Best 38 Small group activities on Crete Island

Navigate Marathi and Loutraki’s calm waters on the northwest side of Chania. Get up on your paddle board and follow your guide to breathtaking coastal locations. Admire incredible rock formations, and enjoy the chance to swim in the refreshing crystal-clear water. Suitable for anyone above the age of 15 years old, in this tour we teach the basic paddling techniques, how to turn, stop and stand up until our guests grow confident on their boards, while for the connoisseurs of SUP, we offer tips and tricks to advance their skills! We then start our aquatic adventure within our small, wind-shielded bay, colouring our guests’ time with us, with the most vivid Greek blue. This guided tour takes a route along the scenic waterfront of Marathi Bay, giving you 360° views of imposing rock formations, inviting you to dive into the transparent, bright sea and teach you all about the fascinating yet fragile Mediterranean ecosystem. We often spot sea turtles, and we always see a variety of sea urchins, native as well as invasive fish. In this 2 hours venture, full of surprise elements, you will have ample time to swim, sunbathe, talk, make new friends, take pictures and videos and just relax under the Cretan sun! It is so easy! Let this innovative, fun and playful tour be the highlight of your vacations!

Start your tour with pick up in an air-conditioned Land Rover from your accommodations at 10 AM and head into the Dikti Mountain Range. You’ll pass through several traditional and very picturesque mountain villages. There will be plenty of opportunities to stop for photos or to have a coffee at a real taverna. At the Lassithi Plateau, you might see eagles and vultures, as both nest around this area. Next, you’ll reach the base of Mount Spathi. The Psychro Cave, the birth place of the Greek god Zeus, is located on the north face of Spathi. You’ll walk 15 minutes up the steep hill to the entrance of the cave and from there follow the path down into the spectacular cave.   Next, enjoy a traditional Cretan meze lunch with local wine. After lunch, you’ll continue around the plateau and then descend taking in views of the north coast and the impressive Aposelemis Dam. You will then visit a 2400-year-old plane tree, the oldest on the island, as well as the Selinari Monastery.

Explore three of the most divine and sought-after destinations on Crete with a small group up to 15 people on this full-day shared tour. Enjoy the convenience of pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle fully equipped with Wi-Fi service. Visit the 2 most popular beaches of Greece, Elafonisi and Falasarna, in one day.Start your journey in Elafonisi, a beach with unique, pink sands which pop in contrast to the blue waters. Continue west to Falasarna, a blinding white sandy beach famous for its striking turquoise waters. Then head to the last stop, Vouves, where you’ll visit the oldest olive tree in the world and the Olive Tree Museum.Grab the kids and splash about in the shallow waters of the small, exotic lagoons. In all, you’ll enjoy nearly 5 hours of leisure time swimming and sunbathing by the sea. Listen as your guide tells you about Cretan customs and sample local cuisine from a prepared snack box. Return to your hotel once again in cool comfort in a quality vehicle.

Get an introduction to the best food that Heraklion has to offer by treating your palate to traditional Cretan dishes and exceptional local wines! Go on an unforgettable tasty journey through Heraklion’s local neighbourhoods. After meeting your local guide, start off with a traditional Greek coffee also known as ellinikós kafés. Learn why Greeks love coffee and see it brewed the traditional way in sand and be taught “cup reading”, a centuries-old tradition that reads your future. Enjoy Heraklion’s well-known bougatsa in a family-owned business that has mastered its bougatsa technique since 1922. Consisting of semolina custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo, bougatsa is a must-taste pastry that you shouldn’t miss while being in the city. Continue to a local market where you’ll meet the local vendors and learn about their products. Sample some of the basic elements of Cretan cuisine such as olives, rusks, and cheese. Become a cheese-tasting expert by receiving local hints and learn how to spot the best local cheeses. Taste the island’s famous olive oil and find out why organic Cretan olive oil is one of the best oils in the world. Sit down for a local organic meat dish or if you want to show yourself how brave you are, sample a dish that is loved by most Cretans: fried snails. Move on to your last stop and taste some local Cretan wines in a family-run shop. Keep in mind that winemaking in Crete has a long history that dates back to the Bronze Age. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for more tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay.

Learn about the age-old tradition of wine and olive oil production in Chania, then enjoy a lunch of traditional food and local wine. Discover how an authentic 17th-century mountain settlement has been transformed into an ethical tourist complex. After pickup at your hotel in the Chania region, travel to the traditional village of Spilia and admire stunning views of the surrounding countryside from the cave of Saint John the Hermit. Head toward Ano Vouves village to see the 3,000-5,000-year-old olive tree that still produces fruit. Explore a small typical farm and enjoy a cup of coffee or fresh orange juice. At Anoskeli’s olive mill and winery, sample organic extra virgin olive oil on warm bread with oregano and continue with a tasting of 5 different types of local wine with some authentic snacks from Crete.  Drive along the dirt roads to the amazing Milia Mountain Retreat agro-tourism complex. Step back in time at a retreat where the lack of electricity and the stone homes invite visitors to get back to basics and switch off from the everyday stress of the modern world. Driving back to Chania, marvel at the wild landscapes of the Topolia Gorge.

Start your day of adventure at your first stop of the trip, a local oil mill. Here you will have the opportunity to see how Crete’s famous olive oil is produced on this fascinating and informative outing. Follow on your journey through Crete and make a quick stop at the watersprings of Argyroupolis. These watersprings are responsible for the rich vegetation that surrounds the village, a truly magical and refreshing experience. Your last stop of the tour, lasting roughly 2,5 hours, will give you enough time to enjoy a swim and eat Cretan delicacies at the many taverns that are located around the lake.

Explore the White Mountains area of Crete on a guided Jeep tour. Visit local villages and sample local products. Taste olive oil and 5 different wines, and savor a traditional lunch of Cretan products. After pickup on your hotel, set off on your tour with your local guide, learning basic historical and cultural information as you go. Make your first stop at Ano Vouves village, home to a 3,000-5,000-year-old olive tree. While in Ano Vouves, learn about historical olive oil production in the village, see a typical farm, and enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, or fresh orange juice. Continue to Anoskeli village for your olive oil and wine tastings. At Anoskeli’s olive mill and winery, learn about the wines and olive oils from the sommeliers and olive oil producers. Then, taste 5 wines and extra virgin olive oil with local products like olives, mizithra, and graviera cheeses. Afterward, prepare for a more adventurous drive as your guide takes you on an off-road route. From Sebronas Gorge, approach the Omalos Plateau at 1000 meters of altitude where the shepherds attend to their sheep and goats all year round. Stop for lunch and admire a magnificent view of Samaria Gorge and the highest summit of the White Mountains, Pachnes. Enjoy a lunch consisting of traditional Cretan flavors with seasonal salad, wine or beer, and dessert. After lunch, drive to Chania and take in the spectacular views of the Aegean Sea from up high. Watch the scenery change rapidly out the window as you move from the rocket mountains to the valley of orange, lemon, olive, and avocado trees. The tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel.

This tour gives you the opportunity to explore the real Crete in a small group. We visit an olive oil factory to learn how olive oil is made now with modern machines and how used to be made in the olden days and of course we taste different kind of olive oil and honey. Next stop is at the old village of Krasi where we go for a walk around the village to see the oldest plane tree in Crete which is estimated around 2000 years old then we are off to Lasithii plateau where we learn about the old wind mills that were used in the past to pump the water up for irrigation and the old wind mills that were used for grinding to make flour. Now it’s time to go and {meet Zeus } at his cave , well actually we can’t promise that because last time we visited his birthplace he wasn’t there ( had a day off ) …….. so no promises. Then we drive around Lasithii Plateau through old villages where time seems to have stopped then we visit a family restaurant to enjoy some Cretan traditional food ….and some local house wine….( or local beer…) well let’s be local just for a day or two….. maybe you like it ( maybe you don’t but give it a go …..) After enjoying our lunch and wine ( or local beer) it’s time to hit the road to go back to your hotel where we picked you .

Discover the beauty surrounding Rethymno as you cycle along the coastline. Just before you start the journey uphill, you will make your first stop at the Arsani Monastery. From there you will continue uphill through the olive groves, passing small picturesque villages before making your next stop to the village of Amnatos. There you can admire the mansion of Sanguinazzo, where you will discover above its main door the inscription which states “Initium sapientiae timor Domini”. Your next stop is the Arkadi Monastery, which boasts a rich and prestigious history. You can learn about the resistance of the local people and the heroic acts of the monks, which will help you understand the significant role they played during the Greek revolution against the Ottomans. Following the monastery, you will be spoiled with a selection of traditional dishes in a traditional taverna. Due to the elevated location, you will also have breathtaking panoramic views over Rethymno and the Mediterranean Coast whilst you dine. Following lunch, you’ll ride towards Pigi Village and make a final stop at Adele, before slowly making your way back to your starting point.

This is an alternative tour which lets you see another face of Chania, seen from a non touristic point of view, exploring for about two and half hours neighborhoods such as Agora (Municipal Market), Dikastiria (Court area), Halepa (aristocratic neighbourhood of Chania) and Tabakaria (old tanneries). We will pass by Venizelos House and the Russian Style Church of Agia Magdalini. During this ride you will see the rest of the city which also has its history and beauty. It is a tour which invites you to explore, to enjoy and to look deeply. At the end we will taste traditional pastries and a beer (or soft drink) on the nightfall. Throught the most eco friendly way you will see and live it like a local would. You will need medium level biking skills cause there will be few small uphills during this ride. The ride it takes place in the city traffic and not in a bike lane.