Chania: Manousakis Winery Tour with Wine Tasting
This trip runs from Chania to Manousakis winery at Vatolakkos for a guided tour of the facilities and a tasting of five wines, served with Cretan rusks and the winery’s own olive oil. Manousakis is a family producer in the hills south of the city, and the whole thing takes 3 hours including the drive out and back. Uncharted Escapes runs it in small vehicles from €59, with a 4.31 rating across 41 reviews.
What this winery trip actually does
The trip is a drive, a tour and a tasting, with a private table set aside for your group. Three parts make it up.
First is the pick-up and the drive through the countryside to Vatolakkos, with the escort-driver giving commentary on the villages you pass. Second is the guided walk around the winery’s facilities, covering how the wine is actually made rather than just where it is stored. Third is the tasting: five wines at your own table, served with traditional Cretan rusks and the estate’s olive oil.
Departure times are flexible and set to suit the group, and the vehicle carries 5, 7 or 9 depending on the booking.
Places this tour visits
The route runs inland from the coast into the Chania hinterland.
- Manousakis Winery, the destination is Manousakis winery at Vatolakkos, in the hills south of the city.
- Chania, free pick-up covers a 5-kilometre radius of the city centre and the coast out to Kolymbari, so the trip works from most bases among the things to do in Chania.
What’s included and what isn’t
The €59 covers the vehicle, the driver, the winery tour and five wines.
Included:
- Free pick-up and drop-off within 5 km of Chania city centre, and along the coast to Kolymbari
- Vehicle for 5, 7 or 9 passengers with an English-speaking escort-driver
- Winery entrance and guided tour
- Tasting of five wines
- Liability insurance and local taxes
Not included:
- Wine beyond the tasting
- Meals or snacks alongside the tasting
- Gratuities
A minimum of 2 people is needed for the vehicle to run.
Why we recommend this experience
We recommend this as the sensible way to visit a Cretan winery, for the obvious reason: you cannot taste five wines and then drive back down a mountain road. At €59 including transfers from your door, that problem is solved, and reviewers rate the transport a flat 5.0 out of 5, the highest dimension score on the tour.
The drivers are the reason. Reviewers name them individually, Stellios, George, Jon, and describe warm, knowledgeable commentary on the short drive, with one American group’s guide stopping at a couple of churches along the way. A Danish reviewer said their driver told them a lot about Crete on the journey. An Australian guest praised both the driver and the host at the winery itself.
Several reviewers like the format: short, to the point, good wine, relaxed atmosphere.
Now the honest part, and this tour has two reviews at three stars or below in a sample of eight, which is a high proportion.
Value for money scores 3.9 out of 5, the weakest dimension, and a German reviewer rating it two stars said plainly it was not worth it. Their transport and support scored 10 out of 10, the complaint was entirely about the winery end of the experience.
There are no vineyards on the visit. A British reviewer rating it three stars found the tour interesting but very quick, with no actual vineyards to see. That is worth knowing: this is a winery facility tour and a tasting, not a walk through the vines.
Nothing to eat comes with the wine. Meals and snacks are explicitly excluded beyond the rusks and olive oil served with the tasting, so five wines land on a fairly empty stomach unless you eat beforehand.
If you want the vineyards, the same estate is also reached by a private 4×4 tour through the vines with a full meal, at considerably more per head.
CreteLocals insider tips
Eat before you go, book for two or more, and ask the driver for the village commentary.
- Eat a proper lunch first, since five wines arrive with only rusks and olive oil alongside them.
- Book at least two people, because the vehicle requires a minimum of 2 to run.
- Give your hotel name at booking, as the pick-up point sits outside the hotel and an alternative is emailed if the vehicle cannot reach you.
- Ask your driver about the villages, which reviewers consistently name as the unexpected highlight of the trip.
- Carry cash for extra wine, given only the tasting is covered.
- Set expectations on the vineyards, since the visit covers the winery facilities rather than the vines themselves.
What to know before you go
Free pick-up covers a 5-kilometre radius of Chania city centre and the coastline out to Kolymbari. Provide your hotel name at booking; if the vehicle cannot reach your address you are emailed the nearest pick-up point.
Bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a camera and cash. No food, drink or smoking is permitted in the vehicle, and children under 18 cannot consume wine. Timings vary with group size and weather.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Manousakis winery tour?
The trip runs 3 hours in total, including the drive from Chania and back.
How many wines do you taste?
The tasting covers five wines, served with traditional Cretan rusks and the estate’s own olive oil.
Do you see the vineyards?
No, the visit covers the winery facilities rather than the vines. One reviewer specifically noted there were no actual vineyards to see.
Is food included?
Meals and snacks are not included beyond the rusks and olive oil served with the tasting, so eat beforehand.
Where does pickup cover?
Pick-up is free within 5 km of Chania city centre and along the coast to Kolymbari.
How many people are needed?
A minimum of 2 people is required for the vehicle to run.
Check dates and prices for the Manousakis winery tour with wine tasting.
Location
Manousakis Winery Tour with Wine Tasting is located at Manousakis Winery. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
