman capital of Gortys and Minoan Phaestos. Continue to Matala.

  Eve: Bowling in Heraklion.
• Day 4

  Guided visit to Elounda and boat trip to the old leper colony on the island of Spinalonga. Continue to visit an olive maker and the Aghios Nikolaos.

  Eve: Typical Cretan evening with dancing.
• Day 5

  Western Crete. Monastery of Arkadi, Rethymno, and Venetian Chania.
  Eve: Meal out in a Greek Taverna
• Day 6

  Depart for airport and return journey. A half day in Heraklion may be possible according to flight times.

  This is a suggested itinerary only and can be of any length, combined in a variety of ways and be tailored to include the excursions and visits that you require. Any quotation will INCLUDE excursion and entry fees as stated in the itinerary. We will provide a guide price for any additional visits/activities.

Excursions

PALACE OF KNOSOSS.

The imposing Palace is built on the hill of "Kefala" next to the river "Kairatos", at a site which was admired for its natural advantages, the strong position, good water supplies, access to the sea and proximity to a large fertile forest. The forest of the "Cephalonian Pine" is the tree that supplied the beams and the columns for the construction of the Palace.
The site itself includes the Palace of Knossos, the Minoan Houses, the Little Palace, the Royal Villa, the villa "Dionysos" with famous Roman mosaics, the south Royal Temple - Tomb and the Caravanserai.

PEZA WINE TASTING.

20% of the Greek wine production comes from Crete. The vineyards in Crete has a surface approx 50.000 hectares and the wine production amounts to 950.000 hectolitres. 70% of the wine production of Crete comes from the Peza area in Heraklion district.

THRAPSANO POTTERY.

Thrapsano is located at an altitude of 340 m in the province of Pediada in the Heraklion district, south-east of Heraklion. Thrapsano is identified with its pottery and particularly with the crafting of large-sized ceramic storage jars called pitharia, a basic storage facility in Crete from the Minoan era to this very day. The name Thrapsano also relates to pottery and derives most probably from the verbs "thravo" (break) and "psino" (bake), since many vessels broke during the baking process.

PHAESTOS.

Phaestos is a second ancient Minoan city on the island of Crete. It was inhabited from about 4000 BC. A palace, dating from the Middle Bronze Age, was destroyed by an earthquake during the Late Bronze Age (Thira). Knossos along with other Minoan sites was destroyed at that time. The palace was rebuilt toward the end of the Late Bronze Age.

GORTYS.

Gortyna was the chief city of Crete during the Roman period. Its city walls were nearly 6 miles long and its population may have reached 100,000 people. According to Greek legend, Zeus married Europa under the plane tree in Gortyna; thus this tree was permitted to remain forever green. The most important ancient site in Gortyna is the ruins of the Temple of Pythian Apollo. The rectangular outline of the sanctuary and most of the altar remain.

MATALA.

Matala is a small, pretty fishing village located on the south coast of the island. There is a shingle beach lined with tourist shops and tavernas. The village is renowned for the caves that are in the cliffs and famous for their occupation by hippies in the 60's and 70's - a history that the village still trades on.

ELOUNDA & SPINALONGA.

The island of Spinalonga has a history dating back eight centuries. In the 1200's it was part of the Venetian Empire when the massive fortifications were built.  The island resisted the Ottoman Empire for 50 years before the Turks dominated the island until 1775. In the 20^th century the island became a leper colony until the 1950's when it closed.

AGHIOS NIKOLAOS.

Different to all other towns in Crete, Agios Nikolaos manages to mix - on the three hills on which it is built - an arty, leisurely, sleepy and yet also bustling place, built partly on top ancient remains of bygone residents' homes.  Its unique features, start with the lake ("Voulismeni"), a deep body of water which is connected to the sea by a narrow inlet. It is surrounded and overlooked by cafes and restaurants - a busy gathering place for local residents and visitors alike.

LASITHI PLATEAU.

Lassithi Plateau is described as a plateau of 10,000 windmills. Unfortunately, most of these windmills, with crude pumping engines and iron towers of simple technology, no longer exist. Originally, the locally-constructed windmills made their appearance in the valley at the end of the 1800s. During the 1950s there were about 4,000 of the structures offering invaluable assistance to local farmers. Today, with more modern means of irrigation and power supply, that number has been greatly reduced, so that Lassithi has lost a little of its unique identity.

Dikti cave is located near the village of Psychro at an altitude of 1023m, overlooking the Lassithi plateau. This is the cave where according to Greek mythology Zeus, the father of the Greek gods, was born.  Rhea hid Zeus in the cave in order to protect him from his father Kronos, who ate his children because he was afraid of losing his throne. After giving birth, Rhea entrusted Zeus to the Nymphs, who brought him to Ideon Andron. The cave is filled with stalagmites and stalactites and was an important place of worship in the Minoan period. Altars, idols, weapons, tools, pottery, jewels and several votive symbols that were found here indicate that Dikti cave was a shrine of Zeus.

GORGE WALK.

Crete is famous for its gorges and the Samaria gorge is the most famous one. Each of Crete's many gorges has its own beauty and its own character. West of Samaria gorge is the gorge of Agia Eirini, not so well known and because of this also not so busy. The gorge is about 12km from start to coast and includes a high point where both the north and south coasts of the island can be seen.  The first part includes a walk through small villages before reaching the gorge itself. There is a small cafe at the entrance to the gorge, picnic area and toilets and another cafe at the end, before meeting the road.  From here it’s possible to walk to Sougia on the coast or for the coach to meet the group at this point.  The path is uneven and at times requires walking in the river bed, with or without water, so that good footwear is required.  A day sack with plenty of water and packed lunch will also be required.

MONASTERY ARKADI.

The Holy Monastery of Arkadi is situated 23 kilometers far from Rethymnon, at the Southeast, and it is one of the most important historic monuments of Crete, an eternal symbol of sacrifice for freedom, as it is here that Constantinos Ghiamboudakis, the Cretan hero, blasted the powder-keg during the revolt of 1866, so that the Ottomans would not capture the people who had found refuge there.  It is still a working monastery today.

RETHYMNO.

Rethymnon is a place full of contrasts, with a long history going back to the Neolithic times, with nature left intact in many areas, with a vivid living tradition. The old town of Rethymnon with the Renaissance style centre, the Fortetza, the museums and the endless beach will certainly charm you.

CHANIA.

Chania or Hania is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania District. It lies along the north coast of the island, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion. The city of Chania can be divided in two parts: the old town and the modern city which is the larger one. The old town is situated next to the old harbour and is the matrix around which the whole urban area was developed. It used to be surrounded by the old Venetian fortifications that started to be built in 1538; today only the eastern and western parts have survived.