The 15 Best Tours on Crete

From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa

/ August 4, 2026

1.From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6,755 reviews · 7 hours · from $47Our pick

Sail from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa, with swims, a Venetian fortress hike, and big-views day-trip comfort on a 7-hour cruise.

“A very good day for the cost of the trip! There is no doubt this is a very crowded activity. The boat was large and filled with hundreds of people. I suppose that is what keeps the cost low. That said, the staff was friendly, it was very well organized, we had enough time to explore both Balos and Gramvousa and the ship had good amenities and ok food. Itinerary was about 1 hour to get to Balos, close to 3 hours at Balos, 15-20 minutes to get to Gramvousa, then close to 2 hours in Gramvousa and a final hour to go back to Kissamos. I recommend sitting outside…”

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1-Day Tours, Agios Nikolaos Day Trips, Spinalonga Island Boat Trips, Tour Reviews

Crete: Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

/ August 4, 2026

2.Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,416 reviews · 8 - 11 hours · from $44

Crete day trip to Agios Nikolaos and Elounda, plus a boat visit to Spinalonga. Guided history, lake views, and a sea swim stop.

“everything was superb can not fault thanks very much”

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Full-Day, Gorge Hiking Tours, Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Samaria Gorge Hiking Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Chania: Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

/ August 4, 2026

3.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,191 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $41

A full-day guided hike through Samaria Gorge from Chania, with White Mountains scenery, Agia Roumeli beach time, and a ferry ride back.

“The guide was very thorough in explaining the descent into and hike across the gorge, she made sure we understood how difficult it could be. The gorge was gorgeous! For me the hike was quite difficult, but I enjoyed it a lot and pushed myself to make the times indicated. The hours of rest in Agia Roumeli and the boat trip made for a relaxing end of the day”

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Agios Nikolaos Day Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Spinalonga Island Boat Trips, Tour Reviews

Agios Nikolaos: Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

/ August 4, 2026

4.Boat Trip to Spinalonga with Swim Stop

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,031 reviews · 4h 30m · from $29

Cruise Mirabello Bay to Spinalonga, swim at Kolokitha, then explore the Venetian fortress with a live guide and drinks onboard.

“Love this trip! Can't fault it, was good value and staff were fantastic on board 😀”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Boat Trips, Sailing, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal

/ August 4, 2026

5.Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,579 reviews · 5.5 hours · from $95

Small-group sail from Heraklion to Dia Island with snorkeling, paddleboarding, and a Mediterranean meal plus unlimited wine, beer, and drinks.

“It was amazing experience. Definitely a highlight of my vacation. Mariana and Manos was fun and helpful. Good food and beautiful views.”

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Audio Tours, Guided, Palace of Knossos Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Crete: Knossos Palace Entry Ticket with Optional Audio Guide

/ August 4, 2026

6.Knossos Palace Entry Ticket with Optional Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 2,251 reviews · 1 day · from $30

Prebook a Knossos time-slot e-ticket to skip lines, explore Minoan rooms at your pace, and optionally add self-guided audio in Crete.

“You get a lot of informations about ancient life and the culture”

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Tickets, Tour Reviews

Heraklion Area: CRETAquarium Admission Ticket

/ August 4, 2026

7.Heraklion Area: CRETAquarium Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,055 reviews · 1 day · from $9Best value

CRETAquarium in Heraklion, Crete, packs 60 habitats and 1,200+ marine species into a 1-hour visit for about $9.

“it was a little busy but that cannot be helped in peak season”

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1-Day Tours, Elafonisi Beach Day Trips, Tour Reviews

From Chania: Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

/ August 4, 2026

8.Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,014 reviews · 450 minutes - 12 hours · from $38

Day trip from Chania to Elafonisi pink sand beach with hotel pickup, an English guide, Topolia Gorge views, and about 4 hours to swim.

“I thought that everything was well timed for each of the stops. The information that was given was good. The bus ride was comfortable. The pick ups and drop offs were on time and the overall trip was everything that was advertised.”

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Balos Lagoon Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Chania/Rethymno: Balos & Gramvousa With Pickup & Boat Ticket

/ August 4, 2026

9.Balos & Gramvousa With Pickup & Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,703 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $50

Full-day boat trip from Chania to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island, with hotel pickup, cruise, swimming, snorkeling, and castle views.

“Fantastic day! Well worth visiting both destinations and the boat trip is enjoyable. There are good food and drink options on the boat as well. Would highly recommend!”

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1-Day Tours, Kournas Lake Trips, Tour Reviews

Crete: Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

/ August 4, 2026

10.Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,694 reviews · 10 - 14 hours · from $45

West Crete in one long day: Rethimno old town, Chania’s harbor and minarets, plus Kournas Lake with freshwater views.

“The trip was very well organised from the moment we were picked up at the agreed meeting point, only a short distance from our flat. Our guide, Michael, gave us lots of relevant information about the places we visited. We were given clear instructions about meeting times, etc... and we had sufficient time to explore Rethymno and Chania. This was a good taster day and we shall certainly be returning to those places to explore further. I felt the time allocated to the lake was slightly too long but that's because we didn't want to use the pedalos. I would definitely recommend this day trip.”

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Full-Day, Gorge Hiking Tours, Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Samaria Gorge Hiking Tours, Tour Reviews

From Rethymno: Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide

/ August 4, 2026

11.Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,610 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $37

A full-day hike from Rethymno into Samaria Gorge, guided in 3 languages, then ferry back from Agia Roumeli with time to swim.

“I don't think you could do it cheaper unless you're prepared to hike back up the 16km after a 4ish hour descend (which I wouldn't advise!) Incredible day and very smooth transport/organisation. Thank you so much! I have certainly recommended to everyone I know!”

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Audio Tours, Guided, Palace of Knossos Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Crete: Palace of Knossos E-Ticket and Audio Guide

/ August 4, 2026

12.Palace of Knossos E-Ticket and Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 1,540 reviews · 1 - 5 hours · from $34

Pre-booked Knossos entry with phone audio in your ear, plus optional Heraklion and Phaistos add-ons, for a self-paced visit.

“Easy to use app, interesting stories for the site. I totally recommend it!!”

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Cycling Tours, Half-Day, Quad Bike Safaris, Safari, Tour Reviews

From Rethymno: Half-Day Quad Bike Safari

/ August 4, 2026

13.Half-Day Quad Bike Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,444 reviews · 4 hours · from $70

Quad Bike safari from Rethymno: off-road in Maroulas, shallow-water crossings, mountain views, coffee breaks, Prassies snacks.

“A great experience and a good way to see some of the countryside. Felt totally safe with our guides. You will get dusty so would recommend wearing clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. You will also need a shower directly afterwards, well we did anyway. Highly recommended.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Dia Island Boat Trips, Lunch Experiences, Sailing, Tour Reviews

Heraklion: Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

/ August 4, 2026

14.Sailboat Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,405 reviews · 1 hour - 390 minutes · from $35

Cruise Heraklion waters to Dia Island on a luxury yacht with snorkeling, unlimited drinks, and lunch, plus options for private or a shorter sail.

“A memory for a lifetime. the staff were super professional and accommodating. the sailing was smooth and beautiful and the sea was Cristal clear and just the right temperature.”

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