Crete tour from Heraklion: Knossos, olive oil tasting

The Minotaur legend becomes real when you walk the actual palace where it was born.

A private or small-group guided tour of Crete that departs from Heraklion port and visits Knossos Palace, the village of Mochos, an olive oil factory and mountain villages, with a local English-speaking driver-guide, hotel or port pickup, bottled water and coffee included. The tour runs roughly eight and a half hours and can be customized to add a pottery workshop visit or a family restaurant meal on the mountain. Knossos Palace entry is optional. Mochos village and the olive oil factory are standard stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Kera Kardiotissa Monasterypassing by
2. Palace of Knossos1h

Explore Crete's culture and history

• Pick up from Heraklion port
• Drive around Heraklion city
• Visit Lion Square and Venetian castle
• See Cathedral of Saint Titus
• Visit olive oil factory and taste oils
• Walk old narrow streets in Mochos village
• Enjoy traditional Cretan lunch at family restaurant
• Visit old wind mills pumping water
• Pass by Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
• Visit old wind mills with views
• Stop to see Aposelemis Dam
• Visit Krasi Village and oldest Plane tree
• Drive through Malia town and beach
• Explore Knossos Palace and Minoan civilization
• Drop off at Heraklion port

The experience

The tour picks you up from Heraklion port or your hotel and starts with a drive through the city itself (past the Lion Square, the Venetian castle and the Cathedral of Saint Titus), so you get a sense of the town before heading inland. Your driver-guide is a local who speaks English and knows the history and myths that shaped this island.

The first real stop is an olive oil factory where you taste different kinds of olive oil and learn how it's made, then walk the narrow streets of Mochos village to see how locals actually live. You'll explore old churches and stop at the main square for coffee. If you want lunch, the tour can arrange a traditional Cretan meal at a family restaurant up on the mountain. That's optional, as is a visit to a family pottery workshop if you're interested in watching that craft. Along the way you pass old windmills that once pumped water to the crops and ground grain, and you can stop at Kera Kardiotissa Monastery if the timing works. The route takes you through Krasi village, where the oldest plane tree in Crete stands, and past Malia beach.

Knossos Palace (the heart of the Minoan civilization and the legendary home of the Minotaur) is also optional, so you choose whether to explore it or skip it. If you do visit, your guide walks you through what the palace was and what the myth actually meant. The whole day is flexible: you can customize the stops and the pace based on what interests you most, and the operator will adjust the itinerary before you book.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from Heraklion port or your hotel.
• private or shared air-conditioned transportation.
• bottled water, coffee and tea.
• olive oil and raki tasting at the factory.
• a local English-speaking driver-guide.
• liability insurance.
• optional Knossos Palace entry, optional pottery workshop visit, and optional traditional Cretan lunch at a family restaurant on the mountain.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private TourGuide in English · 08:30 and 09:00Private tour: we can collect you from the Heraklion Region, the Rethymno Region, Elounda, or Agios Nikolaos. We do not collect from Chania or Ierapetra. Pickup is included.

Semi PrivateGuide in English · 08:30Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

Book up to3h before

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 35

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explore Real Crete

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you want the flexibility to set your own pace and add or skip stops: the driver adjusts the route to your interests. The small-group option works if you're comfortable sharing the vehicle and want a lower price, though pickup from Heraklion port is guaranteed only on that tier. From other regions, small groups need at least five people or you'll need to book private.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I book this tour if I'm arriving on a cruise ship at Heraklion?

Yes. The tour includes pickup and drop-off at Heraklion port, so the driver will meet you when you arrive and return you before the ship departs. If you're on a small-group tour, pickup from the port is included. If you book the private option, pickup from anywhere in the Heraklion region is included.

What exactly happens at the olive oil factory?

You visit a working olive oil factory where the staff shows you how olive oil is made and you taste different kinds of it. The tasting is included in the tour price.

Is Knossos Palace included, or do I have to pay extra?

Knossos Palace is optional. You decide at checkout whether to add it. If you choose to visit, the tour includes entry and your guide walks you through the palace and explains the Minoan civilization and the Minotaur myth.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes pickup and drop-off from Heraklion port or your hotel, private or shared transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water and coffee, olive oil and raki tasting, and a local English-speaking driver-guide. Lunch and pottery workshop visits are optional add-ons.

Can I customize the stops or the route?

Yes. The operator says the tour can be customized based on your wishes and needs. Just let them know what interests you before you book, and they'll adjust the itinerary.

How long is the tour?

The tour runs roughly eight and a half hours from pickup to drop-off, so plan for a full morning and afternoon.