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Chania Tour: Monastery & Gorge Views
5.0
11 Ratings
Chania Prefecture
Discover Crete’s hidden gems: explore mountains, visit a monastery, and savor a traditional meal. Experience authentic Cretan hospitality on this all-inclusive tour.
Discover Crete’s hidden gems: explore mountains, visit a monastery, and savor a traditional meal. Experience authentic Cretan hospitality on this all-inclusive tour.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Chania Prefecture - Start the day with a visit to one of the region’s historic monasteries, either the Monastery of Metamorfosi or the Monastery of Odigitria, depending on which is open. Both monasteries offer a tranquil atmosphere, traditional architecture, and a glimpse into Crete’s rich religious heritage. Stroll through peaceful courtyards,…
- Chania Prefecture - Start the day with a visit to one of the region’s historic monasteries, either the Monastery of Metamorfosi or the Monastery of Odigitria, depending on which is open. Both monasteries offer a tranquil atmosphere, traditional architecture, and a glimpse into Crete’s rich religious heritage. Stroll through peaceful courtyards, admire ancient icons, and soak in the spiritual ambiance that makes these monasteries significant cultural landmarks.
- Gorges of Theriso - The next destination is the historic village of Therisso, reached by driving through the stunning and majestic Therisso Gorge. There will be several stops along the way to appreciate the natural beauty, the impressive towering cliffs, and perhaps even encounter a few flocks of goats and sheep! Inside the gorge, there will be opportunities to stop for photographs.
- Theriso - At the end of the gorge lies the village of Therisso, crucial to the Cretan revolution. Discover its charming stone square shaded by trees, the beautiful old church, and the monument of “Eleutherios Venizelos.” The village is a popular gastronomic destination for locals and visitors who appreciate high-quality traditional food.
- Zourva - After Therisso, travel through small, picturesque villages to a traditional family-run taverna. As authentic as it gets and surrounded by stunning sea and mountain views, enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the family’s grandmother, using time-honored and very tasty recipes!
- Meskla - On the return journey, stop by the beautiful village of Meskla, which features one of the smallest yet most impressive gorges in Crete. (optional - in this case, the tour starts at 9:00 am)
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Professional English speaking driver
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Refreshments and bottled water throughout the day
- Cretan snacks
- All fees and/or taxes
- Private transportation
- Professional English speaking driver
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Refreshments and bottled water throughout the day
- Cretan snacks
- All fees and/or taxes
Additional Information
This tour is ideal for those eager to experience the true essence of Crete. It begins with a visit to a historic monastery, followed by a stunning drive through Therisso Gorge, where breathtaking mountain vistas await.
Depending on the day, participants will explore either the Monastery of Metamorfosi or the Monastery of Odigitria. Both options provide a…
This tour is ideal for those eager to experience the true essence of Crete. It begins with a visit to a historic monastery, followed by a stunning drive through Therisso Gorge, where breathtaking mountain vistas await.
Depending on the day, participants will explore either the Monastery of Metamorfosi or the Monastery of Odigitria. Both options provide a genuine experience of spiritual peace and showcase unique architecture that highlights Crete’s profound religious and cultural legacy.
The journey continues with a drive through the picturesque Therisso Gorge, where the towering cliffs and verdant scenery form one of Crete’s most remarkable natural spectacles.
There is also an opportunity to enjoy lunch at a traditional, family-operated restaurant nestled in the mountains. (optional)
Regardless of the choice made, this tour promises an unforgettable exploration of Crete’s rich history and stunning natural landscapes.
Location
Chania Prefecture
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
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1 star
116ugniuss
Oct 17, 2024
Had the best guided tour by Maria - definitely takes into account your needs. - It was just amazing having a guided tour by Maria - time was well managed, information was not dry, with some jokes or interesting facts being included. I would definitely repeat it since the monastery and all the other places were breathtaking, so I got familiarized with the important parts/objects of the island pretty well. I highly recommend to have Maria as your tour guide - good portion of humor, information, nice time and care is guaranteed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joanne_m
Sep 5, 2024
Fantastic tour! - I cannot say enough good things about Maria and our tour. She took us to a beautiful monastery where the nuns have built and decorated everything by hand. They are truly artists and artisans. There is a gift shop with exquisite homemade items. Maria supplied delicious homemade snacks, and took us to a local restaurant in a quaint village in the mountains. She is very knowledgeable about her island, and worked well within our hours to show us everything. She also has a great sense of humor.
Review provided by Viator
T3114vssimonp
Aug 31, 2023
Unforgettable and truly amazing - Our tour was unforgettable and truly made our holiday so much more special. We all very much enjoyed the tour up the mountain and visiting the 14th century monastery. Maria was wonderful with our 10 year old son, taking the time and explain everything in a way he could understand. Maria is very knowledgeable with the history of the island and was a kind and friendly host, we especially loved the little Greek pastries and water. My favourite part of the tour was the trek up the mountain and the restaurant was stunning. Our son loved the cave and the animals and we were all taken back by the views. All in all a truly wonderful experience and I would 100% recommended IMable Travel and we also wanted to say a massive thank you to Maria for making it so special.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L8360rlnancyl
Jul 10, 2023
FABULOUS DAY! - Maria is remarkable. This was one of our favorite tours. As soon as I booked Maria was in touch with us to see if we had any needed dietary issues or special accommodations. Maria planned an incredible day for us her knowledge of the history and here caring of her island and family shined through which made the day even more amazing. The visit to the Monastery and the history of how it came to be and the instructed details of the arts will stay with us forever. Visiting gorges and small towns and culminating with one of the most delicious lunch with panoramic views was just some of the highlights. I can’t recommend Maria enough. She is the best. Her mom even made us the most delicious cheese pies as a gift. WOW!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Helenloupes
Feb 1, 2023
Amazing experience!!! Highly Recommended!!!! - We were met by our fantastic driver Maria right outside of our hotel! She had cool bottled water and refreshments available whenever we were back in the car! also she offered us homemade traditional cretan spinach pie!!! They were delicious!
The car was immaculate, clean and plenty of space for 4 of us.
The tour was perfect as you get to see traditional villages, to visit a small museum, to taste honey, to feed goats, to eat in a traditional taverna up to the mountain with stunning view and to tasty traditional food.
The owners of the taverna offered us tsikoudia, a traditional spirit, and they let us feed their donkey! Maria made sure we were having wonderful time!
We really enjoyed tour and would recommend you to book a tour with Maria . We didn't only feel like a real luxury, but also we felt the cretan hospitality! It was like we went on a tour with a friend!
Thank you for the lovely day! we are looking forward to come back again to Crete!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Demizang
Jun 12, 2022
Excellent!! - The route provided by Maria is definitely worth the money. You won't face a lot of tourists but can really enjoy your own journey. Along the way, Maria will introduce us to the little-known history of the island and tell us fascinating mythological stories. Most importantly, she respects your various needs and proposes the best solution, you will not be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sylvia_brightonul
May 19, 2022
Wonderful experience with Maria! - We spent 2 lovely days with Maria. The first day, we visited beautiful landscapes, we met goats, we ate delicious food on a restaurant with amazing view! Also, we visited a local winery and we enjoyed the wine tasting. Maria was lovely and polite! We had a long conversation! She is so well educated with nice humor! She offered us little spinach-cheese pies! So tasty!! I highly recommend that you take at least one tour with Maria!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Molldavis
Apr 16, 2022
A must do excursion! - The most amazing trip with the best driver ever!!! Maria is so knowledgeable and professional and showed us so many amazing things!
We had the chance to visit some of villages of Crete, to explore the authentic Crete away from the city and the crowds and to receive such warm hospitality. We visited an olive oil mill, a museum, a monastery and a tsikoudia distellery- all wonderful.
We were very impressed of the historical & folklore museum, which was in a picturesque village. Also, the monastery had a beautiful yard and a running oil mill! The lunch was in a lovely little taverna run by a very friendly older couple in a little village square. Aand the food was delicious!!!
I highly recommend doing a tour with Maria❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
