Lasithi Plateau & Knossos Palace tour from Heraklion

Two archaeological and natural landmarks in one day without driving yourself

A full-day tour from Heraklion to the Lasithi Plateau and Knossos Palace, combining mountain villages, a working monastery, a legendary cave and Europe's oldest palace with a professional guide and hotel pickup. The route covers the plateau's 18 villages and includes entry to Knossos. Lunch at a local tavern is your choice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Kera Kardiotissa Monastery30m
2. Palace of Knossos2h

Explore Lasithi Plateau and Knossos Palace

• Visit Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
• See local pottery workshop in Psychro
• Visit Dikteon Cave in Psychro
• Lunch break in Tzermiado village
• Guided tour of Knossos Palace

The experience

You start with pickup from your Heraklion hotel and drive toward the Dikti Mountains. The first stop is Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, a working convent set in mountain landscape where nuns maintain the building and its 14th-century frescoes, icons and the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. From there the tour moves into the plateau itself, passing through Psychro village where a local pottery workshop shows how ceramics are still handmade, and then to Dikteon Cave: the limestone cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites where Zeus was born according to Cretan legend.

Tzermiado, the main village on the plateau, sits at over 800 meters altitude and gives you a break to eat lunch at a local tavern and take in views across the traditional stone houses and the surrounding landscape. The final stop is Knossos Palace, the center of Minoan civilization and the first advanced culture in Europe. A guided tour walks you through the palace's layout, the myth of King Minos and the Minotaur, and the labyrinth legend that shaped Greek storytelling for thousands of years.

The tour runs 10 to 11 hours total in an air-conditioned vehicle. Your guide speaks English, French or German depending on the group. Knossos entry is included in most options, though you'll confirm this at checkout. Lunch and drinks are on your own.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle throughout the day.
• pickup and drop-off from your Heraklion hotel.
• professional guide in English, French or German.
• entry to Knossos Palace.
• visits to Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, Dikteon Cave and Tzermiado village.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday

AgesAdult (13 to 75 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 22

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Travel ID

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in Heraklion without a rental car: pickup from your hotel means you skip the drive to the plateau and the navigation between sites, and the fixed schedule fits the whole route into one day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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 is Dikteon Cave like, and can I walk inside it?

Dikteon Cave is a limestone cavern in Psychro village filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and the tour includes a visit inside where you walk through the rock formations. It's the cave where Zeus was born in Cretan mythology.

Do I need to be fit to hike around the Lasithi Plateau?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll walk through villages and visit the cave and monastery, but there's no strenuous hiking required. The pace is set by the group and the guide.

Is lunch included, and what are the food options in Tzermiado?

Lunch is not included, but you'll have a break in Tzermiado to eat at a local tavern. The village has traditional restaurants serving Cretan food. You choose where to eat and what to order.

How many villages do we actually stop in during the tour?

The route passes through the plateau's 18 villages as part of the scenic drive, but you make stops in Psychro for the pottery workshop and cave, and Tzermiado for lunch and the main village experience.