CRETE ISLAND TOUR - (4 NIGHTS - 5 DAYS) - 2026
Tour details
DAY 01: ISTANBUL AIRPORT – HERAKLION
Meeting at 09:00 in front of the Aegean Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal. After passport, check-in and baggage procedures, depart for Heraklion at 12:35 with Aegean Air flight A3435. Arrival in Heraklion at 14:05 local time. Transfer to our hotel by our private vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel, room assignment and free time. Today you can benefit from all the hotel facilities and enjoy the sea throughout the day. Overnight at our hotel.
Meeting at 09:00 in front of the Aegean Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal. After passport, check-in and baggage procedures, depart for Heraklion at 12:35 with Aegean Air flight A3435. Arrival in Heraklion at 14:05 local time. Transfer to our hotel by our private vehicle waiting for us at the airport. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel, room assignment and free time. Today you can benefit from all the hotel facilities and enjoy the sea throughout the day. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 02: HERAKLION
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Heraklion City Tour & Knossos & Archanes Village Tour”. After breakfast, we meet our guide and start our tour. We set off for the Heraklion City Tour. After arriving in Heraklion, we begin our tour from Plateia Elefterias and discover Crete’s historical and cultural richness. Agios Titos Church, known as a sacred place bearing the traces of history, the grandeur of Agios Minas Cathedral, and the historical texture of the Ottoman Bon Marche Building will be among the highlights of this tour. These special places we visit are important structures reflecting Crete’s rich cultural fabric. After visiting the Valide Sultan Fountain and the Evkaf Building, which reflect Crete’s historical importance and bear traces of the past, the Venetian Loggia, one of the important structures from Crete’s Venetian period, will present us with Venetian influences as a historical building. Perhaps one of the most impressive moments of this tour will be the Venetian Harbor and shipyards. After the city tour, we will have free time to taste local delicacies and relax. Then we head to the Ancient City of Knossos. This tour is designed for you to discover the ancient and traditional face of Crete. On our tour, we will visit Knossos Palace and the historical Archanes Village. Knossos Palace is a magical structure built in 2000 BC and the capital of the Minoan Kingdom. After our palace visit, we head to Archanes Village. This charming Cretan village is famous for its streets and houses that still preserve the traditional way of life. By experiencing Cretan culture and lifestyle on site, you will better understand the spirit of the island. After free time, we return to our hotel.
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Heraklion City Tour & Knossos & Archanes Village Tour”. After breakfast, we meet our guide and start our tour. We set off for the Heraklion City Tour. After arriving in Heraklion, we begin our tour from Plateia Elefterias and discover Crete’s historical and cultural richness. Agios Titos Church, known as a sacred place bearing the traces of history, the grandeur of Agios Minas Cathedral, and the historical texture of the Ottoman Bon Marche Building will be among the highlights of this tour. These special places we visit are important structures reflecting Crete’s rich cultural fabric. After visiting the Valide Sultan Fountain and the Evkaf Building, which reflect Crete’s historical importance and bear traces of the past, the Venetian Loggia, one of the important structures from Crete’s Venetian period, will present us with Venetian influences as a historical building. Perhaps one of the most impressive moments of this tour will be the Venetian Harbor and shipyards. After the city tour, we will have free time to taste local delicacies and relax. Then we head to the Ancient City of Knossos. This tour is designed for you to discover the ancient and traditional face of Crete. On our tour, we will visit Knossos Palace and the historical Archanes Village. Knossos Palace is a magical structure built in 2000 BC and the capital of the Minoan Kingdom. After our palace visit, we head to Archanes Village. This charming Cretan village is famous for its streets and houses that still preserve the traditional way of life. By experiencing Cretan culture and lifestyle on site, you will better understand the spirit of the island. After free time, we return to our hotel.
DAY 03: HERAKLION
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the "Rethymno & Chania Tour". After breakfast, accompanied by our guides, we will start our tour by heading to Rethymno, where you will witness the enchanting beauty of Crete. Rethymno is like an open-air museum bearing traces of the Venetian and Turkish periods. When you reach Rethymno, one of Crete’s most striking cities, you will travel through streets intertwined with history. During our explorations in Rethymno, the Venetian Castle, Ibrahim Aga Mosque, Venetian Fountain, Nerae Mosque, and the former Ottoman School will be among the places we will see. After our discoveries in Rethymno, we will turn our route to Chania, home to Crete’s unique beauties. As we proceed to Chania via Souda Town, you will enjoy a pleasant journey accompanied by magnificent views. On our Chania city tour, we will explore the Venetian Shipyard, Lighthouse, Hunkar Mosque, Agios Nikolaos Church, and the Kastelli Muslim Quarter. Toward the end of our tour, you will have the opportunity to shop at the Covered Market. Return to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at our hotel.
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the "Rethymno & Chania Tour". After breakfast, accompanied by our guides, we will start our tour by heading to Rethymno, where you will witness the enchanting beauty of Crete. Rethymno is like an open-air museum bearing traces of the Venetian and Turkish periods. When you reach Rethymno, one of Crete’s most striking cities, you will travel through streets intertwined with history. During our explorations in Rethymno, the Venetian Castle, Ibrahim Aga Mosque, Venetian Fountain, Nerae Mosque, and the former Ottoman School will be among the places we will see. After our discoveries in Rethymno, we will turn our route to Chania, home to Crete’s unique beauties. As we proceed to Chania via Souda Town, you will enjoy a pleasant journey accompanied by magnificent views. On our Chania city tour, we will explore the Venetian Shipyard, Lighthouse, Hunkar Mosque, Agios Nikolaos Church, and the Kastelli Muslim Quarter. Toward the end of our tour, you will have the opportunity to shop at the Covered Market. Return to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 04: HERAKLION
After breakfast, we complete our hotel check-out procedures and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Elounda & Spinalonga & Agios Nikolaos Tour". Our tour will begin in the port town of Plaka, where we will board the boat. After our short boat ride, we first visit Spinalonga Island, which houses one of the strongest castles of the Venetian period. We then cross by boat to Elounda and have free time. Afterwards, we see Agios Nikolaos, a charming town also famous for the lake within the town and the many legends about the depth of this lake. We stroll through the pleasant harbor of this old fishing town overlooking Mirabello Bay and visit Voulismeni Lake, also known as the Bottomless Lake. Return to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at our hotel.
After breakfast, we complete our hotel check-out procedures and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Elounda & Spinalonga & Agios Nikolaos Tour". Our tour will begin in the port town of Plaka, where we will board the boat. After our short boat ride, we first visit Spinalonga Island, which houses one of the strongest castles of the Venetian period. We then cross by boat to Elounda and have free time. Afterwards, we see Agios Nikolaos, a charming town also famous for the lake within the town and the many legends about the depth of this lake. We stroll through the pleasant harbor of this old fishing town overlooking Mirabello Bay and visit Voulismeni Lake, also known as the Bottomless Lake. Return to our hotel after the tour. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 05: HERAKLION – ISTANBUL AIRPORT
After breakfast, we complete our hotel check-out procedures and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Jumbo Shopping Tour". We will spend our last day here by going to Jumbo Store, one of the most popular places in Greece, famous for its affordability and offering many options from toys to household goods. Transfer to the airport after the tour. After passport and check-in procedures, depart for Istanbul at 15:25 with Aegean Airlines flight A3434. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 17:00 local time. End of our tour.
After breakfast, we complete our hotel check-out procedures and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the extra tour organized by their guides, the “Jumbo Shopping Tour". We will spend our last day here by going to Jumbo Store, one of the most popular places in Greece, famous for its affordability and offering many options from toys to household goods. Transfer to the airport after the tour. After passport and check-in procedures, depart for Istanbul at 15:25 with Aegean Airlines flight A3434. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 17:00 local time. End of our tour.
What's included
- Economy class airline ticket with Aegean Airlines between Istanbul Airport – Heraklion – Istanbul Airport
- 4 nights bed and breakfast accommodation in the selected hotel category in Crete
- Airport taxes
- Hotel taxes.
- Experienced Turkish-speaking tour leader service (with a minimum participation of 15 people)
- Airport taxes.
- All hotel and airport transfers.
- Mandatory travel insurance (professional liability insurance).
Not included
- Personal expenses and hotel extras.
- All excursions specified as extra tours in the program
- Foreign departure tax (Can be paid to the relevant banks or the treasury desk at the airport).
- Lunch and dinner.
- City taxes charged by hotels.
- Domestic connecting flights.
- Schengen visa fee.
- Travel protection package (including cancellation protection).