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Knossos Palace and Lassithi Plateau Tour: Explore Minoan Civilisation and Cretan Traditions
3.9
16 Ratings
Knosos
Immerse yourself in the Minoan civilization and Cretan traditions on this full-day tour. Explore Knossos Palace, learn about local customs, and enjoy scenic mountain routes to Lassithi Plateau. Visit revered monasteries and descend into the mythical Diktaion Cave. End the tour with a traditional Cretan meal or a pottery workshop.
Immerse yourself in the Minoan civilization and Cretan traditions on this full-day tour. Explore Knossos Palace, learn about local customs, and enjoy scenic mountain routes to Lassithi Plateau. Visit revered monasteries and descend into the mythical Diktaion Cave. End the tour with a traditional Cretan meal or a pottery workshop.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- The Palace of Knossos - Knossos, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city. Visit the famous Palace of Knossos, where mysterious myths about the Minotaur and the real story are intricately intertwined.
- Lassithi Plateau - Get the experience of traveling on the beautiful mountain routes to…
- The Palace of Knossos - Knossos, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city. Visit the famous Palace of Knossos, where mysterious myths about the Minotaur and the real story are intricately intertwined.
- Lassithi Plateau - Get the experience of traveling on the beautiful mountain routes to the delightful Plateau of Lasithi, a spectacular panoramic plain set high in the mountains in the eastern region of Crete. The Lasithi Plateau stretches 11 km (6.8 mi) in the E-W direction and 6 km (3.7 mi) in the N-S direction. It is approximately 70 km (43 mi) east from Heraklion and lies at an average altitude of 840 m. The plateau is famous for its white-sailed windmills, (more accurately, wind-pumps), made to a local design, that have been used since the early XXth century to irrigate the land.
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Dikteon Cave - Diktaean Cave is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in Lasithi plateau in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete, one of the putative sites of the birth of Zeus. Descend the stairs into the depths of the cave, where you can see fantastic compositions of stalactite figures reflected in the mirror surface of a lake.
Visit of the cave of Zeus requires walking on the sloping path up, about 20 minutes. It may seem difficult for people with sore legs and even very small children - donkeys can be used on this section of the road (10-15 euros). -
Kera Kardiotissa Monastery - The Monastery of Kera Kardiotissa is located 50km southeast of Heraklion, in a wooded area of
North Dikti Range, next to the road leading to the Plateau of Lassithi. This is a historic monastery, after which the nearby settlements of Kera and Ano Kera Kera have been named.
The beautiful stone-built church of the monastery is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary (celebrates on September 8). The present church is built in four phases. Originally there was a single aisled temple that was later expanded with two rooms and a smaller chapel. Typical are the old frescoes of the 14th century, quite damaged by time.
What's Included
- Convenient hotel pick-up
- Comfortable air-conditioned transportation
- Expert tour guidance
- Convenient hotel pick-up
- Comfortable air-conditioned transportation
- Expert tour guidance
What's Not Included
- Single entrance ticket to the Knossos palace - 15 euro (up to 18y.o. free)
- Entrance to Kardiotissa Monastery 2 euro (up to 18 y.o.free)
- Entrance to the Zeus Cave - 6 euro (up to 18 y.o.free).
- Lunch
- Single entrance ticket to the Knossos palace - 15 euro (up to 18y.o. free)
- Entrance to Kardiotissa Monastery 2 euro (up to 18 y.o.free)
- Entrance to the Zeus Cave - 6 euro (up to 18 y.o.free).
- Lunch
Additional Information
Take this one-day tour for an opportunity to explore the marvels of the Minoan civilization while learning about Cretan traditions. Enjoy the picturesque mountain views and end your tour with a visit to an astounding natural site.
• Immerse yourself in the island’s main attractions and uncover fascinating information about the lifestyle of the…
Take this one-day tour for an opportunity to explore the marvels of the Minoan civilization while learning about Cretan traditions. Enjoy the picturesque mountain views and end your tour with a visit to an astounding natural site.
• Immerse yourself in the island’s main attractions and uncover fascinating information about the lifestyle of the inhabitants.
• Discover how enigmatic myths of the Minotaur and the true history are beautifully entwined when you visit the renowned KNOSSOS PALACE.
• Experience a beautiful journey on the mountain routes to the stunning LASSITHI PLATEAU and admire the miraculous icon at “KERA CARDIOTISA - Our Lady of Heart”, one of the most sacred monasteries for the locals.
• Journey to the base of the ceremonial DIKTAION CAVE, where, as per legend, Zeus was born, and appreciate the beauty of the subterranean lake.
To conclude the tour, you will have leisure time to dine at the traditional Cretan tavern or visit a pottery workshop.
- If an infant does not sit on lap in the bus, It is necessary to pay a child ticket.
- Pick-up from the specific bus stops next to the hotels. From Area 1: all the villages between Amudara/Heraklion/Karteros/Amnissos/Kokkini Hani/Gournes/Gouves/Analipsi/Anissaras/Hersonissos/Stalida/Malia/Sissi
- Area 2: Sises/Fodele/Agia Pelagia/Ligaria/Achlada/Mades/Ammoudi/Rodia/Palaiokastro/Pantanassa /Linoperamata/Gazi
- After booking we will contact you to arrange the pick-up. Please, note, if you do not provide your pick-up details up to 24 hours before the tour, we do not guarantee the pick-up. For pick-up from different location, please, contact us.
- Monday: English, German, French
- Tuesday: English, German, French, Russian
- Wednesday: English, German, French
- Thursday: English, German, French
- Friday: English, German, French
- Saturday: English, German, French
Location
The Palace of Knossos
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
3.9
(16 Ratings)
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1 star
James_c
Oct 6, 2024
Highly recommended - We done this trip with Cretan Odyssey on 1st October. Picked up near hotel at 8:15am then after a few more pickups we headed into the Plateau of Lassithi. We started with a brief stop high up in the mountains looking over the Plateau for some stunning views. Also seen and heard the mountain goats crossing nearby with their ringing bells which was so lucky. We then visited a Church and Museum nearby followed by a stop in Lasinthos Eco Park where we could sample some local delicacies and the small Zoo. Then headed into the pretty village of Krasi and the Lyrakis Olive Oil Mill for a demonstration of olive oil production and some lunch. Unfortunately the Zeus Cave was closed for restoration so we couldn't visit this too. Mid afternoon we finished off our trip at Knossos Palace with a full audio tour from our Guide (Nectaris). The site was not too big so easy to see all the ruins and imagine the original construction. The tour overall was fantastic and we fitted in so much. Our Guide's knowledge was superb and so informative. Great value for money.
Review provided by Viator
Grazyna_a
Sep 17, 2024
Very nice trip to the jewels of Krete - Beautiful sites, very good service and an excellent guide. Highly recommend. The places were top attractions.
Review provided by Viator
672carolynv
May 30, 2024
A Must Tour to Add to your itinerary - Thoroughly enjoyed our excursion. The coach is air conditioned and comfortable. The tour guides are knowledgeable… in particular Eleni. Eleni is so interesting to listen to. Her knowledge of Greek history is impressive. She’s funny and caring and made the whole day such a delight. Eleni also went out of her way to assist us in locating our lost phone. She was so helpful and we are so appreciative. This tour is a must if you love history. The lunch we had was some of the best food we’ve enjoyed in Greece so far!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tetarenkaj
May 28, 2023
Excellent tour! - Excellent tour! The guide impressively spoke many languages seamlessly, was very knowledgeable, and was also an incredibly talented singer (he sang opera and his favorite Cretan songs). This tour allows you to see many interesting places on the island but doesn’t feel rushed. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deons2024
Aug 14, 2024
The Wonders of East Crete - I really enjoyed the amount of stuff this tour offered and got to experience a little bit of everything. The plateau is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The Cave of Zeus and Knossos Palace were intriguing, and throughout the trip we got to check out a pottery shop, including an olive oil factory and samples to taste, not to mention a lunch prepared at a local taverna. I did miss the monastery visit at the start unfortunately due to an accident where I was told to wait for another bus I should have been on, but the prompt customer service, and staff making me feel welcome on arrival made a tour that started on a low finish on a high.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jens
May 4, 2024
Worth visiting - Nice excursion destinations.
Knossos is Europe's first culture.
Many restaurants on the plain.
Potteries where you can see production.
Olive oil from the factory.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Loril_k
Oct 3, 2023
Details would be appreciated - Overall you got what was offered from the excursion but BEWARE of a few details left out in the details. One being if you are one of the first stops being picked up as early as 7:45, you can be on the bus or shuffle buses for 2 dehours before your first stop at the monastery. The second detail left out was the cave of Zeus requires the proper footwear and stamina to climb the steep, rocky incline before you even get to the admission gate. Third, the restaurant where you are " guided" to eat lunch, it is a cafeteria disguised as a taverna. The food was good but pricey for such a small town, and the waiter pushy on what to eat and brought bread to the table for which they charged without knowing. Also, some foods not available even though on the menu. Also, the credit card machine just happened not to work. Guide did not give ANY information on the theater as an option to visit while waiting at the plateau. Guide knowledgeable and the knossos experience was good.
Review provided by Viator
Andrewb
Sep 26, 2023
Could be a nice day - In summary, the tour is very interesting and we had a very good guide but the organization and quality of the tiur bus was disappointing.
The details - the first 95 minutes of the day were devoted to picking guests up at various hotels and moving them around to get the right people on the right language tour! There has to be a better way!
Our first bus broke down (these things happen) but the replacement bus was old and had very weak air conditioning so it was hot and stuffy with everyone complaining.
It was a nice day but better organization and a bus with functioning air conditioning would certainly have made it better.
Review provided by Viator
Pascalbd3431wd
Oct 3, 2024
BOF - Quite honestly for 15€ the entrance, there is not much to see...
Some remains of remains and still half reconstructed by a vulgar concrete, no explanation on the site in question is quite disappointing.
In 15 minutes the tour is done, nothing to amaze you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Natecbr
Jul 3, 2024
No to Knossos tour - I made a booking online, received confirmation email, but never got a pick up time for hotel and so the bus was full on the day when I went to confirm pick up time. Operator didn’t apologise for the mistake and was fairly ambivalent about it all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
