Cultural Crete
Experience the bewitching scenery and rich history of Crete on this 8-day holiday. The culture of this Greek island is sure to capture your heart.
Cultural Crete
This is a sample itinerary that can be Tailor-Made for your Group
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Day 1 – Dublin to Crete
Arrival at Chania Airport. Meet your local tour guide and transfer to your hotel. Check-in and overnight at your hotel.
Day 2 – Knossos, local winery & Heraklion
Breakfast at hotel. Depart for the Palace of Knossos, the most famous attraction in Crete. You will journey back 5000 years into the myths and legends of the oldest civilisation in Europe – the Minoan. The palace is a maze of workrooms, living spaces, and store rooms close to a central square where detailed images of Cretan life in the late Bronze Age are visible on the walls. After Knossos visit a local winery and continue to Heraklion, the largest city in Crete. Here you will visit the old Market Street and soak up the atmosphere and buzz of the city. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 – Free day with optional agricultural visit
Breakfast at your hotel. Free day for shopping and sightseeing at your leisure. Option in the morning enjoy a visit to a dairy farm in Archanes village in the Heraklion region. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.
Day 4 – Arkadi, Rethymon, Lake Kournas & dairy farm visit
Breakfast at your hotel. Start today with a visit to the Monastery of Arkadi – a national Cretan shrine. During the rebellion of 1866 against the Turks the monastery was used as a refuge for Cretan insurgents. The defiant defence of this fortress-like monastery during rebellion is legendary and inspirational. You will continue your journey to the old town of Rethymon. The Venetian harbour, combined with the pedestrian streets below, strewn with charming old buildings, makes Rethymnon very photogenic. There numerous shops to buy souvenirs or local products. The old and the modern combine to make this a colourful and buzzing town. Before you return to your hotel you will stop at Lake Kournas – the only freshwater lake in Crete. Kournas village is perched on a hill overlooking the lake. Also visit Maravel Garden in Spili, a beautiful two-acre medicinal herb garden with more than 180 species of herb. Continue to a dairy farm in Anogia village to see how cheese is made. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight in your hotel. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 5 – Free day
Breakfast at your hotel. Free time for shopping and sightseeing at your leisure. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.
Day 6 – Chania, The Orthodox Academy of Crete, Gonia Monastery, St. John’s Cave and the Holy Trinity Monastery
Breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy a tour of Chania with its Venetian walls, narrow streets and Turkish buildings. Continue to the Orthodox Academy of Crete and Gonia Monastery. Today you will also visit St. John’s Cave where it is said that St John took his last breath. Many believe the rock in the cave has healing properties. Finish your tour with a stop at Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery, one of the most impressive monasteries in Crete due to its scale and Venetian architecture. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.
Day 7 – Free day
Breakfast at your hotel. Free time for shopping and sightseeing at your leisure. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.
Day 8 – Departure
Breakfast at your hotel. Free time in Chania before transfer to the Airport for departure. Flight home to Dublin.
- Return Ryanair flights from Dublin to Chania Airport including taxes & charges plus a 15kg checked-in bag
- Professional English speaking tour guides & executive coach transfers
- 7 nights at the 5* Cretan Dream Royal Hotel in Chania with breakfast and dinner included each day
- Full day excursion to visit the Palace of Knossos and a local winery followed by a trip to Heraklion city
- Full day excursion to the Monastery of Arkadi, the old town of Rethymon and Lake Kournas
- Full day excursion to include a city tour of Chania, The Orthodox Academy of Crete, Gonia Monastery, St. John’s Cave and the Holy Trinity Monastery
- Plenty of free time for sightseeing, shopping and relaxing
- Agricultural visits
Booking Remarks
- Price based on 2 sharing including all airport taxes & charges
- Single room supplement €329. If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin room with another group member of the same sex, we will do our best to accommodate this request although it cannot be guaranteed.
- Price includes 1 standard piece of checked-in luggage: 15kg
- Non refundable / non transferable deposit of €250pp required at time of booking
- Balance due 10 weeks before departure
- Optional insurance available from €29pp (terms & conditions apply)
- City taxes may apply, payable locally at your hotel
- Flights, hotels. taxes, prices & itinerary subject to change
- Booking terms & conditions apply
Please note all balances are due 10 weeks before departure.
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