Tour reviews · CRETE TOURS
Crete is two hundred and sixty kilometres long and every good day out starts with a drive. These 15 sort the Balos boat, the gorge walks, Knossos and the olive country by cost, distance and how early the minibus leaves.
Start at Peninsula Resort in Agia Pelagia with a quad-driving lesson and practice run. Then follow quiet mountain paths to Achlada, an abandoned village, and a family olive oil mill for tastings of oil, olives, and honey. The sunset route ends above the bay, with English, French, German, or Greek guidance.
Spend eight hours exploring Crete in a small 4WD group with guides such as Nikos, Mario, Andreas, or Vagelis. Visit a goat farm, Aposelemis Dam, mountain villages, Lasithi Plateau, Krasi, and local taverns. Lunch with wine is included, but the €15 Zeus Cave ticket is extra and the cave may remain closed for renovation.
“This tour was great!! We got a rich, local perspective of Crete, its traditions, and its culture and history. Vagelis was an amazing driver and guide - very personable, knowledgeable, and welcoming. We also had a great cooking demonstration and lunch at a local restaurant. Highly recommend this tour! Ask for Vagelis!”
Drive a two-person quad from Agia Pelagia into the hills of Achlada with guides including Stan and Vangelis. You’ll visit an olive mill, taste oil and honey, walk through an abandoned village, and stop in Fodele, the birthplace of El Greco. The 3.5-hour tour suits licensed drivers aged 18 and older.
“Really nice tour to the mountains, good guidance from our guide Vangelis during the tour.”
You’ll drive an automatic 450cc or 520cc quad from Malia through olive groves, mountain tracks, Milatos Cave, and coastal villages. English-speaking guides such as Nedi, Mario, John, Mehdi, and Wall lead the route, help beginners, take photos, and finish the five-hour outing with lunch or dinner.
“From start to finish it was a fantastic day! Well worth the money! All the staff from the transport driver to the host for the quad safari were amazing and can’t thank you enough for the best experience and day trip! Food was also yum!”
Spend eight hours exploring Crete by Land Rover with a guide such as Daryl, Leonidas, or George. Expect mountain tracks, raki in Kastamonitsa, a shepherd’s cheese-making stop, the Greek Mythology Park, a generous taverna lunch with unlimited wine, and wide views from the Lassithi Plateau to the coast.
“Our safari was amazing! Darrel was such a great guide, very knowledgeable, fantastic sense of humour and really attentive. The route itself was full of rich history, and the stops were varied and enjoyable including the mythology park, olive oil museum, and a goat farm. Couldn’t recommend this activity more, and a big shout out to Darrell, you were incredible.”
Take a four-hour guided ATV ride from Malia through Krasi, Gonies, Mochos, and other Cretan villages. You will handle mountain roads and dusty tracks, stop at Aposelemis Dam and Sfendyli, visit an olive oil business for a tasting, and pause at scenic viewpoints. Small groups are limited to eight people, with hotel pickup available.
“It was an amazing experience, the guide was very nice and entertaining. Well spent first day at Crete. Definitely an activity to do whilst your in the area. Price is reasonable, worth the time and experience. Perfect location spots and amazing pictures taken by the guide.”
Paddle your own SUP along calm Marathi Bay with guides such as Stefanos, Marcello, Nick, and Bobby. You will learn basic technique, swim, visit a cave area, try playful surprises such as mud facials and rock jumps, and receive free photos and video. The tour lasts about two hours and suits beginners aged 15 and up.
“This was AMAZING! Nick was incredibly patient and very informative! The entire Excursion from beginning to the end was just so wonderful! The water and scenery is other worldly! Crazy beautiful! Erika, our driver picked us up right at the Port, had a sign waiting and then she took us into town instead of returning us to the boat which was great because that old town is not to be missed! Especially the point at the end which is called Venetian Point I believe and it looks like a little town in Italy it is just sunny so definitely go into the town don't skip that!”
Join a small-group cooking class near Melidoni, high in Crete’s White Mountains. With guides such as Alex, Yannis, Nikos, or Andreas, you’ll prepare kalitsounia, tzatziki, ntakos, Greek salad, and gemista in a welcoming family home, then share the meal with wine, views, local history, and farm activities.
“It was a lot of fun! Our girls enjoyed the experience of cooking and learning about Crete! They were all very kind and welcoming.”
Ride a quad through Crete’s mountain tracks, olive groves, and villages with an English-speaking guide and a maximum of eight people. You’ll visit the Omalia Olive Press, Potamos Beach, Sisi, St. George Selinari Monastery, and the Prophet Elias chapel. Hotel pickup, helmets, fuel, water, and beginner instruction are included.
“Fantastic, from start to finish it was great. Nice stop off first of all to a harbour where the guide fuelled us up with a complimentary bottle of water and took some nice pictures. Then went onto our next stop at an olive oil factory where they talked through the process of how they make the olive oil and their olives and the different items they produce. Then we went up to a lovely remote cliff side where you overlooked a lovely view and again the guide took some lovely pictures and allowed lots of time to take your own, finished off with a picturesque sunset view near the sea…”
Join Ela Quad Safari for a 3.5-hour ATV ride through Crete’s hills, villages, and coast. Guides including George lead you through the nearly abandoned village of Achlada, past Fodele Beach, and into El Greco’s village. You’ll get a driving lesson, helmet, fuel, and free action photos. A valid car license is required.
“This was such an amazing experience and something to not be missed. Our guide showed us all over Crete and even showed us an old abandoned town at the top of the mountains. We had never atv'd before but caught on very easily. You need to add this to your Crete vacation.”
Spend six hours exploring Crete’s mountain villages in a small Land Rover group of up to eight. Your English, Dutch, or German-speaking guide drives the rough roads, shares local stories, and stops for raki, olive oil, herbs, fruit, and photos. End with sunset prosecco, a traditional dinner, unlimited wine, and perhaps Greek dancing.
“The trip was very adventurous, lovely ride up the mountains up the rocky road. George our guide was very knowledgeable and great at taking our beautiful Sunset photos of us. Amazing Sunset. Tour around the villages was fabulous little villages. The Taverna food and drink was delicious and there were plenty of it. The whole trip was magical. So worth the money. Throughly Enjoyed it.”
Cruise from Malia past Stalis and Hersonissos on a 3.5-hour motor yacht trip. You’ll swim at two coastal stops, snorkel with fish, visit a small cave area, and enjoy lunch, fruit, dessert, wine, and soft drinks. Hotel pickup covers Malia, Stalida, Hersonissos, Sisi, Gouves, and nearby resorts.
“The pick up and drop off to hotel was good on time Captain and mate were very friendly and helpful The food was good the drinks were plenty The sea was clear at both stops equipment supplied would recommend”
Spend one hour at Terra Creta in Kamisiana, near Kolymvari, learning how Cretan olives become bottled oil. An English-speaking guide such as Katerina, Lisa, or Sophia leads the visit and tasting. You sample three oils with bread, olives, and small appetizers, then browse a shop with travel-safe bottles and other local products.
“Very insightful tour. We learned a lot about the harvesting and making of olive oil. We wish the pickup point was closer to Chania centre and that they sold bottles of olive oils that were 100 ml or less for carry-on baggage.”
From Chania, follow an English-speaking guide through Kissamos-area villages to Anoskeli Winery, the ancient olive tree at Vouves, and Manousakis Winery. Expect several wine tastings, extra virgin olive oil, local snacks, and a light meal. Guides such as Andreas, Yannis, Alex, and Costas add wine expertise and island stories along the way.
“Our host/tour guide Andreus was superb. Expert and lovely journey, definitely highly recommend this activity”
Spend eight hours with guides such as George or Antonis visiting an olive mill, organic winery, raki distillery, village taverna, and pottery studio. Taste five wines, fresh olive oil, raki, and Cretan food, then try pottery yourself. Pickup, lunch, transport, and tastings are included for groups of up to eight.
“Antonis was an excellent guide. My wife and I had so much fun on the tour. We were looking for an authentic and unique experience and this was exactly that! All of the places that Antonis brought us, were run by families and they were all very welcoming. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Crete!”
A port, a ruin or a mountain road.
