Crete Uncovered
Holiday Highlights
- Discover Minoan treasures at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion with a local guide, and the world-famous Knossos archaeological site on a guided tour.
- Enjoy a visit to a family-run agritourism estate, with a delicious lunch showcasing locally produced food and traditional flavours.
- Take a chartered boat to Spinalonga, arriving as people have done for centuries, and learn its fascinating story on a guided tour.
- Stroll through the charming streets of Chania with a local guide and wander the beautiful, terraced mountain Botanical Gardens, with a herbal tea tasting included.
- Visit the impressive Aptera archaeological site on a guided tour and the historic Monastery of the Holy Trinity, ending with wine and olive oil tastings accompanied by locally produced accompaniments for a light lunch.
What's Included
- The price is per person, based on two people sharing a twin / double room. Single rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- 7 nights in four-star hand-picked hotels
- Return flights & transfers
- 13 included experiences
- Bed & breakfast
- Expert Tour Manager looking after you throughout
- Checked luggage
Itinerary
Day 1
Crete Uncovered
Day 2
Heraklion & Knossos - This morning, we’ll begin with a guided visit to Heraklion’s world-famous archaeological museum – a treasure trove of Minoan history and one of Europe’s most important cultural collections. Inside, you’ll wander through artefacts that stretch back an astonishing 3,000-5,000 years. Follow our guide as they bring these highlights to life – from vivid frescos that capture scenes of Minoan life in brilliant colour, to the delicate Bee Pendant from Malia, a tiny masterpiece of ancient goldsmithing. You’ll also come face-to-face with the striking Bull’s Head rhyton, carved from deep black steatite and shimmering with inlaid detail – a powerful emblem of Minoan culture and its connection to nature and ritual. And, of course, the mysterious Phaistos Disc, inscribed with symbols that still keep scholars guessing to this day – it’s always a conversation starter! As you explore these treasures, our guide will weave their stories together, connecting the dots between these remarkable pieces and the wider Minoan world, setting the scene perfectly for our next stop and enriching everything we’ll discover together throughout our Cretan adventure. We then continue to another Minoan highlight: the archaeological site of Knossos. Often described as Europe’s first city, its history stretches all the way back to 700 BC. Once a vast multi-storey palace filled with colourful art, elegant rooms and an impressively advanced plumbing system, Knossos was rediscovered in the late 19th century and excavated between 1900 and 1931. Today, some areas have been reconstructed, giving us a vivid sense of just how sophisticated this ancient world once was. As you wander the courtyards and corridors, you can almost feel the hum of a civilisation that was far ahead of its time. Myth weaves through history here, too. Knossos is the legendary home to the Minotaur – the fearsome half-man, half-bull was said to lurk within a labyrinth beneath the palace. Theseus’s daring journey into the maze, guided by Ariadne’s thread, has captured storytellers for centuries. While no minotaurs roam the site these days and the labyrinth is not to be found – or so we’re told – our guide will bring the stories and secrets of Knossos vividly to life. After two fascinating historical visits, we change pace and head to a family-run agritourismo that’s been in the same hands for four generations. The original farmhouse still sits at its heart, surrounded by a thriving estate producing wine, honey, olives, olive oil, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here, you’ll hear about the family’s traditions and sustainable working practices before sitting down to a delicious lunch made entirely from ingredients grown on-site or sourced nearby. With views across the vineyards and olive groves, it’s the perfect moment to relax and savour the day. After this wonderful blend of culture and cuisine, we return to our hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.