Private Tour
Knossos, Olive Grove, Winery - Distillery with Tastings & Lunch
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
This tour was created for nature and wine lovers. Would you like to learn all about locally produced products such as Wine, Olive oil, and Famous Raki? This tour has been created just for you. Be open to tasting local wines, and exploring rural Crete this tour it's for you. We visit one family winery in the Heraklion area where we take a tour of the cellar of the winery, learn how different wines are made, and then taste up to 5 different indigenous varieties. We will visit a family-run olive mill, having an olive grove tour, olive mill tour, and olive oil tasting. Finally, we will drive to a small village and to an undisclosed location, not open to the public, and learn all about Raki Distillation.
At the end of the tour, we will get on our 4WD SUV and head to the mountain top at 850 meters to observe the Cretan fields from the top and the beautiful colors created on Mother Earth.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Raki Distillery Visit Tour and Tasting
Air-conditioned vehicle
Winery Visit with tour and Wine Tasting of 3 wines
Personal pick-up & drop-off
Olive Grove Farm Visit with Tour and Olive Oil Tastings
Four Course Lunch at a local Tavern in Archanes Village
Any Personal Expenses
KNoosos Certified Guide is NOT Included
Knossos Archaeological Site
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Knossos Archaeological Site
Knossos is the main Bronze Age archaeological site at Heraklion, a modern port city on the north-central coast of Crete. The site was excavated and the palace complex found there was partially restored under the direction of Arthur Evans in the earliest years of the 20th century. The palace complex is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete. It was undoubtedly the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization and culture. In order to purchase tickets online for the archeological site of Knossos visit the official e-ticketing service of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports at www.etickets.tap.gr
Skalani
Visiting an olive grove farm in Crete offers a unique glimpse into the island’s ancient olive oil tradition. Strolling among the trees, you’ll learn about the cultivation and harvesting process, as well as the cultural importance of olive oil. Guided tours often showcase how modern techniques complement age-old methods to produce premium oils. The experience includes a tasting session, where you’ll sample various olive oils and discover their unique flavors, from fruity to peppery. Paired with fresh bread and local herbs, the tasting highlights the quality and richness of the oil. Many farms also have shops where you can purchase oils and olive-based products, making it easy to take a piece of Crete home with you.
Options
Pick-up Heraklion Area
Pick-up Areas: Agia Pelagia, Lygaria, Amoudara, Heraklion, Karteros, Kokkini Hani, Gouves, Analipsi, Anisaras, Hersonissos Area
Private Tour
Duration: 7 hours
Lunch: Local Meze at the distillery during Raki Tasting
4WD Vehicles: Mitsubishi Pajero
Jeep Cherokee
Pick-up Areas: Piskopiano, Koutouloufari
Pickup included
Pick-up Elounda & Ag. Nik Area
Pick-up Areas: Elounda Area
Agios Nikolaos Port Passenger Station
Amoudara
Ollive Mill and Winery visit: Distillery Tour
Wine Tasting and Raki Tasting
Olive Mill, Olive Grove Tour
Olive Oil tasting
Private Tour
Duration: 7 hours
Lunch: Traditional Cretan Lunch at a village tavern
Suv or Minivan
Pickup included
Pick-up Rethimno Area
Pick-up Areas: All Rethimno and surrounding areas and Bali Village
Olive & Distillery Visit: Distiller Tour
Wine Tasting of more than 9 different wines from the barrel
Olive Mill and Olive Grove Tour
Olive Oil tasting
Private Tour
Duration: 9 hours
Lunch: Lunch with local meze during raking tasting
4WD Vehicles: VW Tuareg V8
Mitsubishi Pajero V6
Pickup included
Reviews
4 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This tour offered a...
Elena V,
May 9, 2025
- Viator
4.00This tour offered a fascinating glimpse into Crete's rich history and traditions, hitting several key highlights in a single day. The included visits to the magnificent Knossos Palace, a traditional olive orchard, and a local raki distillery provided a well-rounded experience of the island's cultural and agricultural heritage. The lunch provided was a definite highlight – plentiful and absolutely delicious, showcasing the fresh flavors of Crete. The visit to Knossos Palace was undoubtedly the centerpiece, and while the tour doesn't automatically include one, I strongly recommend investing in a separate, licensed guide at the site. While it adds to the cost, the sheer historical significance and intricate details of the palace truly come alive with expert commentary. Without a knowledgeable guide, you risk wandering through the ruins without fully understanding their context and importance. The stops at the olive orchard and raki distillery offered a more intimate look at local production. It was interesting to learn about the olive oil-making process and the traditional distillation of raki. These stops provided a nice contrast to the ancient history of Knossos and offered a taste of modern Cretan life. However, the primary reason for the 4-star rating, rather than a perfect 5, lies with our tour guide. While she was undoubtedly a safe and careful driver, her role as a guide was virtually nonexistent. There was a complete lack of any commentary or information shared throughout the day, whether during the drives between locations or even brief introductions at each site. This significantly detracted from the overall experience. A good guide can weave together the different elements of a tour, providing context, insights, and engaging stories. Unfortunately, this crucial aspect was missing. In conclusion, this Viator tour offers a worthwhile itinerary, showcasing important historical sites and local traditions, capped off by a fantastic lunch. However, be prepared to hire a separate guide at Knossos for a richer experience and don't expect any guiding from the tour operator's driver. With a more engaging guide, this tour could easily be a 5-star experience.
touring Create
David D,
Sep 25, 2024
- Viator
5.00Knossos palace was ok standard self guided tour, that we set up for ourselves, the remainder of the tour was exceptionally Great, Anthony our driver was fantastic, he took us through Crete and explained the basics of the island, then took us to the Cretan Dragon Olive Farm A bio dynamic farm, we had olive, dragon fruit, and some preserves, which set us up for the Titankis winery tour, where our guide showed us their production facility and then took us for an exception wine tasting of there products and how to pair them with foods,, Anthony ten drove us to a wonderful restaurant "Traditional Cooking" where we were treated to a great meal
Great tour!
Lisa R,
Jun 26, 2024
- Viator
5.00Our driver, Roula was absolutely lovely. She was so informative with the history of Crete. We loved learning about the Olive Farm and Olive oil process. Great family! The winery visit was also wonderful! Another great family! Both places fed us a little something and we were stuffed by lunchtime. But we did sample some of the amazing food too! It was just the 2 of us on this tour and we had the perfect day despite the unseasonably hot weather. Highly recommend!
Great Tour but hire a Pro Guide for Palace
John F,
May 16, 2024
- Viator
5.00Our driver was very friendly and informative. She took us straight to the palace where we had arrangolive fled to meet a professional guide - the ONLY way to see. What a scholar. Then on to a charming olive mill run by one family, and a small winery run by another. Both with enjoyable tastings. Finally lunch at lovely restaurant up in the hills. Just us and 2 other couples. Highly recommended.
Related Experiences
Operated by Heraklion Wine Tours