Heraklion

Family-friendly Activities

Start with pickup from your hotel in the morning. Drive along the beautiful coast of Crete and the southernmost town of Europe, Lerapetra, before reaching Makrigialos, a picturesque village in the South-East of Crete. Here, hop on the boat and start the cruise to Koufonisi. Cruise around the island of Koufonisi, a totally uninhabited island, away from any kind of human activity. The boat sails around the whole island so you can admire the beautiful coastline and caves surrounding it. Make a stop at Koufonisi Bay for 1 hour. Enjoy some time for swimming in crystal clear, turquoise waters. You can then choose to enjoy lunch on board, at an additional cost. The boat then approaches the caves of Koufonisi so you can take photos of the unique scenery. Stop at the beach of Koufonisi for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Umbrellas can be rented on board. Finally, head back on the return leg of your journey to Heraklion.

Explore Crete on a day tour by boat and bus. Discover the town of Agios Nikolaos, cruise through Mirabello Bay, stop for a swim in Kolokytha Bay, and admire the sights of Spinalonga Island, with lunch included. Start with pickup in the morning. First, explore the cosmopolitan town of Agios Nikolaos, the place where the boat sails from, towards the island of Spinalonga. Enjoy a morning walk and have a coffee around its beautiful port and the lake of the town. On Wednesdays, visitors can also enjoy the traditional bazaar as an additional attraction of this town. At midday, set sail on the boat for the cruise portion of the tour. Lunch will be served on the boat. Enjoy the views while crossing the unique Mirabello Bay, the Agios Nikolaos coast, and Elounda. Then the boat will stop at the beautiful bay of Kolokytha where you can swim and dive from the cruise boat into the crystal clear waters. Next, stop on Spinalonga Island, known as "the island of tears." Take a guided tour with professional guides for about 30 minutes and enjoy some free time to admire the views and take photos. Finally, sail back to Agios Nikolaos, where the bus will drop you back at your accommodation. Basic Meal: Grilled chicken Mixed salad with tomatoes and cucumber Feta cheese Slice of bread Vegetarian option: Tortilla with vegetables Mixed salad with tomatoes and cucumber Feta cheese Slice of bread Vegans may receive the same meal as vegetarians, without the option of feta cheese.

Venture into the ocean’s depth with a 1-day admission ticket to the CRETAquarium. One of Europe’s largest aquariums, over 2,000 sea creatures lice the CRETAquarium's 60 diverse habitats. Delve into the caves and crevices of the Mediterranean, where stingrays and rock-like scorpionfish slither about. Pop out into the open ocean, where menacing sharks circle, waiting to be fed. Get up close and personal with jellyfish and schools of vibrant tropical clownfish through shallow, open-topped tanks, which allow a new viewing perspective of well known species.  Above all, gain a new appreciation for the unending diversity of the world’s most mystifying environment. When you’ve had your fill of looking at the ocean’s residents, why not pop in for a dip? The CRETAquarium is, fittingly, right on the beach.

Explore Heraklion city at your own pace using a hop-on hop-off bus. Enjoy a combo ticket good for 48hours and for 2 different bus lines. See famous attractions, visit the beach of Ammoudara and the Knossos archaeological site. Take your chance to see it all with one combo ticket. Discover the Cretan civilization, history, and architecture and learn all about the old and modern city of Heraklion. Enjoy onboard commentary in 8 different languages explaining important details and facts. On the first route, embark on a 12 stop line that tours Heraklion city over one hour. Get off and on when you please and appreciate hours from 830am until 530pm every day. The second route provides a 6 stop line that leads to Ammoudara beach.

Start your day by meeting your guide at the farm, where you will have a relaxed cup of coffee before taking a basic training session to make sure you feel safe and comfortable while riding a horse. Then, hop on your horse to begin your ride out into the mountains. After riding for about an hour, you'll arrive at the top of the Finikia mountains, where you'll stop for a break. Help yourself to a soft drink, or fruit, and take a moment to admire the amazing views and snap a picture or two. In the distance, you can spot the nearby mountain of Archanes, the place where the Greek God Zeus is said to be sleeping. Then get back on your horses and make your way back to the starting point. After riding for another hour, you'll arrive at the stables and then sit down for a delicious traditional Cretan lunch, including homemade wine. After lunch, have a seat out in the garden of the farm, help yourself to some more wine, or enjoy a few more minutes of riding. At about 1:15 PM, you will head back to your hotel or apartment.

Explore Heraklion on an open bus tour with a 48-hour ticket. See city’s famous landmarks and visit the famous beach of Ammoudara. Use the ticket for 2 days and board the bus at various points around the city.  Familiarize yourself with the Cretan civilization, history, and architecture and learn all about the old and modern city of Heraklion in your own language with the commentary on board, available in 8 languages.  Admire the view of the streets and the landmarks from a safe distance, Hop on and off at all the bus stops to visit major attractions such as Knossos Palace, the Archaeological Museum, Ammoudara Beach, the Venetian Port, the Market, and many others.  The 8 bus stops along the route are: • Old port square • Historical Museum of Crete • Knossos Palace • Heraklion Archaeological Museum • Grave of Nikos Kazantzakis • Venetian Walls • Port bus station • Jesus Gate

Take some time and experience the magic of the uninhabited island of Chrissi on a sightseeing cruise. Sail the Lybian Sea, take in your surroundings, and take your time with a short walk on the white-sand beaches, speckled with shells. Enjoy pickup from one of the designated meeting points and embark on a scenic drive to Lerapetra. Once you arrive, discover the southernmost and warmest town in Europe. Depart on a boat for Chrissi Island, and cross the Libyan Sea to this stunning and uninhabited island. Admire the colors of the water and relax on the journey. Once you arrive, take your time to discover the natural landscape, dive from the boat, and swim in the clear and clean waters of the island. Look out at the white sand beaches and view the millions of small shells that litter the beaches. Take the option to purchase lunch onboard the boat, and ask your guide in advance to get a discounted price. Next, enjoy some free time to walk along the beautiful beach road and feel relaxed in a place that isn't inhabited by humans.

Morning Pick up: We will start collecting participants from pick-up points in the morning. Depending on the place of your hotel/apartment the bus drive will differ. Bus Drive: 30 minutes 1st stop: Village of Krasi – 20 minutes This little traditional village with the beautiful freshwater springs and the oldest and biggest tree on Crete, will be our first stop to enjoy the Cretan landscape and the countryside. Bus Drive: 10 minutes 2nd stop: Monastery of Kera – 30 minutes Explore the Monastery dedicated to Virgin Mary that is situated near the village of Kera. Bus Drive: 15 minutes 3rd stop: Vidiani Monastery – 25 minutes A small, male monastery located at the foot of Louloudaki Mountain will be our next stop. Bus Drive: 1 hour 20 minutes 4th stop: Psychro Cave (Cave of Zeus) - 1 hour 10 minutes Explore the mythical birth place of the king of gods Zeus. Admire the unique site decorated with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. Bus Drive: 10 minutes 5th stop: Ceramics Workshop – 45 minutes Our participants will enjoy a professional workshop to see how traditional ceramics are made and why not try to create their own! Bus Drive: 10 minutes 6th stop: Traditional Tavern for lunch There will be a big variety of local dishes made from local products of the Lasithi plateau, homemade wine and products from the surrounding mountains. (The meal is not included.) End of the tour – Arrival at resorts: Embarkation in the buses and drive back to the hotels where we gathered participants in the morning. Depending on traffic and on the pick-up places of each one, the time of journey back to the hotel will differ.

Take a trip to the Cretan Mountains as you ride a horse along the paths and hilltops of the mountains. Admire the panoramic view of Giouhtas mountain and Agios Silas village. Start your day by meeting your guide at the farm. Take a basic training session to make sure you feel safe and comfortable while riding a horse. Then, hop on your horse to begin your ride out into the mountains. Stretch your legs with a short break made during the trip with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape of the mountains. Refresh yourself with a glass of orange juice and take amazing pictures with the beautiful scenery. Feel the fresh Mediterranean breeze at the top of the mountain.

This is the ideal diving course for those who want to try scuba diving but do not have a diving certificate. Enjoy a pre-dive lesson and always be accompanied by a certified instructor. Begin your day with the basic theory on diving and the skills necessary to do so. You will then move on to real-life diving under the supervision of a certified instructor. During the dive, you will have the opportunity to explore the bottom of the sea in Agia Pelagia, learn the basic commands, and get the chance to observe up-close the fish and sea creatures living near the seabed.