Heraklion Tour: Explore Minoan Civilization

Explore the captivating city of Heraklion, Crete’s capital, on a historical tour that includes a visit to the legendary Knossos Palace and the bustling Old Market. Uncover the secrets of Minoan civilization and immerse yourself in the rich history of this vibrant Mediterranean city.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Heraklion - We will start collecting participants from pick-up points in the morning.
    Depending on the place of your hotel/apartment the bus ride will differ.
  • The Palace of Knossos - Knossos, the mythical labyrinth and ancient capital of Minoan Crete, 5000years ago.
    Our participants will enter the Archaeological Site with our Representative…
What's Included
  • Liability Insurance Coverage by ALLIANZ for our tour participants
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Professional Driver
  • Tour Guide
  • All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
  • Entrance in Knossos Palace: 20€
  • Entrance in Museum (optional): 15€
  • Snacks
Additional Information

Heraklion, the heart of Crete and a city buzzing with life and history, is one of the most interesting cities in the Mediterranean area. It boasts of several historical markers worth exploring. One such place is Knossos, the legendary labyrinth and the primeval capital of Minoan Crete, dating back 5000 years. Embark on this tour to explore the city’s core and the Palace of the Minoan Civilization.

Location
Heraklion
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(43 Ratings)
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Mark_e
Oct 19, 2024
Value for money - Great tour with a good and knowledgable guide. If you want to learn some interesting facts about Crete and its origins then this tour is for you.
Review provided by Viator
Elke
Oct 13, 2024
The essentials on a tour - Everything is possible, very well organized also with transfer, very good guide and great also the possibility to decide whether to go shopping in between. Meeting place for organized. Bilingual German/Italian super worked, great timing
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luiza_f
Oct 4, 2024
Both sites were very... - Both sites were very interesting to visit and discover, especially Knossos. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide who was also attentive to the people in our group, spoke clearly and made the experience very positive.
Review provided by Viator
Tiffany29
Jun 20, 2025
A Must See - Lovely to have an air conditioned coach for the trip as it was a very hot day. Being "the" place to go on the island the site is, of course, very busy and there are queues to view some of the sites. Being part of a large group (over fifty) was a bit of a problem in that you were often way at the back and not viewing what was being described. The earpieces were an excellent idea. I would say if you are going to take this trip that taking a bottle of water along and a sun hat or parasol are a most as the area is very exposed and there is little shade. Definitely a "must see" if you visit Crete. Guide very informative but walked very fast - given that there are plenty of trip hazards I would say a little less information and a more measured issue of information might have been better. Glad we visited but would say definitely not a trip for anyone with mobility issues.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah
May 18, 2025
Knossos (history) & Heraklion (shopping) excursion - Wonderful visit to Knossos to view the ruins. Accessible with my crutch but quite a few steps for anyone who struggles. Guide very knowledgeable & engaging. Double decker bus full with no accessible seats available so had to manage the slim stairway, however it is fitted with good handrails. Heraklion was very busy, with lots to see, but the clothing shops appeared expensive. The old market was good for a wander, although the sellers are very insistent, but the chocolate & ice cream pancakes at Fifty cafe are definitely worth going for!! Delicious 😋
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wayne_d
May 17, 2025
Knossos Palace, Crete - Knossos palace itself was amazing, the tour guide went through a lot of the myths and history of the site and showed us all the significant spots. We all had a headset so we could hear the guide throughout even if you fell behind the group. The biggest tip I can give is to bring suncream. There wasn’t a lot of shaded areas on the site so you are exposed to the sun a fair bit. In Heraklion, we didn’t stay with the tour, we went for lunch on our own, so I can’t comment on that part of the tour. But we had plenty of free time to explore the city and browse the shops.
Review provided by Viator
Daytrip61887550522
May 11, 2025
Palace of Knossos and Heraklion - From booking to transfer, hotel pickup, palace of Knossos and guided tour, all good. Guided tour of Heraklion, with Audio Gide would be desirable. Since it was mostly not understood.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H5508wjpeterg
Oct 25, 2024
Knossos - great (Heraklion - perfunctory) - Janis the guide was superb. Knossos was busy but he did a great job. The briefing within Heraklion was more orientation and not really any kind of tour of the city. Had Janis taking us around the city with the same detail and information he provided for Knossos the tour would have been 5 star. Take this tour for Knossos and don't expect much about Heraklion.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peter_t
Oct 14, 2024
Palace of Knossos - Christina was the most wonderful guide. Knowledgable. Expressive. Dramatic. Funny. Very aware of everyone in her group. She made a lump of stones interesting. The tour company is very organised. They are efficient. The hotel collection was dead on time
Review provided by Viator
Doreen
Apr 11, 2025
Description only partially fulfilled. - The tour at Knossos Palace was very interesting. Unfortunately, there was no sightseeing tour and no old market. In pouring rain, we had 3 hours to spare instead. It was not possible to visit the Archaeological Museum due to strike.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $41
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).