Rethymno and Chania Day Trip: Explore West Crete With Kournas Lake Visit

Discover the western portion of the island on a tour, taking a morning bus journey towards the sophisticated city of Rethymno, then heading to Chania, Crete’s own miniature “Venice”. Wrap up your day-long excursion at the scenic Kournas lake, the only freshwater body of water in Crete.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Rethymnon Old Town - Rethymno is the third biggest town in Crete west of Heraklion on the north coast of Crete. Here monuments of the archaeological, Ottoman, and Venetian eras co-exist. A stroll in the alleys of the old town, a visit to the Turkish minarets and the Venetian fortresses, or a coffee at the magnificent harbor are some of what you can do while you visit.
What's Included
  • Transport by air-conditioned coach or minivan
  • Professional guide included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off service
What's Not Included
  • Food & Drink
Location
Rethymnon Old Town
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.8
(32 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Thomasbv6285qd
Sep 18, 2024
Well organized - The excursion was punctual and well organized. The tour guide Michael is confident in 3 languages. Unfortunately there are always people who do not show up on time for departure which is why we drove back late. On the way home shuttle buses were organized so that not every hotel had to be approached. We would book the trip again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Monica_g
Sep 16, 2024
We could not open the... - We could not open the Viator app at our hotel, not sure why as we already downloaded it as soon as we change the SIM card. Any way, we contacted tour operators on WhatsApp a few times to work it out on pickup location. The agent was very professional, calm, and made arrangements for a different location for us to catch the bus in a timely fashion. I m very appreciative for his support and you can certainly trust the tour operator.
Review provided by Viator
Timothy_g
Sep 6, 2024
A nice way to see the east side of Crete in a day - Chania is charming, Rethymno was quaint, and it was fun pedal boating on Lake Kournas. Essentially is transportation to the various stops with free time at each stop.
Review provided by Viator
Raymond_w
May 17, 2024
Rathymno, Chania Kournas Lake experience - Overall the trip was great. If there is one thing to change, we would think kornad Lake should be skipped. Instead, the tour should allow more time in Chania.
Review provided by Viator
Jarselo
Aug 7, 2023
Great day trip to see different parts of Crete - Perfect if you don’t want guidance at the spots. 1 star missing because of poor air condition in the bus and a bit more time would be good at Chania and Rethymnon to see more of the big cities. The bus rides have very nice scenery so it is worth the time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julie_m
Oct 11, 2023
A good way to see Chania and Rethymno from Heraklion - Rethymno and Chania are beautiful towns/cities with lots of character and charm. The tour made it possible for me to visit them. Kournas Lake is not necessary. Beware! We had a full bus of 40 people, 3 languages and of course you have to find your own way once you get to the places.
Review provided by Viator
Gpants1
Oct 3, 2023
Long trip on an uncomfortable bus to see some nice locations - The locations visited on this bus trip are interesting, but unfortunately the bus interior was run down and very uncomfortable. The bus was half an hour late. Though we arrived early we thought we might have missed it. We were not contacted by Altino Travel about the lateness nor was my email asking if we had missed the bus answered. The guide said traffic was the cause. Fair enough. My seat was broken. When the guide was informed he said it was a very full coach and nothing could be done. I spent the whole trip pushing my seat back into place. Many fixtures were grubby, cracked and worn, less than half the cabin lighting worked. The air conditioning seemed not to be on and the coach was hot and smelly. The guide was impressive explaining the trip in French German and English, but he rattled his spiel off so fast less than half of it was intelligible. A very long trip in uncomfortable circumstances to see some nice locations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Debbie_p
Aug 29, 2023
Not a Fan of this Tour - This tour experience was impacted by the heat, the bus and the time. The air conditioning on the bus was extremely poor. Although passengers requested for the air to be turned up, it did not appear to make a difference on the temperature inside the bus. With just over an hour in two of the locations and a little over two hours in Chania, it felt very rushed. By the time you had to walk to and from the bus, it left little time to enjoy the stops on the tour.
Review provided by Viator
_w7294gx
Apr 25, 2024
wasted day - A non-air-conditioned and stuffy bus. Mainly passenger pick-up stations, three remote travel spots without the ability to enjoy and visit touristic places. Guide having difficulty with the language, confused. A trip not recommended. wasted day .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adventure708290
Oct 3, 2023
Long day in an old bus - A long day with a late pickup in an old bus with broken seats and rubbish from the previous travellers. The air-con was working but not efficient enough for the passengers down the back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor