Best 55 Walking activities on Crete Island

Take a day trip from Rethymno to set out on an outdoor adventure into Samaria Gorge National Park. Hike at your own pace with a guide over rocks and stones, through a forest of thousand-year-old trees, along a river, and by fresh-water springs. Keep an eye out for mountain goats roaming in the wild. Begin your full-day excursion to Samaria Gorge with pickup and a drive to Omalos, in the heart of the White Mountains, where you can enjoy breakfast before you start the hike. Challenge yourself with 18 kilometers of walking over rocky terrain. Be accompanied by a mountain escort who speaks English, German, and French. Get briefed about your hike and get your tickets for the entrance and ferry boat from your escort. These fees have to be paid to the guide upon arrival. After breakfast, enter the Samaria Gorge. Walk at your own pace as your guide will be at the end of the group to help out if you need them. At the end of the trek, visit the village of Agia Roumeli, where you’ll find a number of taverns, bars, and shops. Enjoy some free time to take a swim or have some lunch. A meeting point will be arranged so you can collect your ferry tickets from your guide. Late in the afternoon, board a boat to go from Agia Roumeli to Sfakia, where the bus will be waiting to transfer you back to the pickup point.

Join a guided tour of Knossos, a complex of more than 1500 interlocking rooms, once an astonishing palace built for a mighty king of the Bronze Age. Knossos is considered Europe’s oldest city. As you wander through the labyrinthine ruins, get the chance to see the original throne of ‘’Minos”, the mystifying sanctuaries, the luxurious domestic quarters of the royal family, Crete’s treasures pantries, and the water-management systems. The first palace of Knossos was erected soon after 2000 BC. In 1700 BC, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed the Palace. A new palace was built immediately, the most monumental of all, and for over 300 years it represented the pre-eminent center of power in Bronze Age Crete. The new palace was an imposing complex with important architectural innovations, splendid frescoes adorning the walls, hundreds of rooms distributed in four storeys, impressive storage areas, specialized workshops, and spacious courts hosting ceremonies and feasts. Learn how during the last decades of the 14th century BC, a series of earthquakes led to the final destruction of the palace.

Explore the famous Samaria Gorge on a trip along the northern coastline of Crete and through the White Mountains up to the Omalos Plateau. Samaria Gorge became a National Park in 1962 and today, it is the last natural refuge for the Cretan goat species known as Kri-Kri. Depart early in the morning and board a coach which will pick you up from your hotel. After a comfortable drive, arrive at the plateau of Omalos for a small break before heading to the entrance of the gorge. The start of the hiking trail through the gorge is at a height of 1200m. On the route, pass by rich vegetation and through the tall rock walls known as the “Iron Gates”. Fill up your water bottle at one of the springs in the gorge. At the end of the 17km walk, reach the Libyan Sea. There, at the beach of Ayia Roumeli, enjoy a refreshing swim or sit at one of the taverns until a ferry takes the group to Chora Sfakion where the bus will be waiting for you to return you back to your hotel.

Discover Chania’s Old Town on a private or shared group guided tour with a local. Learn about local history, and taste delicious Cretan street food as you explore. Meet your guide in Chania’s bustling market, then set off into the historic Old Town. Unravel the history of Chania as you stroll around the streets and admire the impressively well-preserved architecture. Stroll along the cobbled narrow paths of the city, and learn about Chania’s Venetian past, renaissance heritage, and Ottoman influences. Pass by famous landmarks and soak up the charming atmosphere as you mingle with the locals. As you explore, discover the flavors of Cretan cuisine, stop at colorful food shops and taverns, selling wine, olive-oil, cheese, herbs, spices, and more, and enjoy street food samples along the way.  

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.

Make the most of your time in Chania and discover the wonders of the Old City on this Segway tour through the Kasteli and Splantzia districts. Meet your friendly guide at the local partner’s office and get kitted out with the necessary Segway gear then set out onto the charming streets of Chania where adventure awaits. Head into the Eastern part of Chania’s Old City and discover the remainders of the Ottoman rule as you explore the Turkish neighborhoods here. Glide along traditional cobble streets and narrow alleyways while learning about the fascinating history of the districts throughout the ages. Along the way, see the most iconic sights and landmarks, including the impressive Venetian walls and Koum Kapi.

Find what makes Crete’s cultural capital so marvelous. Explore some of the Old Town’s best sights, while discovering the lesser-known Ottoman and Jewish quarters. Get ready to experience Chania with all your senses! Begin at the Dimotiki Agora (Municipal Market), which denotes the old and new town boundary. Sample local delicacies while exploring the market and find out why Crete is home to one of the healthiest diets in the world. After fulfilling your taste buds, stroll around the old town district by passing through its maze of hidden back streets and narrow laneways, visiting Venetian and Ottoman monuments, and discovering doors to secret gardens. Hear stories, myths, and legends about kings, sailors, merchants, heroes, lovers, and artists. Figure out how this city has been a crossroad between the West and East for centuries. Next, you’ll have the unique chance to see local craftsmen producing their handmade products. Hear their stories, and possibly test your skills. Meander through the old Jewish and Ottoman neighborhoods and learn how multiculturalism has changed locals’ life through the centuries. Finally, after walking along the historic harbors’ promenade, relax your muscles in a local-favorite spot where you’ll enjoy an enticing table with Cretan Mezedes (local tapas). End the tour here and continue your own exploration through the city or head back to the starting point. Before parting ways, don’t forget to ask your local guide for more hints and tips on how to get the best of your trip in Chania.

Explore the Labyrinth and Palace of Knossos. Skip the long ticket line upon arrival and you meet your own exclusive guide. This site is home to: the Minotaur, the oldest throne in Europe, elegant wall paintings that inspired art Nuevo works centuries later, huge clay earns, advanced draining systems, and quarters sunk into the earth. Together you will see the oldest civilization unfold before your eyes and you will be able to get the best out of your visit to this magnificent structure. Knossos, a complex of more than 1500 interlocking rooms, was an astonishing palace, built for a mighty king of the Bronze Age. As you wander through the labyrinthine ruins, you will have the chance to see the original throne of Minos, the mystifying sanctuaries, the luxurious domestic quarters of the royal family, that were, once upon a time, bursting with Crete’s treasures. Knossos is considered Europe’s oldest city. The first palace of Knossos was erected soon after 2000 BC. In 1700 BC, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed the Palace. A new palace was then immediately built and for more than 300 years it represented the pre-eminent center of power in Bronze Age Crete. The new palace was an imposing complex with important architectural innovations, splendid frescoes adorning the walls, hundreds of rooms distributed across four storeys, impressive storage areas, specialized workshops, and spacious courts hosting ceremonies and feasts.

Let us introduce you to authentic Crete and our local traditions and customs by experiencing Chania like a local. Follow us on this late afternoon sunset tour through the old medieval town of Chania and the old port and discover all the hidden gems the city has to offer! Begin your amazing tour by meeting your local guide in front of the Municipal Market, the locals’ main meeting point for hanging out. Being built more than a century ago, the also-known as Dimotiki Agora was established to celebrate Crete’s unification with Greece. Through the windy cobblestone back streets, you’ll explore the lesser-known parts of the Venetial Old Port while hearing tales and myths about unique old buildings, famous locals, and rebellions, and keep in mind that although these stories sound like fiction, they are so real! On your way, we’ll show you funky, alternative bars where you can hang out later, and visit favourite-local stores such as a cooperative that is dedicated to the preservation of locally produced crafts and edibles and supports local producers and artisans directly. Then, you’ll head to a perfect vantage point from where you can enjoy the most captivating sunset with the old port in the foreground. Watch the sun slowly make its descent and post some of your once-in-life Instagram stories from here! As you capture the last rays of light, we’ll roam through Chania’s labyrinth streets to a secret garden of a historic building for a local wine and food appreciation feast. Participate in an exclusive wine tasting session of exceptional local wines with international awards, presented by a qualified sommelier, while pairing it with a three-course organic gourmet dinner. Here is the right place to learn everything about the Cretan wine varieties, and the Cretan cuisine, one of the healthiest worldwide. For sweet lovers, you’ll be glad to know that after the wine tasting there is something more sinful on this tour: ice cream! We’ll introduce you to the most delicious ice cream ever, made from fresh local sheep milk, nuts, fruits, and other ingredients. Your Chania by night tour wouldn’t be completed without drinking a nightcap in a local-favorite venue by sipping plenty of “raki” shots, our local spirit based on grapes, and mingling with locals. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for more hints and tips on how to get the best out of your trip to Crete.

Vist areas such as the Old city, Venetian Harbor, Nea Chora, Kum Kapi and Splantzia on this tour. Arrive at the office 15-20 minutes before your tour begins to be geared up with headsets and helmets, followed by a brief safety training from your tour leader and practice driving a Segway before you go, so that you can feel safe and relaxed. Then it’s time to enjoy your tour and have fun! Discover all the historical information about the monuments we visit on the way in your chosen language. Enjoy having a personal guide that will take you around the Old City, showing you its secrets and providing you with insider tips. In the days that follow your tour you will receive a link to download your tour photos. The tour ends back at the office.