Things to do in Crete
Boat Trips Chania Crete26 optionsCrete to Santorini Day Trip14 optionsQuad Safari Crete16 optionsSnorkeling Tour Crete20 optionsScuba Diving12 optionsCrete Hiking Tours9 optionsSunset Cruises5 optionsCrete Wine Tour6 optionsClimbing6 optionsElafonisi Beach Tour15 optionsCrete Sailing Tours17 optionsCrete Catamaran Tour12 options
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Crete: Jeep Safari Day Tour with Cooking & Pottery ClassYou’ll milk goats with local shepherds near Potamies, taste homemade cheese and raki, wander ancient villages like Avdou and Lasithi Plateau, cook Cretan dishes side by side with locals, try your hand at pottery, then relax over lunch under centuries-old trees. It’s not just sightseeing—it’s being folded right into village life for a day.
Knossos Palace: Skip-the-Line Group Tour & Ancient MythsYou’ll wander Knossos Palace’s twisting paths with a small group and skip straight past long lines at entry. A local guide brings ancient myths alive right where they happened, sharing secrets behind frescoes and ruins as you move from sunlit courtyards to shadowy chambers. Expect laughter, questions answered on the fly, and moments where history suddenly feels personal.
Crete Wine and Olive Oil Tour: Oldest olive tree, family wineryA six-hour wine and olive oil tasting tour in Crete visits a family winery, an olive oil factory and the oldest olive tree in the world, with an English-speaking guide leading the stops. Transport by air-conditioned minibus, wine and food tastings, olive oil tasting and a light meal are included; children under 18 receive juice or water instead of wine. Book 12 hours ahead.Is it for me?Six hours leaves room for a morning or afternoon elsewhere in Crete, but not for a second full activity—book this as your main event for the day. If you're traveling with children under 18, they join the tastings but receive juice instead of wine, so plan accordingly if that matters to your group.
Crete: Guided Boat & Snorkeling Trip with Blue Cave & PickupYou’ll glide along Crete’s Akrotiri coast by boat with pickup included, snorkel inside the glowing Blue Cave with a local guide, and relax at peaceful Marathi Beach. Expect calm seas, friendly stories from your guide, all equipment provided—and moments that stick with you long after you dry off.
Crete: Trypiti Gorge Jeep Safari & Zaros Lake LunchYou’ll start with strong coffee by Zaros Lake before bouncing through olive valleys and villages on your way to Trypiti gorge. Descend between wild cliffs then swim at an uncrowded southern Crete beach—finally sharing Cretan BBQ lunch under ancient olive trees before heading home full and sun-warmed.
Heraklion: Dia Island Catamaran Cruise & Water ToysYou board a modern catamaran at Heraklion port, sail to Dia Island in an hour, and spend three hours swimming, sliding, paddleboarding and snorkeling in calm bay water. Lunch is a fresh Mediterranean meal with unlimited wine and beer, designed by a nutritionist and made from local ingredients. The crew handles safety and gear; you handle deciding whether to kayak or float on the flamingo. You're back in port by early afternoon.Is it for me?A good fit if you want a morning on the water with swimming, water toys and a proper meal all handled — the semi-private boat keeps groups small, and the fixed departure time means you're back in Heraklion by early afternoon. Plan for about five hours total, with three of those spent at Dia Island in the bay.
Katharo Plateau & Lassithi: Mythology, Villages & Lunch TourYou’ll ride up into Crete’s highlands with a local guide, see ancient trees in Krasi village square, taste homemade dishes and wine at lunch on the Katharo Plateau, and stroll through Kritsa’s craft shops. Expect laughter over raki, stories about Greek mythology—and maybe a moment of quiet you’ll remember later.
Crete: Land Rover Safari, Kourtaliotiko Gorge & Preveli Beach LunchYou’ll ride deep into Crete’s mountains by Land Rover from Rethymno, watch for eagles over Kourtaliotiko Gorge, wander Spili village’s shady square, swim at Preveli Palm Beach, and share a long Cretan lunch with local wine. Expect laughter with your guide and surprises along every dusty bend—a day that lingers long after you’re back.
Sailing to Dia Island from Crete: Snorkel, swim, dineA sailing trip from Heraklion to Dia Island, an uninhabited islet off Crete, where you snorkel in sheltered turquoise waters, swim, and eat a freshly cooked lunch aboard. The yacht carries a skipper and a small group; the sail out takes about an hour, and you spend the afternoon anchored in St. George's Bay before returning to port. Soft drinks, wine and water are included; you can add a transfer from your hotel or meet the boat at the harbor.Is it for me?Spend your afternoon sailing, swimming, and dining without leaving the boat—everything you need is already aboard, and the small group keeps the pace relaxed.
Quad ATV Safari from Georgioupolis: Drive mountain trails aloneYou’ll ride an ATV quad through Crete’s rugged mountains with a local guide, stopping to explore hidden gorges and taste fresh coffee at an old olive oil factory. Feel the wind as you drive dirt tracks most visitors never see—and leave with memories that stick around long after you’ve washed off the dust.
Elafonisi & Falasarna beaches from Chania: Two islands, one dayA small group tour from Chania visits Elafonisi and Falasarna beaches in a single day, with a stop at the ancient Olive Tree of Vouves for tasting and a museum visit. The tour includes hotel pickup, a local English-speaking guide, snacks, drinks and olive oil tasting; you swim and sunbathe for nearly 5 hours across both beaches. Operates Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from mid-May through September, with a maximum of 15 travelers per departure.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're staying in Chania without a car—pickup is included, and the fixed schedule means both beaches and the ancient olive tree fit into a single day without you arranging transport or timing between stops. The small group size (maximum 15 people) keeps the pace relaxed and the beaches less crowded than larger tours.
Crete: Dia Island Catamaran Cruise with Open Bar & LunchYou’ll board a luxury catamaran in Heraklion for a day trip to Dia Island, swimming and snorkeling in turquoise bays only reachable by boat. Enjoy a Mediterranean seafood lunch freshly prepared onboard (with vegetarian options), plus an open bar with local wine and beer. Paddleboard or just relax on deck as Cretan sun warms your skin—this is one of those days you’ll remember for its simple pleasures.
Crete South Coast Jeep Safari: Preveli Beach, Gorge & LunchYou’ll ride off-road through southern Crete with a local guide, pausing for strong coffee at a village café before swimming and lunch by the Libyan Sea. There’s time to wander Preveli Palm Beach under its palms and snap photos over Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Expect laughter, good food, and scenery that lingers long after you’ve rinsed off the salt.
Wine & Olive Oil Tour Chania: 4WD Safari with Milia LunchA semi-private wine and olive oil tasting tour in Chania, Crete, for up to six guests per guide, combines tastings at Anoskeli's winery and mill with a full day exploring remote terrain by 4WD vehicle that standard buses cannot reach. Pickup is included within 5km east or 25km west of Chania; the tour runs 7 to 8 hours and ends with lunch and local wine at Milia Mountain Retreat, a top 50 National Geographic eco-tourism site. Children from age 6 are welcome, and a vegetarian option is available with advance notice.Is it for me?Book this tour if you're staying in Chania without a car—pickup from your hotel and return at the end of the day means you explore terrain and taste wines you couldn't reach on your own. The small group size (up to six per guide) also keeps the pace flexible and the experience personal, so the day adjusts to what interests you most.
Balos & Gramvousa: Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & TransferYou’ll board a spacious catamaran from Kissamos for a relaxed cruise through Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Bay. Swim or snorkel in clear water, try paddleboarding or just float around on inflatables while Cretan snacks keep coming. Hike up to Gramvousa’s fortress or unwind on deck before sharing lunch with new friends as music drifts across the bay.
Crete: Dia Island Sailing Trip with Lunch & SnorkelingYou’ll sail from Heraklion to Dia island with a small group and friendly local crew. Swim or snorkel in crystal-clear bays, watch for wildlife, then relax with an organic Cretan lunch served right on deck. It’s a day that lingers in your mind—the kind where you forget your phone exists for hours.
Crete: Sunset Jeep Tour with BBQ Dinner & ProseccoYou’ll ride off-road through Crete’s hidden hills with a local guide, meet shepherds in Potamies, see the ghostly village of Sfendili reflected in the dam, gather wild herbs in Ebassas gorge, sip Prosecco at sunset, and finish with a proper Cretan BBQ dinner under open skies. The kind of evening that lingers long after you’re home.
Crete: Olive Oil Tasting Tour & Mill Visit with Local FlavorsYou’ll wander real Cretan olive groves with a local guide who actually works the land, explore both traditional and modern mills, and taste fresh extra virgin olive oils right at the source. Expect honest flavors (and maybe sticky fingers from grape syrup), stories you won’t find online, and that rare feeling of slowing down under old trees.
Balos & Gramvousa: Catamaran Cruise with Cretan LunchYou’ll sail from Kissamos on a modern catamaran with plenty of space to stretch out, stopping first at Balos Lagoon for swimming and paddleboarding before heading to wild Gramvousa Island. Enjoy Cretan snacks and a healthy Mediterranean lunch onboard — plus local wine or beer if you want it. Expect real flavors, quiet moments, laughter in salty air, and time to just let go.
Chania: Old Town Street Food Tour & Local Tastes WalkYou’ll taste your way through Chania’s Old Town—bougatsa from a bakery window, goat cheese and raki in tucked-away shops, strong Greek coffee in Splatzia square. Expect laughter with locals, Venetian alleyways full of color, and moments that linger long after you’ve finished your last bite of souvlaki.
