CRETE · GREEK ISLANDS
The tours and day trips worth booking.
The 15 top-rated things to do in Crete — the boat trips, beach days, volcano hikes and old-town wanders worth building a day around, with real prices and who to book each one with.
Day trip to Agios Nikolaos and Elounda, then a boat to Spinalonga island for fort and leper-colony history. Spinalonga entry €20.
Most Popular“Brilliant activity. Great guides. Transport was really nice too. Highly recommend”
Boat cruise from Agios Nikolaos to Spinalonga with a swim stop in Mirabello Bay, plus guided history and time to explore the fortress.
“I loved that tue boattrip had a historical input and that swim stop was planned. Great beverages and snack available in the bar.”
Prebook a timed e-ticket for Knossos, explore Minoan rooms at your pace, and add optional audio for key palace highlights.
“Enjoyed Knossos Palace and learning about the Minoan culture.”
Pink-sand Elafonisi day trip from Chania with hotel pickup, an English guide, and plenty of swimming time in clear, protected waters.
“Mona & George were beyond gracious, hospitable, timely, informational and patient. Elafonisi is very beautiful in October. Two lounges could be rented for the whole day for €20. An inexpensive beer is less than four euros and an ice cream is four euros. The beach is very beautiful although I wouldn't call it pink. The…”
Guided day trip across western Crete: Rethimno’s old town, Chania’s Little Venice, and Kournas Lake. Pickup, coach, and great value.
“super day long day out but well worth it chania was so lovely am going back there”
Half-day quad bike safari from Rethymno with mountain off-road, shallow-water crossings, coffee stops, and Prassies village snacks.
“This was super fun! A ride up into the high mountains around Rethymno. Our guide was nice and kept a good eye to make sure everyone was OK. Biggest tip is to buy the buffs they sell for 2 bucks. There is a lot of dirt along the way and the people that didn't have…”
Skip-the-line entry to Knossos with a licensed guide for a 1.5-hour walk through Minoan palace myths, courts, and engineering.
“Katerina was amazing, incredibly knowledgeable, love that she has a background in archeology we learned so much! Unfortunately we had to leave early for another tour somewhere else but she was amazing, we really wished we would’ve stayed for more than 2/3 of it. Highly recommend her as a guide to anyone!”
Full-day Land Rover safari from Heraklion to Zeus country, shepherd villages, and the Lassithi Plateau with lunch and pickup.
“Safari experience was lovely Kosta was knowledgable; only downside was we were in a mixed tour group with English and German, so it was difficult to communicate effectively. Nevertheless I would recommend it, the sites were beautiful, a lot of herbs on the route to smell, and a wonderful cave.”
Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, lunch, and unlimited drinks on a shared or private yacht cruise.
“A beautiful and relaxed boat trip including a lovely little meal. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to captain and skipper and also the other travelers.”
Ride through Crete’s Finikia mountains on a guided horse tour tied to Zeus myths, then enjoy a farm lunch or dinner with homemade wine.
“Everything from pick up to drop off was perfect. Super friendly, funny and welcoming people. Nice stroll with well kept horses. Amazing views of the countryside and the food was beyond amazing. We felt like at home. I can only recommend it, just I’d suggest dressing accordingly in October as it gets dark earlier and…”
Knossos Palace and Heraklion in one easy day trip with hotel pickup, an expert guide, and time to explore the museum and city sights.
“early morning pickup 😴 tour guide very knowledgeable and friendly. day we visited extremely hot, would advise taking sunhat and plenty of sun cream. very interesting trip highly recommend.”
Small-group 4WD Crete day trip with farm life, Aposelemis Dam, Lasithi windmills, optional Zeus Cave, and a wood-oven lunch with wine.
“Wonder tour of authentic Crete. Nico our guide was personable and charming. Enjoyed all the stops on the tour,”
Guided Samaria Gorge hike from Chania or Rethymno: Iron Gates cliffs, 16 km downhill, Agia Roumeli swim, and ferry ride.
“Great trip and the Gorge was well worth a visit. The path can be a little challenging but it is very easy to navigate.”
Quad Safari in Crete with olive oil tasting, Achlada ghost village, and Fodele orange views plus El Greco connections in 3.5 hours.
“Excellent time! Fantastic way to experience some of the island. Guides were fantastic. Pit stop for juice and a Greek pita was delicious. Would highly recommend this tour.”
A long, well-paced day trip from Chania/Kalyves to Gramvousa and Balos with comfortable transfers, big views, and a swim in clear water.
“Great day out. Scenery is beautiful. Had a great amount of time at both stops. It did take quite a long time to get to Balos on the ferry as the sea was quite choppy. Stella, our guide, was very amicable and funny, and JM very helpful.”
Every archipelago, and the best of each island in it.
