Crete: Knossos Palace & Lasithi Plateau Day Tour with Olive Oil Tasting

Summary

Crete’s ancient palaces, mountain plateaus and village flavors in one day

You’ll wander ancient Knossos Palace with stories from your local guide, taste fresh olive oil at a family estate, sit beneath Krasi’s legendary plane tree with homemade pastries, and share lunch overlooking Lasithi Plateau’s mountains—all with easy hotel pickup and real moments of Cretan warmth along the way.

What’s the experience like?

I almost missed the minivan because I’d convinced myself I needed one more coffee at the hotel—turns out, Cretans take their coffee even more seriously than I do. Our guide, Nikos, just grinned when I sheepishly climbed aboard. He handed me a tiny pastry (I think he called it kalitsounia?) and said something about “starting sweet.” The van smelled faintly of thyme and dust from the early sun. Anyway, we rolled out toward Knossos Palace, and honestly, I didn’t expect ruins to feel so alive. There were schoolkids darting around columns, and Nikos told stories about King Minos that made the whole place less like a museum and more like a memory someone left behind.

After Knossos, we wound through roads lined with olive trees—some gnarled enough to look prehistoric. The olive oil tasting was at this old family-run place; four generations on the wall in black-and-white photos. I’m not usually sentimental about food but dipping bread into that green-gold oil was…different. Peppery at first, then almost grassy? The owner’s mother poured us raki in little glasses and laughed when I coughed (it’s stronger than you think). Krasi village was sleepy except for a café where old men played cards under a tree so wide it swallowed the whole square in shade. Someone pressed a cup of thick yogurt into my hand—goat’s milk, tangy as anything—and I just sat there watching leaves flicker overhead.

The Lasithi Plateau felt like another world—flat fields ringed by blue mountains and scattered windmills that creaked in the breeze. Nikos pointed out caves where Zeus supposedly hid as a baby; we couldn’t go inside (something about renovations), but he spun this wild myth anyway while sheep bells clanged somewhere nearby. Lunch was slow: wood-fired lamb and tomatoes so ripe they tasted sun-warmed. A local kid tried to teach me how to say “thank you” in Greek—I definitely butchered it; everyone laughed except me (I was too busy eating).

We stopped briefly by Kera Kardiotissa Monastery—just long enough for Nikos to talk about its frescoes and miracles. I snapped a photo through the van window; somehow even that felt peaceful. By the time we reached Mochos village for coffee with locals (who really do greet strangers like cousins), my head was full of stories and my hands sticky from honey pastries. The ride back felt quieter—maybe it was just me thinking about how places linger after you leave them.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Knossos, Villages, and Plateau

• Visit Knossos Palace
• Tour olive oil production facility
• Stop at Krasi village and plane tree
• Explore Lasithi Plateau and windmills
• Lunch at traditional tavern on plateau
• Pass by Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
• Visit Mochos village cafes

Top questions

How long is the Knossos & Lasithi Plateau tour?

The tour is a full-day experience starting in the morning with return by late afternoon or evening.

Is hotel pickup included for this Crete day trip?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included from hotels or designated meeting points in Heraklion region.

Do you visit Knossos Palace on this tour?

Yes, Knossos Palace is one of the main stops on this day trip from Heraklion.

Is lunch included during the Lasithi Plateau tour?

A traditional lunch stop is offered overlooking Lasithi Plateau; food cost may not be included unless specified.

Can infants join this Crete private tour?

Yes, infants can join; prams/strollers and infant seats are available if needed.

Will we visit Zeus Cave during this tour?

No, Zeus Cave will be closed for construction starting October 2, 2024.

Are there tastings included on this Crete olive oil tour?

Yes, you’ll enjoy an olive oil tasting plus traditional snacks such as pastries and goat yogurt.

What villages are visited on this day trip from Heraklion?

You’ll visit Krasi village (with its ancient plane tree) and Mochos village for coffee with locals.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or port pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned minivan (with Wi-Fi), guidance from a local expert throughout Crete’s highlights, entry to Knossos Palace, an exclusive olive oil tasting at a family estate plus homemade pastries and goat yogurt at village stops—with plenty of bottled water along the way before returning home relaxed.