Peter Sommer Travels is proud to offer this spectacular land tour of the legendary island of Crete.
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and its historical significance is second to none, ranging from Stone Age seafarers and Neolithic farmers to the mysterious and fascinating Bronze Age civilisation of the Minoans. The island’s renowned Classical cities and the rich remains of the Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman cultures, lead us right through to its turbulent 20th century history.
As well as its historical and archaeological riches, the island is a place of extraordinary natural beauty and diversity. Its inhabitants are fiercely proud of their homeland and maintain its many traditions, including the fabled Cretan hospitality. As a result of its varied nature and past, Crete also boasts one of the most refined variations of Greek cuisine.
Our Exploring Crete tour is the ideal opportunity to experience this fascinating island to the full. You will visit its most important ancient sites, including the famous prehistoric Minoan palaces, but also veer off the beaten track to explore many of Crete’s hidden gems.
To take full advantage of the island’s extraordinary beauty and its unique wealth in spring flowers, our tour of Crete includes a series of easy walks, bringing you into direct contact with its coasts, mountains, gorges and fertile plains, as well as its historical villages and towns.
Our Cretan tour is complemented by excellent meals in carefully selected restaurants and tavernas, as well as wine tastings from regional vineyards. At night, you will be staying in beautiful surroundings, ranging from elegant Venetian palazzos to traditional inns and agriturismos in serene mountain villages.
Heinrich, your tour guide, has spent well over a decade excavating, surveying, researching and travelling around Crete and is a passionate connoisseur not only of its archaeology, but also of its landscapes, people, traditions and products. His in-depth knowledge will be your shortcut to a superb experience of one of Europe’s most celebrated destinations.
If you have never visited Crete, here’s the perfect way to explore this wonderful and fascinating Greek Island; if you have been before, we are sure you will see it afresh and from a completely different perspective – in the company of an archaeologist and fluent Greek speaker who knows the island intimately.
Day 1: Arrival in Iraklio (Heraklion), welcome drinks and dinner in a traditional taverna.
Day 2: Morning visit to the Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s most important exhibits of prehistoric art and artefacts, a magnificent showcase of the Minoan culture. We head out to the Minoan villa and winery of Vathypetro in beautiful surroundings overlooking the fertile centre of the island. After visiting the Minoan royal cemetery outside Archanes, swathed in flowers in springtime, we have the opportunity to taste some of the region’s fine wines.
Day 3: North along the coast to the extensive remains of the Minoan Palace at Malia and its surrounding town, founded over 4000 years ago. We drive up into the Dykti mountains to the celebrated Lasithi Plateau, 1000m above sea level and famous for its white-sailed windmills. In the afternoon we take a panoramic walk to the stupendous Dyktaian cave, a geological wonder, where according to legend Zeus himself was raised. Our village hotel to the east is situated in a picturesque mountain village.
Day 4: Morning drive to the spectacular Zakros Gorge, or Gorge of the Dead, in the romantically wild east of the island. We walk through the gorge to the tiny coastal plain of Kato Zakros, site of a Minoan town and palace which we explore before a refreshing opportunity to swim in the clear Mediterranean. On the way back to our hotel we sample some of the traditional delicacies of the area.
Day 5: We explore the incredibly well-preserved Minoan town of Gournia and the scenic Hellenistic city of Lato boasting wonderful views over the gulf of Mirabello. We visit the Byzantine/Venetian church of Panayia Kera with its famous frescoes and head west through central Crete along the southern flank of Mt.Ida, birthplace of Zeus.
Day 6: A morning visit to the beautifully located Minoan town of Agia Triada, which may have been a summer residence of the Bronze Age rulers of southern Crete. In the afternoon, we explore the Minoan palace at Phaistos, the most beautiful of its kind, in a panoramic setting overlooking the huge Mesara Plain and the snow-topped peaks of Mt. Ida. To conclude our day you have the chance to roll up your sleeves for a class in traditional Cretan cooking.
Day 7: We investigate the island’s Roman capital, Gortyn, with an array of excavated buildings and other largely unexcavated ruins scattered among the olive groves. We continue into the western half of Crete, to the lush Myloi gorge with its many ruined medieval watermills, before descending to the wonderful Venetian city of Rethymno, where we stay in a 16th century palazzo.
Day 8: We explore the highlights of Rethymno: its archaeological museum, Venetian castle and Ottoman mosque. West to Argyroupoli, a typical Cretan village sitting atop the remains of the Roman town of Lappa, set within one of the island’s most bucolic landscapes. In the afternoon, we enjoy a tasting at a local winery and then continue to the famous Venetian town of Chania, with its picturesque harbour.
Day 9: A morning drive to the Akrotiri peninsula to visit the small monastery of Gouverneto. We walk down a magnificently scenic hillside to view the famous ‘Bear Cave’ and its chapel and the remote rocky cove below. At the Agia Triada monastery we stop to see its thriving organic farm and winery. After a seaside lunch, we return to Chania where you have a free afternoon to relax or explore at leisure.
Day 10: A stunning drive along the edge of the White Mountains to Souyia on the south coast. We walk through a rocky gorge across to rarely visited Lissos, one of the loveliest ancient cities in Crete, set in a cove only reachable by foot or boat. On the way back to Chania, we stop by the fascinating botanical gardens of Fournes.
Day 11: From Chania we return to the centre of the island and visit its most famous site, the great palace of Knossos and the surrounding Minoan town. A free afternoon in Iraklio followed by a wonderful farewell dinner.
Day 12: Transfer to Heraklion airport.
Arrival and Departure Information for our Crete tour
Arrival Airport - Crete (Heraklion)
Departure Airport - Crete (Heraklion)
Check in time at our hotel in Heraklion is after 13:00 so we recommend choosing a flight that arrives mid to late afternoon on April 29th. Check out time on May 10th is 11:00. We will arrange local transfers from the airport on April 29th and to the airport on May 10th.
Booking Flights
The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.
If you prefer to book with a travel agent, we are happy to recommend specialists in a number of countries around the world, please contact our office for more details.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a requirement of our booking conditions and we recommend you investigate the options thoroughly to make sure that your trip is properly covered.
Our travel insurance specialist in the US is Julie Gorny, Email: juliannegorny@yahoo.com • Tel: +1 773 972 8849.
Alternatively you might like to look at an online travel insurance company like World Nomads to give you a comparison in terms of price and coverage.
If you would prefer not to take out travel insurance you will need to complete a travel insurance waiver form.
Visas
Citizens of European Union or Schengen Treaty member states need no visa for Greece, those from the United States, Canada and Australia do not need to apply for a visa to visit Greece for trips of less than 90 days duration.
Athens, Crete and the Greek islands
If you are planning to stay in Athens before or after your tour we have included below links to more information and things to see and do. If you intend to add time on Crete or any other Greek island, we are happy to offer information and advice.
Athens Destination Guide
