The Real Crete from Rethymno
5.0
41 Ratings
Rethymnon
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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What's Included
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- All fees and/or taxes
Additional Information
The Real Crete:
On this excursion you will have the opportunity to see many places that represent the traditional lifestyle and some historical facts of Crete. The first stop is at Melidoni Cave which is a cave full of history and dates back to Neolithic Period based on tools and items found it the cave. The second stop is at the village of Margarites. Margarites is famous for its pottery that goes back many generations. The third stop is by Arkadi Monastery, is the oldest monastery in Crete. You then continue on the village of Apostoli.
Here you will visit an old olive oil factory and see how the production of our olive oil is made. In this village you will also eat in a traditional tavern whilst enjoying the beautiful sound of live Creta music. The second last stop is at Saint Antonios Gorge for photos and finally the last stop which is the Dam known as “Fragma Potamon” which is the home of many animals and flowers.
Location
Monastery of Arkadi
Arkadi
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(41 Ratings)
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Copacabanas
Oct 26, 2023
Great - Fantastic all round destination. Lovely old town , good restaurants! Corina fabulous! Beach super . Everything great something for everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherpa15376714615
Oct 4, 2023
Best excursion. - Amazing experience, the monastory, the views, Gorge of Saint Anthony, The taverna with the best guide and driver who enhance the whole experience from dancing, playing an instrument show real passion for their country...fun, entertaining and safe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G6429unteresab
Sep 30, 2023
See the Real Crete - I would advise anybody visiting Crete to take this excursion. It's a great way to see several beautiful sites, take photos of the stunning scenery and learn some of Crete's history.
The trip is well organised and timings allow for refreshments and toilet breaks.
Nectarous (our guide) has a lovely voice and his commentary offers just the right amount of information and history. Kostas (our driver) is skillful and very personable.
The stop at the taverna with dinner, music and dancing was the highlight. Kostas is a great musician and Nectarous starts off the dancing and invites you to take part. You don't have to, it's fun to watch and clap along.
Take cash for the Monestery, caves and taverna
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G2651bnalisonm
Sep 25, 2023
This is how excursions should be! - Fabulous day out- this is how excursions should be. Very well looked after by Costas and Nik- plenty of interesting insightful commentary by Nik who is clearly proud of Crete and is extremely welcoming and amenable. Icing on the cake is the meal at the restaurant followed by singing and cretian dancing - had a fantastic time. The party continued on the bus on the way home. Just book it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Foxylady23
Sep 18, 2023
Brilliant guide and driver - What a wonderful day. Our guide,sorry name escapes me , made the day. His information and humour were what made this tour excellent. The driver Costas kept us safe and was a also great musician.
My only other comment would be to make sure ients need cash. In the cashless society we live in we tend to assume that cash is a thing of the past.
Would highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
90florianj
Sep 18, 2023
Great trip. History of Crete combined with good humor and entertainment - Nice daily excursion. Very well organized, very cheerful guide and bus driver, very informative about Crete (people, culture, history,...)
The excursion destinations are very nice. The cave at the beginning is a must-see in terms of history and appearance! The villages visited are cute and invite you to stroll around or drink coffee/beer.
The monastery is also very interesting in terms of history and looks beautiful.
Late afternoon we go to a family tavern. With raki to welcome us, delicious food and music and dancing (the guide himself danced well with us and the bus driver was the guitarist 😉)
Overall, a successful day and we would book an excursion with the guide and the bus driver again at any time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
437corinneb
Sep 4, 2023
Beautiful trip from Rethymnon to the interior - Had a wonderful day with fantastic visits. Very well taken care of by Anastasia and Kostas! Started at a stalactite cave with a fantastic view.
Then a beautiful village with many pottery shops. The highlight was the Arkadi Monastery. How beautiful it was and how well cared for it was!
Had a delicious meal in a taverna, where Kostas provided the music on the lyre together with a villager. There was a lot of dancing and there was a very good atmosphere. Last stop was a small canyon, which we walked through very briefly. Great day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ansev_nl
Aug 19, 2023
Setting the standard for what excursions should be like! - Usually we like to go sightseeing on our own, as you can set your own pace. After a few less than ideal excursions where there is little time to explore and you seem to be steered towards spending money at friendly stores / restaurants I was hesitant to book this excursion, but was swayed by the many positive reviews. I can now only confirm that Markidis Travel is really good at what they do. There was no more than 20 to 30 minutes of travel between sights, we had ample time to explore and were left to roam freely on most sites. The guide provided useful information and colorful tales. The lunch was arranged such that there was no rush (you order in the bus so that the restaurant has everything at the ready). The pick-up was precisely according to schedule. Thank you Kostas and Nektarios for a wonderful day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bcw126
Jul 25, 2023
Perfect day out - We had a brilliant experience from start to finish
Excellent organisation all day, and the communication beforehand was responsive and helpful
There was enough time to enjoy each stop along the way and there is a lot packed in to the day !! but it didn't feel rushed
We enjoyed learning about the history and hearing about everyday life in Crete, the scenery is stunning and we loved the Taverna stop and the Cretan food the music and the dancing !!
Most of all the wonderful experience is due to the fabulous guide and driver, Nik and Costas, who work so hard to ensure it is a great day for everyone on board
Efcharisto !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daphne
Oct 2, 2023
Visited beautiful and special places - It was all very well organised. Guide spoke different languages and you could ask her anything. You had plenty of time to walk around the places you stopped.
The guide also clearly indicated what time you had to be back at the bus.
There were many people over 50 with us, but as a 23 year old it was also great fun to come along.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
