Rethymno, Lake Kournas & Olive Oil Tour from Chania

Rethymno's cobblestone alleys, a freshwater lake, and the olive oil that made Crete famous

A six-hour tour from Chania through Rethymno's old town, Lake Kournas, and a working olive oil factory with tasting. You walk the Venetian streets and castle ruins of Rethymno, stroll the shoreline of Crete's only freshwater lake, and watch the cold-press process at a family operation that has worked oil since the 1890s. Private groups of one to fifteen travelers. English and German-speaking guide included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Rethymno Old Town2h
2. Lake Kournas1h

Explore Rethymno, Lake Kournas, Olive Oil

• Stroll Rethymno Old Town alleys
• Visit Fortezza Castle
• Discover churches, mosques, lighthouse
• Walk around Lake Kournas
• Relax by the lake
• Tour Melissakis olive oil factory
• Taste authentic Cretan olive oil

The experience

The tour opens in Rethymno, a coastal town built on a cape between Chania and Heraklion. The old town mixes Venetian mansions, Orthodox and Catholic churches, mosques, and the Fortezza: a grand castle that dominates the skyline. You walk the cobblestone streets and discover the lighthouse, arches, and the layered architecture that draws visitors to pause and photograph. This is not a guided lecture through monuments. It is time to move through the alleys at your own pace and absorb the place.

From there, the route heads to Lake Kournas, the only freshwater lake in Crete. It sits in a 3.5-kilometer perimeter ringed by lush hills and views of the White Mountains. The water is dark (legend says it has no bottom, though that is not true), and the lake is protected as a Natura 2000 wetland. You walk the shoreline or rest by the water with a cold drink, a quiet break before the final stop.

The tour ends at a traditional olive oil factory in the village of Tsivaras, run by the Melissakis family since the 1890s. You see the harvest-to-bottle process: the olives arrive, move through cold-pressing, and are bottled as extra virgin oil. A guided tasting follows, so you taste the oil and learn its flavor and health profile. The van is air-conditioned with WiFi and USB charging. Cold drinks and beer are provided throughout.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned van.
• a live guide in English or German.
• guided tour and tasting at the olive oil factory.
• cold soft drinks, beer, and bottled water throughout the day.
• WiFi and USB charging in the vehicle.
• public liability insurance.

Options for this experience

3 options

Private group of 1-6 peopleUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English or German · 09:00Lasts 6 hours; includes soft drinks and bottled water; travels by 8-seat minivan; private tour for 1-6 people; pickup is included

Private group of 7-12 peopleUp to 12 per booking · Guide in English or German · 09:00Lasts 6 hours; includes soft drinks and bottled water; travels by 19-seat minibus; private tour for 7-12 people; pickup is included

Private group of 13-15 peopleUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or German · 09:00Lasts 6 hours; includes soft drinks and bottled water; travels by 19-seat minibus; private tour for 13-15 people; pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish 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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by SeaByBus Explore Crete

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to move through Rethymno at your own pace without a group lecture, and if seeing how olive oil is actually made, from the press to the bottle, matters more to you than visiting a museum or a shop. The private van means your group controls the rhythm and the stops.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

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 there to do in Rethymno's old town?

Rethymno's old town is a walk through Venetian and Eastern architecture: the Fortezza castle overlooks the streets, and you pass Orthodox and Catholic churches, mosques, the old lighthouse, and mansions connected by cobblestone paths. It is exploration at your own pace, not a structured tour of each building.

Is Lake Kournas a place to swim, or just to look at?

Lake Kournas is a freshwater lake where you walk the shoreline and rest by the water. Swimming is not part of the itinerary, but you can sit, take photographs, and have a drink at the lake's edge.

What happens at the olive oil factory?

The Melissakis family's factory in Tsivaras shows the full process from harvest through cold-pressing to bottling. You watch the machinery and the oil move through each step, then taste the finished extra virgin oil and learn about its flavor and health benefits.

How many people travel together on this tour?

You choose your group size at checkout: one to six people, seven to twelve, or thirteen to fifteen. Each group travels in a private van with its own English or German-speaking guide.