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Knossos Palace and Zeus Cave Exploration: A Day Trip in Crete
5.0
92 Ratings
Knosos
Embark on a journey of discovery through Crete's majestic Knossos Palace and Zeus Cave. Immerse in the art of olive oil production, savor authentic local cuisine, and indulge in the finest flavors of Crete. Join us for an unforgettable day trip!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Knossos Archaeological Site - On this excursion, you’ll visit two of Greece’s most significant landmarks: the Knossos Palace and the Zeus Cave, Diktaion Andron. The tour begins with a visit to the Knossos Palace, the ceremonial and political hub of the Minoan Civilization during the Bronze Age. Here, you’ll explore the magnificent palace built for King Minos, considered the oldest city in Europe.
- Omalia Olive Press - Our journey into Cretan culture starts with an introduction to “liquid gold.” At this traditional, four-generation olive oil production factory, you’ll learn about the history of the olive, the harvesting methods from ancient times to today, and have the chance to taste high-quality olive oil—an experience that will elevate your senses.
- Krasi - The next stop is the village of Krasi, home to the famous plane tree of Krasi, which is over 2000 years old. Here, you’ll have ample time to enjoy a coffee at one of the local tavernas and take unforgettable photos.
- Lassithi Plateau - The tour’s highlight is the Lassithi Plateau, the largest plateau in Crete. After the 1950s, it hosted the world’s first, largest, and most beautiful wind farm with approximately 13,000 windmills. Today, only a few windmills remain operational on this fertile plain surrounded by the imposing Dikti Mountains.
- Dikteon Cave - Here, you can visit the impressive Zeus Cave, the Diktaean Cave, located above the village of Psychro in the Lassithi Plateau at an altitude of 1025m. The route to the cave is magnificent, offering breathtaking views of the Lassithi Plateau. According to mythology, Zeus was born and raised here.
- Mochos - We will conclude our tour in the traditional village of Mochos, where you can mingle with the locals in the village cafes and feel the spirit of Crete. At the end of this tour, you’ll be driven back to your location with wonderful memories and a big smile.
What's Included
- Hotel, harbor, or meeting point pickup and drop-off
- On-board WiFi access
- 24-hour pre-departure refund policy
- Liability insurance included
- Luxury air-conditioned minivan transport with 7-max capacity
- Complimentary bottled water, fruit salad, and coffee
What's Not Included
- Endrance to Zeus Cave 6€ Pensioners above 65 and non EU sitizens from 6 to 25 discount 50%
- Endrance to Knossos 15€ Pensioners above 65 and non EU sitizens from 6-25 discount 50%
- Gratuities ( optional)
- Official Licensed Tourist Guide at Knossos Palace (optional)
- Lunch (optional)
- Pickup from the Rethymno or Chania regions is available upon request with additional cost
Additional Information
This trip takes you to two of Crete’s most impactful landmarks: Knossos Palace and the mythical Zeus Cave, Diktaion Andron. You’ll also explore charming little villages, interact with the inhabitants, gain insights into the process of making olive oil, and sample the finest olive oil, honey, and raki.
Embark on a shared guided journey limited to 7 participants per vehicle, where you’ll comfortably and luxuriously immerse yourself in the spectacular sights of Crete. Acquire knowledge of the customs and history of Crete, savour its traditional cuisine, and indulge in the warmth of Cretan hospitality, which truly represents the soul of our island!
- The visit to the cave includes a 15-minute walk uphill plus 250 steps down into the cave and back again is the same. For visitors who do not want to visit the cave, they can enjoy a coffee at the beginning of the trail enjoying the view of the plateau
Location
Knossos Archaeological Site
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(92 Ratings)
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Catherine_b
May 28, 2024
Wonderful experience - We had such a wonderful day beginning with being met by Aggeliki who was fantastic. She is professional, funny and knowledgeable, both historically and contemporarily. She is one of the best guides we have met. She tailored our day taking into account some early bad weather so we didn’t miss a thing. We highly recommend this experience.
Review provided by Viator
175in
May 25, 2024
A day well spent - Marinos is warm, extremely knowledgeable and welcoming to Crete. There was no question he couldn't answer, and has a ton of insight about the area. We would happily recommend his tour to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cruiser17308464277
May 24, 2024
Must book! Amazing time. - Had an amazing tour to the cave of Zeus and all over the area! Driver was funny, knowledgeable, and very helpful. 10/10 Would recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rodolfothomaz_s
May 20, 2024
Greek tour! - Marinos ia the best tour guide in town. We had really good time. breathtaking views and good food!!! Greek style all the way
Review provided by Viator
Ashleyjm9360iy
May 16, 2024
Fun Tour of Crete and Knossos - This was an amazing tour. Marinos was an excellent guide: friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. The Cave of Zeus was impressive. The olive oil tour was better than I thought it would be. And the Palace of Knossos was amazing.
I would definitely book with Marinos again. He was great and his wife’s cookies were really good.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
943xanderj
May 16, 2024
Absolutely amazing experience - Our guide was Doukiantzakis Marinos and he was the best guide anyone could ask for. We had an absolute blast and the information provided was fantastic. We also stopped at a few other places not even listed on the tour guide which were awesome too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sand
May 15, 2024
Take this tour! - Aaaah Marinos - You did not disappoint! You were just fabulous. Marinos was able to call in a tour guide at Knossos so the 6 of us in this tour decided to split the 120 euros fee for a private guide. She was very good and we would not have learned as much going in on our own. Her tour lasted just over an hour.
All the other stops that Marinos took us to were good.
The Olive oil factory was a little boring but we also did Crete olive oil tour and found this one's products to be a bit pricey.
Marinos is a great guide. Yes, you will receive a special box of cookies lovingly baked by his wife and you are generously offered water throughout the day.
This was the highlight of our 2 day Heraklion stay.
Review provided by Viator
Jessie_y
May 12, 2024
Excellent sites with an excellent guide - The Knossos Palace and Cave of Zeus were both worth seeing. The climb to the cave was steep though and definitely not for those with limited mobility. Being a small group, our schedule was very flexible. The guide was also very friendly and helpful.
Review provided by Viator
Y6506xwleahs
May 10, 2024
Real Crete, real fun - Marinos was great! He was knowledgeable and funny. He accommodated our needs. We got to see some beautiful areas of Crete including old villages. He was prepared with much-needed raincoats. The trip was well-planned and a pleasure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tammy22801
May 10, 2024
10 out of 10 - What an amazing welcome to Crete! Our tour guide, Spiros, shared so much information with us. He is clearly a local and answered all our questions. When a storm came up, he quickly pivoted the plans for the day so we could still have a great experience. He was very gracious and easy to spend the day with. I would recommend 10 out of 10.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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