On this 3-day tour of Crete from Heraklion, we'll discover fascinating places such as the Arkadi Monastery and the cities of Vatos & Zaros. A complete tour of Greek culture!
Heraklion to Rethymno 3-Day Tour
Day 1: Heraklion - Lasithi Plateau - Agios Nikolaos - Sitia
We'll pick you up at the designated time at Eleftherias square and drive to the city's Archaeological Museum, where we'll discover an extensive collection on the Minoan civilization. We'll then leave the capital of Crete and head towards the interior of the island.
Next, we'll travel along the north coast of the island until we reach the Byzantine church of Panagia Kera, which preserves some of the best-preserved frescoes in Crete. We'll continue our route through Crete crossing the Lasithi Plateau to Agios Nikolaos. In this seaside town, we'll recharge our batteries in a local restaurant where you can choose a typical Cretan dish from a variety of options.
After lunch, we'll head to Plaka to take a boat to the deserted island of Spinalonga. We'll explore this place's relationship with the lepers, and after this visit, we'll return to Heraklion for dinner and rest.
Day 2: Heraklion - Knossos Palace - Gortyna - Festo- Zaros
Day 2 of our tour will begin with breakfast at the hotel in Heraklion, followed by a visit to the renowned Knossos Palace, one of the most well-known Minoan palaces in Crete. We'll explore the magnificent architecture of the palace before heading to the archaeological site of Gortyna, which used to be the Roman capital of Crete. We'll then make our way to Plouti, where you'll have time to buy some lunch.
After lunch, we'll travel through the Mesara valley to visit the impressive archaeological site of Festo, which is one of the most significant remains of the Minoan civilization in Crete. To end the day, we'll head to a hotel located in the mountain village of Zaros, where you can enjoy a traditional Cretan dinner with a show before heading. to bed.
Day 3: Zaros - Vatos - Spili - Lampini - Arkadi - Heraklion
On Day 3, we'll depart from Zaros after breakfast and head to the charming village of Vatos. We'll take a walk through its narrow streets, visit an old school, and explore a museum of farming tools. Before leaving, we'll also stop by a place where raki, a famous alcoholic beverage from Crete, is produced.
Next, we'll proceed to the picturesque village of Spili to see the impressive Venetian fountain. Then, we'll continue to Lampini, where we'll visit the 12th and 14th-century frescoes in the church of Panagia. Our next destination will be the St. Antonios gorge, where we'll take a stroll amid nature to reach the cave of St. Antonios. We'll have lunch at the Drymos restaurant before our final stop at the Arkadi Monastery, which is a magnificent example of Cretan architecture. Here, we'll learn about the tragic story of the holocaust of 1866.
Finally, we'll head back to the starting point in Heraklion, where we began the tour on Day 1, with an estimated arrival time of 7 pm.
Accommodation
The tour includes 2 nights of accommodation with dinner and breakfast at the following 3-star hotels:
- Heraklion (1st night): Castello City Hotel, Marin Hotel, or similar
- Zaros (2nd night): Idi Hotel or similar
Tickets
When booking, you can choose the option that includes entrance fees to the archaeological sites.
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