Discover traditional life in rural Crete by witnessing the daily activities of the locals and visiting the sites where Greek myths were born. Enjoy a tour of Potamies, Aposelemis dam, Empasa, the cave of Zeus, and the beautiful scenery of the plateau. Start with pickup from your accommodation. Visit one of the most characteristic Cretan villages, Potamies, for a tour of a traditional local farm. See the process of milking and cheese-making, meet the animals, and sample their fresh cheese. Next, head to the Aposelemis dam, the largest water supply project in Crete. See the village of Sfendili submerged in the waters of the dam with its impressive old houses fading on the surface of the water. Explore the natural wetlands and spot a unique variety of birds. Continue uphill on the dirt roads to the gorge of Empasa. Enjoy the views of the mountainous landscape and thriving wildlife. Try your hand at foraging for native herbs or relax and take in the panoramic views. Take a trip to Lassithi Plateau to enter Psychro Cave, the fabled birthplace of the Greek God Zeus. Follow the trails of the gods and after that take a tour around the plateau to get a sense of local life. Finally, enjoy authentic food baked in the wood oven in one of the most celebrated taverns in the picturesque village of Krasi. Admire the town square filled with fountains and see imposing plane trees that are up to 2000 years old. Return to your hotel full of unforgettable memories of Crete.

Enjoy some time away from the beaches and explore a different side of Crete on a guided excursion. See the freshwater springs in the small town of Krasi, visit the Kera and Vidiani monasteries, step into the mythical Psychro Cave, and take part in a traditional ceramics workshop. Get picked up from your accommodation in the morning and take a short drive to the traditional village of Krasi. Gaze at the beautiful freshwater springs and the oldest tree on Crete as you take in the countryside scenery. Up next, stop at two local monasteries. See the Monastery of Kera dedicated to the Virgin Mary, near the town of Kera. Move on to Vidiani Monastery, a small male monastery at the foot of Louloudaki Mountain. Uncover the secrets of the mythical birthplace of Zeus, Psychro Cave, decorated with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. Lastly, see how traditional pieces of ceramics are made, before heading over to a typical Cretan tavern with local products and dishes to enjoy lunch at your own expense.

Discover Lasithi Plateau and its important landmarks on a guided day trip from Heraklion, with hotel transfers included. Visit Krasi village, the Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, and the Psychro Cave. Participate in a ceramics workshop and end your day exploring the traditional village of Knossos Palace. After a hotel pickup, head to the traditional mountain village of Krasi known for its quaint central square with stone fountains and an enormous plane tree thought to be 2,400 years old. See intimate tavernas and cafes scattered among the streets, small stone churches, and freshwater springs. Next, explore the Eastern Orthodox Keras Monastery, dedicated to Virgin Mary. Then, visit the Vidiani Monastery located at the foothills of Louloudaki Mountain. Learn how it was built in the 19th century by the monk Methodius Peraki, probably on the ruins of an older monastery. Continue to Psychro Cave, the mythical birth place of Zeus. Admire the ancient Minoan sacred cave and its stalactites and stalagmites. Next up, see how traditional ceramics are made from a local. Afterward, stop at a traditional tavern for lunch. Choose from a variety of local dishes made from local products of the Lassithi plateau, homemade wine, and products from the surrounding mountains. Leaving the beautiful region of Lasithi behind, end the tour at the Historical Site of Knossos, Europe's oldest city. Join a 1-hour guided tour and take photos of this Bronze Age archaeological site. Then, hop back on the bus to return to your hotel.

The first stop is at the historical monastery of Kera Kardiotissa, a monastery inhabited and run by nuns, which is located in an idyllic landscape. Here you can admire the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary, plenty of frescoes and a variety of other icons, dating back to the 14th century. Then, you head to Lasithi Plateau, one of the few areas in the Mediterranean with permanent inhabitants at an altitude over 800 meters. It is surrounded by the Dikti Mountains and 18 quaint villages, which still retain the atmosphere of another era. You can admire the remaining famous windmills and the Venetian ditches, the drainage system of the Plateau. The next stop will be the village of Psychro. You can visit the Dicteon Cave with the fantastic stalactites and stalagmites, where according to the myth God Zeus was born. Psychro is also well known for its handmade ceramics and the workshop there will leave you with the best impressions after your visit. The last stop, Tzermiado, the capital of the villages on the plateau, will amaze you with its natural beauty, its traditional architecture, and its breathtaking views. Here you can take pictures of the wonderful landscape, rest for a while and enjoy your lunch in one of the local taverns.

This tour will take you high into the mountains of the Lassithi Range (or Dikti Range), offering you an abundance of stunning panoramic views. Picking you up from your accommodation at 10:00AM, you will then start your climb up through several very picturesque traditional villages, one of which you shall stop at for a short break to shop or grab coffee. You will next go off road and move on up through the Kroustas Forest to a point approximately 1,000 meters above sea level. From way up there you will be able to see both the Lybian Sea (south coast) and the Aegean Sea (north coast). You will also be able to view the stunning peaks of the snow capped Mount Spathi (2,140 meters above sea level, second highest on the island), whose north face is home of the Psychro Cave, birth place of the Greek god Zeus. The views you will encounter throughout your tour can't be beaten, and there will be plenty of opportunities to stop for photographs. Whilst in the mountains you will be taken to a traditional Greek taverna for a meze lunch with local wine, and at the conclusion of your tour, you will be returned to your point of origin.

Through this route we will explore the central part of Crete climbing to an altitude of 1150 meters We will learn a lot about mythology as well as we will have a lot of information about Crete and local life We will drive through a beautiful route with lush olive groves and we will first reach the aposelemi dam where we can see the sunken village of sfentili Then we will visit the traditional olive mill where we will learn how to produce Cretan olive oil and have the opportunity to buy products pure olive oil. Then we will reach the shepherd's farm and we will have the opportunity to learn how the traditional Cretan cheese is produced. Our next stop is the zeus cave where mythology states that the father of the gods was born there (There is a ticket of 6 euros) After we will enjoy a genuine Cretan meal with traditional cuisine in one of the best local taverns Then we will follow a beautiful dirt route at an altitude of 1150 meters where we will definitely be enchanted by the landscape and the photos we will take from this point will be the best of our vacation. We descend and reach the traditional village of kastamonitsa where we will visit the remains of the roman aqueduct learning about its usefulness for the surrounding areas Finally through a beautiful route with a very nice view we end up at the hotel full of memories This day will be full of surprises and will surely fill you with memories that will accompany you for a lifetime.

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 .

The tour starts, by visiting the Knossos Palace : the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan Civilization during the Bronze Age. There you will explore the stunning palace, built for King Minos and considered the oldest city in Europe and the birthplace of Western Civilization. Leaving Knossos we will head out of town along the scenic coastal road, heading east with destination the traditional olive oil factory. There you will have the chance to learn about the process of harvesting and producing the’’ liquid gold ‘’: olive oil! You will be informed about its beneficial properties and taste its excellent flavor. Then driving between the mountains you will admire the flora and fauna, you will see many olive trees and will visit one of the oldest plane tree in the world, in the village of Krasi. There you will have the opportunity on the paved square to take unforgettable photos and you will taste the traditional “raki” drink next to the natural springs. On the road that leads to the Lasithi Plateau in a green area of Northern Diktis, you will pass through the historic Kera Kardiotissa Monastery. Next destination is Plateau of Lasithi, the largest plateau in Crete, where hosted after the 1950s, the first, largest and most beautiful wind farm in the world with approximately 13000 windmills. Nowadays, unfortunately, only a few windmills remain in operation on the fertile plain surrounded by the imposing Dikti Mountains. There you can visit the impressive cave of Zeus, the Diktaean Cave, witch is located above the village Psychro in Lassithi Plateau at an altitude of 1025m. The route to the cave is magnificent as the view to the Lassithi Plateau is breathtaking. According to the mythology Zeus was born and raised here. We will end up in the traditional village of Mochos where in the village cafes you will mingle with the locals and feel the spirit of Crete. In the end of this tour you will be driven back to your location full of nice memories, and with a big smile!

Come with us on a journey along East Crete reveling in the endless luxuries of the Lassithi Plateau which is basked in allure forests & fertile land dotted with iconic windmills. From the comfort of a luxury chauffeured vehicle at your disposal, our knowledgeable local insider will ensure you experience the best of the whole itinerary. Discover quaint villages, local lifestyle, storied monuments, Byzantine Monasteries & Cretan art. Tuck into a culinary odyssey & savor genuine tastes loved by our legendary forefathers. It’s our job to hook you up with only the most authentic eateries. Amble in the footsteps of gods to the Cave of Zeus. Plunge into the mythical birthplace & sense the sanctity of this ancient site. When in Knossos Palace, luxuriate in the eternal magnificence of the Minoan ruins & frescoes. Succumb to the personalized service of a top history-archaeology guide & let us stimulate you with eclectic information by ensuring a stress-free pace in all archaeological areas.

Embark on a private day trip and leave Heraklion to explore the archeological site of the Palace of Knossos. Learn more about Cretan history at the site, take in the art and architecture, and relax while absorbing the local atmosphere and admiring the local villages. Journey through East Crete and admire the sights of the Lassithi Plateau and its forests and fertile land. Discover quaint villages, learn more about the local lifestyle, and see Cretan art and the remnants of the Byzantine Empire. Tuck in to delicious local food at an eatery recommended by your guide, and enjoy authentic Cretan food while on the tour. Amble in the footsteps of gods to the Cave of Zeus. Plunge into the mythical birthplace of the god Zeus sense the sanctity of this ancient site. Luxuriate in the eternal magnificence of the Minoan ruins and frescoes while in Knossos Palace. Succumb to the personalized service of a top history-archaeology guide and be stimulated by eclectic information and a stress-free pace in all archaeological areas.