Excursions
Discover top excursions with Villas Crete Holiday! Explore Chania, enjoy Crete accommodation, and make the most of your Chania Crete holidays
For those of you who do not want to rent a car but who would still like to see some of Crete’s superb countryside and archaeological sites, a guided excursion is the perfect solution. Even for those of you who have cars an excursion can be a relaxing alternative, particularly for the driver who is usually too busy concentrating on the winding Cretan roads to see any of the wonderful scenery! Some of our excursions also offer the opportunity to see places that are only accessible by either boat, ferry, or on foot. Our excursion provider only works with licensed guides who are very knowledgeable and will therefore enhance your experience. They only use luxury coaches which are fully air-conditioned, and which have a toilet.
Below are descriptions of some of the excursions available. You can find more information, additional tours, and book your tickets at: https://iotours.gr/en/homeen/
Elafonissi Beach , Agia Sofia And Chrisokalitissa Monastery
This is a day trip to Elafonissi Beach and Island that takes you on one of my favourite drives on Crete. You will see many different terrains as you head west towards Kastelli-Kissamos and then turn south to head down to the south west corner of the island and the incredibly beautiful beach at Elafonissi.There is stunning scenery along the route which takes you through the hills, passing along the top of the Topolia Gorge.
Half way along the Topolia Gorge we will stop at for breakfast at Agia Sofia. During the breakfast stop there you can walk up the 269 steps to the beautiful cave of Agia Sofia. Inside the cave you will see a tiny Byzantine chapel and some interesting stalagmites and stalagtites. Agia Sofia has been a holy place since Minoan, Neolithic, Roman and Byzantine times. The view from here out over the ravine is wonderful. It is supposed to be lucky if you ring the bell at the entrance to the cave, and all the Greeks do it. A small café here can serve a drink and a light breakfast.
We now pass through the lush chestnut region of Crete and a few quaint traditional villages, until we arrive for a brief visit at Chrissolakilitissa Monastery which is built into the rock and is surrounded by the sea. After the monastery stop we arrive at Elafonissi at around lunchtime. There is a walk of about 10 minutes from the parking area to the beach. Some people call Elafonissi the Carribean of Crete, or the Cretan Maldives as the water is crystal clear and shallow, and the sand has a pinkish tinge to it. You will spend a few hours on the spacious beach.
The turquoise water is excellent for snorkelling and you can wade out to the sand islands just off the beach, including Elafonissos island itself. At 15.00 we leave Elafonissi. On the return journey the coach will stop at the pretty village of Potamida in the chestnut region where you can have a drink and a snack.
Gramvousa Island And Balos Lagoon
This delightful excursion takes you by coach to the port of Kissamos-Kastelli where you board a boat which takes about 1 hour to cross the bay of Kissamos, passing the ancient shipyards of Tarsanas, to the incomparable Balos Lagoon. (All other trips to Gramvousa go to Balos in the afternoon, we go in the morning in order to avoid the crowds).
Once at Balos the boat drops anchor just off the shore and you are ferried in a small boat to the pristine beach, where you are free to spend the next 3 hours relaxing.There is no shade on Balos beach but umbrellas are available for rent on the boat (but get yours early as they are limited). The crystal clear jade waters and pale white sand at Balos Lagoon even enticed Prince Charles and Princess Diana to swim here whilst on their honeymoon aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia. Balos today is part of a nature reserve and is an important habitat for birds, sea turtles, and the Mediterranean seal.
After leaving Balos the boat sails for 15 minutes to the fabled pirate island of Gramvousa. In the 19th Century Gramvousa was home to 3000 revolutionaries who were forced to make a living from piracy during troubled times and food shortages. Gramvousa Island is dominated by a mighty Venetian fortress that is 137m above sea level. When the boat docks you have the opportunity to embark on a 15 minute walk up to this impressive castle which has breathtaking views across the bay to Balos Lagoon. For the less energetic amongst us, you can chill out on either the boat or the beach in the one and a half hours that we stay at Gramvousa Island. During this stop a traditional Greek lunch is served aboard the boat (for an extra charge). The boat is very comfortable with a choice of seating wither inside the boat or on the decks for those of you wishing to be in the sun. One of the boats even has a swimming pool on the top deck. There is a self-service bar that is well stocked with snacks, dinks and ice creams. At the end of an incredibly relaxing day the boat sails back to port where the coach is waiting to bring you back to your accommodation.
*** The order of the itinerary is subject to change dependent upon the weather and how busy the lagoon or island are.
Guests with a rental car who would prefer to drive themselves to Kastelli –Kissamos harbour can purchase reduced price boat tickets at the boat office on Kastelli- Kissamos harbour, but do arrive at least 30 minutes before the departure time.
Knossos Palace And Heraklion
A day of discovery to the “Knossos Palace” and the 4000 year old relics of a Minoan civilization redeemed almost to its former glory. You will be fascinated by the myths and legends from the era that gave us plumbing and air - conditioning long before, civilization as we know it, was even thought of.
The 2 hour journey to Heraklion follows the pretty coast line for most of the way. There is a stop near Rethymnon for breakfast. At approximately 10.00am we arrive at the fabulous Minoan palace of Knossos, once the residence of the legendary King Minos, stands loftily on a hill. In it’s heyday it must have been an impressive sight, with its splendid architecture, monumental staircases and beautiful coloured frescoes. Whilst leading you through the palace chambers, halls and courtyards, our professional guide will paint the picture in your mind, of 4000 years of mystery and history.
A short drive from Knossos takes us into the centre of Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Here you have a little free time to wander through the busy streets, to window shop, see the market, the famous Morosoni Fountain, and grab something to eat in one of the many tavernas, or in a café by the square. There is also a guided tour around the Heraklion Archaeological Museum which holds the majority of the ancient artifacts found over the years on Crete, including all the original pieces from Knossos including intricate gold jewellery, the original frescoes, and engraved linguistic tablets.
Samaria Gorge
Walking the Samaria Gorge is an incredible experience but one that should be considered carefully. It generally takes between 4 – 6 hours to walk the gorge. It should not be attempted by anyone with back or knee problems, or anyone who is generally very unfit. If you get into the trouble in the gorge, the only way out is on the back of a donkey with a large red cross on its side! Having said that, I have had active elderly people manage the walk with ease, and teenagers who have made very hard work of the gorge.
Almost everyone, including myself (unfit as I am) that I know who has walked Samaria, has been very glad that they experienced the beauty of the gorge and very achy for a number of days afterwards.The best way to walk the Samaria Gorge is to take an excursion coach – this is because there are no roads in or out of Agia Roumeli (at the bottom of the gorge) therefore you have to take a ferry that leaves you a long way from your car (if you have driven to the top of the gorge).
The organised excursion saves you all of the different logistical transportation problems, it also means that you don’t have to drive when you are very tired. The Samaria excursions start very early in the morning (anything from 5.15am onwards) but this is necessary as it is best to start the gorge walk early in the morning for a number of reasons. The earlier that you start, the cooler the temperature will be, also you have to be in Agia Roumeli in time to catch the ferry that will take you along the south coast, back to the coach.
Despite being on an organized trip, you can still go down the gorge at your own pace – you do not walk through the gorge as a group. You are given your entrance ticket for the gorge by the guide on the coach, you must keep it in your possession for the entire walk, as half of it is taken at the exit of the gorge, in order to check that no-one is lost in the gorge overnight. The guide will give you a meeting time and place in Agia Roumeli, so that she can guide you on to the correct ferry and then onto the correct coach. You are therefore on your own to walk the gorge at our own pace.
The Samaria Gorge is the longest gorge in Europe and it is full of indigenous flora and fauna. Most of the guide books will tell you that the gorge is 18kms long – it is not. The walk comprises of 13km in the gorge itself, and then approximately another 2.5kms on a hill down into the village of Agia Roumeli. A small bus from the cafe at the exit of the gorge to Agia Roumeli runs regularly. Tickets are bought on the bus.
When walking the gorge, you must be very careful and look at your feet whilst taking every footstep. It is very easy to slip of twist and ankle if you do not pay attention to where you are going. It is best to stop walking when you want to look around you at the wonderful scenery. The walk is mostly downhill and starts at Xiloscalo (wooden staircase). The first section of the gorge is wonderfully cool and alpine (the gorge walls are not particularly evident but the gorgeous smell of pine is). It is initially quite steep but there is a well-worn staircase and path to follow.
The middle section of the gorge is a gently undulating path and has the abandoned village of Samaria and the 1379 chapel of Osia Maria (The name Samaria is a deviation of this – Sia Maria). The last inhabitants of the village of Samaria were moved to Agia Roumeli in 1962 when the area officially became a national park. Samaria was originally designated as a nature reserve as early as 1929, when ecologists realised that the agrimi (Cretan ibex) more commonly known as the “Kri Kri” goat, faced possible extinction. The bottom section of the gorge is where you walk along the rocky river bed and walk across small bridges that criss cross over the Tarraios River. This is where the sun is at its strongest, there is no natural shelter, and where the gorge walls are at their highest. The famous Sideroportes (Iron Gates) that you see in all the photos are in this bottom section of the gorge, and are approximately 2000ft high. All the way through the Samaria Gorge there are springs and water fountains, rest areas with benches, and toilets in wooden cabins. For the 13km that you are in the gorge itself, there are stones marking every kilometre. At the 13th kilometre mark you come to the exit of the gorge where there are the ticket collectors and 2 refreshment kiosks. From here you are walking downhill with no shade to Agia Roumeli, or you can pay a small fee to take the small bus that runs regularly from the gorge exit to Agia Roumeli. The last section of the walk is hot and you are looking at the deep blue Libyan Sea the whole way, so you may well prefer to take the bus.
When you reach Agia Roumeli you will find many cafes and tavernas and a black sand beach with sun-beds. You may want to eat something, and you will definitely want to take a swim in the refreshingly cool waters of the Libyan Sea. At this point you will want to take off your walking boots – make sure that you have some sandals or flip-flops with you as the black sand is incredibly hot and impossible to walk on in bare feet. Most people have a couple of hours to relax in Agia Roumeli before it is time to catch the ferry.
At the designated time you will meet the guide who will give you a ferry ticket and lead you to the correct ferry for Chora Sfakion, or sometimes to the ferry to Sougia where the coach will be waiting to bring you back to the north coast.
The ferry has seats on an open-air upper deck, and a sheltered lower deck. There is a bar where you can buy refreshments and there are toilet facilities on board. The journey generally takes about 45 minutes to an hour and is the perfect opportunity to relax and look for dolphins.
Points to remember when walking Samaria Gorge: For ease and accessibility, and excursion is probably the best way to experience the Samaria Gorge. Only wear good walking boots or trainers with a thick sole (the terrain is rough underfoot and you would be in agony in unsuitable footwear). Please do not consider wearing anything with open toes (even walking sandals), as the boulders on the riverbed at the bottom will easily give you black toenails. An old army trick that really works is to spray your feet with antiperspirant as this limits the chance of getting blisters. Take a sweater with you as it is quite cool first thing in the morning at the top of the gorge. The breakfasts at Omalos can be over-priced so may like to consider taking your own with you. Take a small backpack for carrying everything. Always take plenty of sunscreen and a hat – the gorge is very open in the bottom section, which you will be walking at mid-day. Take a snack and a small bottle of water with you that you can re-fill regularly at the springs and water fountains. Take your swimsuit, a small towel and some flip-flops for the beach at Agia Roumeli. You will also want to take a small amount of money for food and drinks at Agia Roumeli, and your camera. When in the gorge, always pay attention to where you are going, and stop to look around at the amazing scenery. Always be on the lookout for the birds of prey that float around in the thermals above the gorge, amongst them eagles, the rare griffon vulture, and the even rarer lammergeier. Also look out for the rare Kri-Kri goat – it has a black stripe down its back, and the indigenous plants and trees of Crete.
Santorini Day Cruise And Tour
Black, sand, white sun bleached buildings and deep blue seas are the colours that confront you as your cruise ship approaches Santorini. No other island has the unique wild beauty of this volcanic island and no photos or descriptions can prepare you for the magnificent scenes that you will encounter on Santorini.
A coach transfer will take you to Rethymnon Harbour where you will board the fast ferry to Santorini. The ferry is air-conditioned throughout, and has 2 bars with drinks and snacks.
After a cruise of 2.5 - 3 hours, we will arrive at Santorini where a coach with a guide will be waiting to take you on tour of the island with stops at the towns of Thira, and Oia. Thira is the capital of Santorini and it rises 400m above sea level and sits on top of a sheer cliff face. Contrasting layerts of volcanic pumice stone and soil bear witness to the volcanic eruption that occurred 3,500 years ago, causing three quarters of the island to sink into the sea. The measure of the catastrophe and the ruins of an advanced civilization found at Akrotiri have led many archaeologist to believe that Santorini is the legendary Atlantis. The intense character and unique fascination of this island will intoxicate you as much as the full-bodied wine and the view from the rim of the volcano, will stay in you memory long after your visit is over. The tour will include stops at all of the places you will have seen in the famous photos, with free time for lunch, and a swim at the beach as well. At 17.45 the ship departs for the cruise back to Rethymnon.
