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Full Day Trip to Knossos Cave of Zeus Lasithi & Olive Oil Factory
5.0
156 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
- Pickup and drop-off from your hotel, harbor, or designated meeting points
- On-board WiFi
- Private tour pickups: Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda. Shared mini-group: Heraklion region only
- Liability insurance
- Transport by luxury air-conditioned minivan
- Bottled water, coffee
- Private knowledgeable local guide
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
Embark on a Journey of Discovery Through Crete’s Majesty: Knossos, Zeus Cave & Authentic Delights! Our exclusive private or small-group guided tour unveils the essence of Crete’s treasures.
Experience the grandeur of Knossos Palace and the mystique of Zeus Cave, Diktaion Andron. Traverse charming villages, connect with locals, and immerse in the art of olive oil production. Indulge in the finest olive oil, honey, and raki, awakening your senses to Crete’s flavors.
With comfort and luxury, embrace Crete’s uniqueness. Delve into Cretan traditions, absorbing its rich history. Savor authentic local cuisine, a feast for the palate. Above all, immerse in the heartfelt hospitality embodying the true spirit of our island.
Join us on this unforgettable journey where culture, history, and gastronomy intertwine, creating memories that linger long after, defining the essence of Crete’s allure.
- The visit to the cave includes a 15-minute walk uphill plus 150 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
(156 Ratings)
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J6717jgjordanm
Aug 2, 2024
Great Way to Meet Crete - Marinos was wonderful about communication during booking before we even did the tour. He had a lot of interesting things to add as we drove from location to location and gave us appropriate amounts of time at each place for people like us who had never been to Crete before. He brought waters and homemade treats and gave us tips about entrance fees and discounts. He added a lot of local charm that wouldn't have been experienced if we did these things on our own. He said we’d be his family for the day and truly made us feel like it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherry_t
Jul 27, 2024
Best tour on Crete - Our guide, Marinos, was wonderful! He was very knowledgeable about his country and all the mythology that goes with living here! We stopped at several times just to experience everything that was growing alongside the road or to take pictures of the wonderful views! The cave of Zeus was very interesting and Knossos had so much history. We loved the small group as well! Only 6 of us. And our lunch so was so good!
Review provided by Viator
Sherryt992
Jul 26, 2024
Marines was the best host and tour guide! We had an anxious day! - Amazing tour and host! Little extra stops to take pictures and take part in the natural flora! He even brought us homemade treats
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terry_b
Jul 26, 2024
Great company, great guide - Aggeliki, our guide and driver, was fantastic! We had been in contact with the tour operator about modifying the program. They were very accommodating and Aggeliki changed the order even after we met up to meet our needs and desires. Great planning took us west first then back to Knossos at the end. Great planning because it ensured we could use all our time without worrying about getting back to our cruise ship. And great because the Greek museum guards went on strike that morning and all the museum sites were closed until 1:00. The museum guide she arranged was also fantastic in getting us through a packed Knossos site and through the Museum afterwards. And so informative that I’m still processing.
Review provided by Viator
Phillip_s
Jul 25, 2024
Crete - Guide was very personable. Prompt, knowledgeable. Was very enjoyable. Took us to many places. Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
800theresel
Jul 17, 2024
Best tour in a long time - This tour company is absolutely amazing! We came all the way from Chania and they arranged it smoothly for us to get there and home. The tour was very good, a lot of interesting history along the way. We stopped at a traditional greek café as well! The food was the best ever. They took really good care of us. We would highly recommend this tour if you get the opportunity! Thank you for a golden day with you!
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Jennifer_s
Jul 16, 2024
Wonderful, balanced mix! - We were very well taken care of. Everything was well thought through, communicated and arranged. I enjoyed the mixture of formal, big sights with some informal walking the village streets and just enjoying the low key atmosphere too. This tour had a bit of everything! Excellent package and wonderful, caring, knowledgeable guide. Thank you for everything!
Review provided by Viator
Nisha_p
Jul 14, 2024
Highly recommend, wonderful trip and Marias - Our driver and guide for the day were both Maria and they were such wonderful people , our guide Maria was very forth coming and shared a lot of history and stories in detail at every stop , we listened to Cretan music in the car and our guide Maria and driver Maria explained what the songs were about , our driver Maria brought us different home baked Cretan cookies which were really delicious and we were very happy to try them , we tasted two different kinds of Raki , Maria our guide always called our driver Maria ahead of time to turn on the car so we were comfortable and cool when we reached the car , our driver Maria also had cut fruit salad as a little snack for us and enough water for us to drink , they shared lovely family stories and she also had a parting gift for us , local Honey and herbal tea , these little personal touches were simply wonderful, highly recommend doing the tour , taking lovely memories of our day trip with Maria and Maria with our heart full
Review provided by Viator
Helen_w
Jul 13, 2024
Fantastic trip - Really great day, very knowledable guide, Nicolas. he really made the trip by giving us lots of extra information and anecdotes. very relaxed timings meaning you has as much time as you needed. Great lunch stop too !
if you are going to do just 1 trip, consider this one !
Review provided by Viator
Johanne_l
Jul 11, 2024
Its so good, just book it! - The best tour of our trip. The whole experience was amazing. Marinos is a fabulous host. He picked us up on time in a lovely air conditioned van. We had the best company, there were only six of us, a couple and a brother and sister from Australia. I was with my 15 year old son. Marinos encouraged everyone to chat and get to know each other before taking us on a tour of the olive oil factory, a trip up into the mountains to the cave of Zeus and then onto a lovely place for lunch before heading back down to Knossos. Marinos gave us lots of history and information about the area. We even had Greek coffee with a lady in one of the villages and Marinos's wife had baked pastries for everyone on the tour. I can't recommend this highly enough. It was the highlight of our week and I'm so glad we booked. I'd do it again. Thank you Marinos.
Review provided by Viator
