Crete Private Tour: Knossos Palace, Zeus Cave & Olive Oil Tasting

Walk through villages, taste olive oil, and stand inside a Bronze Age palace: all in one day with a local guide.

A full-day private or small-group tour of Crete starting from Heraklion that visits Knossos Palace, the Cave of Zeus, old villages and an olive oil factory. The guide is a local English speaker who drives a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle and includes coffee, water, olive oil and raki tastings. Lunch at a family restaurant is optional, as is the Knossos Palace entrance fee (15 euros per person). The cave is closed Tuesdays and requires a 15-minute uphill walk plus steps to enter.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Crete's culture and history

• Start tour from Heraklion city
• Drive through and around Heraklion
• Visit olive oil factory and taste oils
• Walk through old village of Mochos
• Enjoy drink or local food at village square
• See old wind mills and learn their use
• Walk around picturesque village of Krasi
• Take photos of oldest Platanus tree
• Stop on mountain for Aposelemi Dam view
• Walk to Cave of Zeus (currently closed)
• Optional lunch at family restaurant on mountain
• Visit Knossos Palace (optional)
• Return to hotel or cruise port

The experience

The tour departs from Heraklion and moves through the Cretan countryside in an air-conditioned vehicle, stopping first at an olive oil factory where you learn how the "Golden Liquid" is produced and taste several varieties. From there the route climbs toward the mountains, passing through the old village of Mochos where you walk the narrow streets and see local churches, then continues to the windmills that once pumped water from underground and ground wheat and corn into flour. The views open up around 3,000 feet above sea level.

The Cave of Zeus sits on the mountain. According to mythology, he was born there. Reaching it means a 15-minute walk uphill followed by roughly 150 steps inside the cave itself. The cave is closed every Tuesday. Nearby, the tour stops at a family restaurant on the mountain where Cretan traditional lunch is available if you want it. This meal is optional and not included in the base price. You also pass through the village of Krasi to photograph the oldest and largest Platanus tree in Crete and see the Aposelemi Dam from a viewpoint.

The final stop is Knossos Palace, the Bronze Age site that anchors Cretan history. Entry is optional and costs 15 euros per person if you choose to go inside. After the palace, the driver returns you to your hotel or cruise port. The whole day runs 7 to 8 hours. You can book this as a private tour or join the small-group option. Either way, you travel with a knowledgeable local guide who speaks English.

What’s included

• Coffee and water.
• olive oil and raki tastings at the factory.
• transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.
• a knowledgeable local guide who speaks English.
• liability insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private TourGuide in English · 08:30 and 09:00PRIVATE TOUR: We can pick you up from Heraklion Port, Agios Nikolaos Port, Elounda, Rethimno. Pickup is included.

Small GroupGuide in English · 08:30Pick-up and drop-off: We can collect you from the Heraklion region and port. Pickup is included.

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

Information

Lasts 7h–8h, runs every day at 08:30 and 09:00, from € 115 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate8 group tours ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 37 pickup points.

Book up to3h before

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.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explore Real Crete

Is this one for you?Book the private option if your group wants the route and timing to itself. The small-group option works if you're flexible about sharing the vehicle and don't mind meeting other travelers. Either way, you're moving through the day with a local guide who knows the villages and the history, so you're not navigating or deciding stops on your own.

Traveler reviews

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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.

What exactly happens at the olive oil factory on this Crete tour?

At the olive oil factory, the guide explains how Cretan olive oil is produced and you taste several different varieties of the oil itself.

Is lunch included in the Crete tour price?

Lunch at a family restaurant on the mountain is optional and not included. You can choose to eat there or skip it.

How do I get to the Cave of Zeus, and is it always open?

The cave requires a 15-minute walk uphill and then around 150 steps to explore inside. The cave is closed every Tuesday.

Do I have to pay extra to enter Knossos Palace?

Knossos Palace is an optional final stop. If you choose to enter, the entrance fee is 15 euros per person and is not included in the tour price.

What's included in the tour price for this Crete experience?

The tour includes transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, a local English-speaking guide, coffee and water, olive oil and raki tastings, and liability insurance.

Can I book this tour as a private group or do I have to join others?

You can book the private tour option for your group alone, or choose the small-group option to travel with other visitors.