Crete Private Tours

PRIVATE TOURS 1-12 pax from EAST SIDE

(Heraklion – Elounda)

Kritsa village, Agios Nikolaos & Bio Aroma

 

Today you will explore some genuine Cretan traditions, tastes and one of the  most known Cretan villages!

Kritsa is one of the most picturesque villages in Crete, built amphitheatrically on a rock hill. In Kritsa people keep the old Cretan customs and the traditions and the village is  considered one of the most important centers of the Cretan folk and weaving art.

Enjoy  a tasteful degustation with some Cretan specialties prepared by the local women (watch preparation during demonstration) before you will have free time to walk through the village, to visit its traditional shops with hand crafts and feel its pulse…

The tour continues with a visit of Agios Nikolaos also called the “St. Tropez” of Crete!

Agios Nikolaos is an international and cosmopolitan resort that welcomes thousands of visitors annually.
There are also many examples of woven goods and Byzantine icons. The lake is its most charming feature. Legend suggests that Athena and Artemis bathed in its waters. This lake is connected to the sea by a straight channel, while its natural surroundings of red rock and trees attract the visitor magnetically. In the many stores the visitor can find a wide selection of traditional Cretan artwork, copies of pieces from different archaeological museums, jewelry, and embroidery.

Crete is a botanical paradise. Studies reveal that it has one of the richest ecosystems of Europe. Because of the suitable climatic conditions and the quality of ground it produces a large number of pharmaceutical and aromatic plants from which many are endemic, that is to say that exist only in Crete.

4.500 years ago, the Minoans of ancient Crete were the first people in all over the world that used to collect various herbs and make aromatic oils and herbal creams for their kings and queens. BioAroma, the first and unique Park- Museum-Distillery of Cretan herbs in the country, continues that long term Minoan tradition and as a newly-founded production unit of essential oils and handmade herbal cosmetics.

Here they have created also a very interesting museum of Cretan herbs and herbal products and a unique herbal garden with 40 different Cretan pharmaceutical and aromatic plants.

The visit includes:

  • A tour at BioAroma (~1 / 1 ½ hour) with: Guests’ welcome
  • Tour in the distillationunit and handmade herbal cosmetics laboratories. Tour in our herbal garden, Video watch/PowerPoint presentation, tour in the museum of Cretan herbs, tour in the small folklore museum
  • Demonstration of olive oil soap making with herbs Clients will take their olive oil soap with them

Rates:

Package 01-12 pax: Private EN speaking guide & vehicle 7 hrs

Package Rate: 650,00 €

Degustation: 8,00 € p.p.

Activity Bio Aroma (if visit only – f.o.c):  6,00 € p.p.

Lunch during tour: From 18,00 – 24,00 € p.p.

 

LASSITHI – MONASTERY KERA & LASSINTHOS ECO PARK

 

The Lassithi Plateau is one of the highpoints of Crete, both in altitude and atmosphere, therefore it is unique: a green carpet hemmed in on all sides by the Díktean Mountains, snow-capped into April and irrigated in summer by windmills. During the centuries the plain was irrigated by white – sailed windmills and even though only few are in use today, it still makes a splendid sight against the mountains.

Drive along the marvelous route to Mountain Dikti to the Lassithi Plateau. At an altitude of 800 m. enjoy the  spectacular view over the plain, the windmills and the mountain Dikti arising nearby.

The tour continues to the village of Psychro passing  by  the small villages of the plain. Visit the birthplace of Zeus – the Diktean Cave. This Minoan cult cave has been identified by many archaeologists as the place Zeus was born and it is also one of the most beautiful and impressive of the 3.400 caves in Crete.

Just beyond this area is the Monastery Kera Kardiotissa, famous for its miraculous icon of Mary the Virgin and the beautiful frescoes.

Continuing from there you will reach Lasinthos Eco Park.

Enjoy a tour on Cretes biggest Eco Farm and through its workshops where you can watch wood carving, Raki distillation, Honey production and standardization, wax work and ceramic art (1 demonstration has to be chosen) and taste some traditional Cretan plates during lunch (including drinks: open house wine and water).

Rates:

Package 01-12 pax:  Private EN speaking guide & vehicle -8-9 hrs

Rate: 740,00 €

Kera Monastery: 4,00 € p.p.

Psychro Cave: 6,00 € p.p.

Demonstration Lassinthos (if visit only – f.o.c): 8,00 € p.p.

Lunch during tour: From 16,00 – 20,00 € p.p.

 

Nature & Taste of Crete

 

Begin your day departing from your hotel towards the west of the island to the village of Myrtia.

Start with your walk through one of the most beautiful small gorges of the island – the Kounaviano Gorge (easy to walk).

The Kounaviano gorge has two legs. The one begins from Kounavous and the other at Varvarous (Myrtia) and they are joining in the Astrakiano gorge. The Kounaviano gorge has a total length of 5 km and due to its dense low vegetation and the morphology of ground it is an exceptionally beautiful path (one of the greenest gorges of the island). There still exist three old watermills in the gorge.

Enjoy your 2 hour walk through this unique landscape before continuing to a traditional winery nearby Melesses where you will taste Organic Cretan wines! The tour includes visit to the wine cellar and production area, video of wine-making in Crete, taste of 2 Organic wines of the Paterianakis estate, accompanied by Cretan cheese and rusks.

Melesses is a traditional Cretan village, situated twenty kilometers far from Heraklion, near the Minoan palace of Knossos. Since the ancient years the habitants of Melesses were growing their vineyards producing the specific Cretan wine, well known till the end of the known ancient world and basic element of the economic strength of king Minoas.

The biological culture which was selected by this winery, without using any chemical substances, behaves with total respect to the environment and allows to indicate the special characteristics from the vineyard and the microclimate.

Enjoy your tour through the winery which has won several awards in national and international wine fares and get to know Crete from another side.

Rate:

Package 01-12 pax: Private EN speaking escort & vehicle – 4-5 hrs

Rate: 620,00 €

Wine Tasting: 9,00 € p.p.

Lunch during tour: From 18,00 – 21,00 € p.p.

 

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