Private Tour

PRIVATE-Knossos Palace-Zeus Cave-Olive Oil Tasting-Old Villages

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Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

This full day Small Group Tour or Private Tour gives you the opportunity to see the Real Side of Crete away from big crowds. Explore a few old traditional villages where we walk through the old narrow streets and enjoy an iced coffee, visit an olive oil factory where we learn all about the olive oil ( Golden Liquid) production and taste different kind of this golden liquid.

Enjoy the ride with our comfortable air conditioned vehicles while learning about local traditions, history and myths .

Explore the Old Wind Mills and enjoy the amazing views from around 3000 feet above sea level.

Cave of Zeus it’s closed for the moment and it will open in April.

We stop at a family restaurant to enjoy Cretan traditional lunch which is a must but it’s OPTIONAL.

Now it’s time to travel back in time and visit Knossos Palace

Now after creating unforgettable memories it’s time to go back to your hotel or cruise port .

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

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 To Expect

1

Heraklion

Our tour starts from Heraklion city, Driving through and around the city

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable
2

Omalia Olive Press

We stol at an olive oil factory where we learn all about the Cretan Golden Liquid…… and of course taste a few different olive oils ……

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Liability Insurance

Coffee, water ,

Private transportation with comfortable air conditioned vehicles .

Knowledgeable local driver guide

Olive oil , and Raki tasting.

Lunch is OPTIONAL

Knossos Palace entrance fee

Going to the cave is optional The Cave for the moment is closed due to safety concerns.According to the authorities will open in April.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Options

SMALL GROUP

Pickup included

PRIVATE TOUR

We can customize this tour on your wishes and needs .
Pickup included

Reviews

4.99

82 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

81
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  • Best tour guide in Crete!

    paulahP8213PR,,Jan 18, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    We only had a short time in Crete and chose to spend a full day with Stavros from Explore Real Crete Tours — a decision we’re very glad we made. From the moment he picked us up in the hotel lobby, we knew the day would be fun. His wit and playful attitude were perfectly balanced by a deep knowledge of the region and Minoan history, an area we’re genuinely keenly in. Stavros was flexible and happy to play it by ear, which suited us perfectly as we didn’t stick rigidly to the original itinerary. The day felt relaxed, personal, and thoughtfully paced rather than rushed or scripted. We highly recommend Stavros and his tours to anyone visiting Crete. Thanks, Stavros, for an awesome day. Paula & Peter

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  • Stavros is awesome!

    B8031PLwills,,Nov 14, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Stavros was absolutely incredible! Took us on a personal tour of crete, stopped at many towns to give us coffee, good, and wine, and ended with a beach detour. Stavros had informative and enticing stories, and we learned a lot along the way!!

  • Best tour in Crete

    J6328UJjohnm,,Nov 14, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Tour was FANTASTIC! Local tour guide leading you to local places. One of a kind tour with an awesome tour guide!!! You will not be disappointed. We went with 2 people (was going to be small group but we went in off season) and we did everything from learning about Crete to tasting some of the best food the island has to offer. Can’t recommmend enough!!!!!

  • Amazing Toyr

    DenverS88,,Oct 29, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Mr, Ed was a great tour guide. He kept the historical information at a level for the wide ranges in our group. We loved our two day tour! Crete was amazing.

  • Get to really know Crete

    F1148DQdrewp,,Oct 13, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Stravos was phenomenal- hands down the best tour guide we have experienced on our trip. This tour showed us the real side of Crete that we otherwise would not have experienced. We got to see, taste, and be in the local culture with a hands on experience. If you are looking for a tour- this is the one!

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  • Highlight of our visit to Crete

    Jessica S,,Sep 27, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    This tour was the highlight of our visit to Crete. Stavros was so much fun and personalized the tour to our interests. The van was comfortable and each stop was interesting and fun. I highly recommend this tour!

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  • Highlight of Our Trip – Book This Tour!

    auras526,,Jul 16, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Highlight of Our Trip – Book This Tour! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Of all the tours we took during our one-week Greece & Turkey cruise, our day with Stavros in Crete stood out by a mile. He was funny, contagiously happy, and kept everyone — kids and adults alike — completely engaged throughout the day. We visited an olive oil factory, the windmills, strawberry field, Knossos Palace (which my daughter especially loved — roaming peacocks and all!), and a variety of charming villages. Stavros made the experience feel personal and relaxed, adding in lovely touches like a stop at a local pottery studio where the kids got to spin their own little pots, and a walk through a quiet village where we picked wild plums straight from the trees. There was even a quick visit to a famous old tree in a historic village, and a sweeping coastal viewpoint that took our breath away. Every stop felt authentic and thoughtfully chosen, and Stavros brought it all to life with humor, heart, and deep local knowledge. I wish all tours could be this fantastic — and that we could take Stavros with us on every trip. Don’t hesitate. Book this tour!

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  • Authentic experience

    Andi P,,Jul 1, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Did this tour as a family with adult children & significant others. Stavros was engaging, funny and thoughtful as a tour guide. He created an individualized experience for us based upon what we wanted to see and experience. We visited Knossos Palace with a private tour guide early- avoided the crowds and the heat. We learned about olive oil, visited a village and sat and visited with Stavros over a cold drink and asked him all sorts of questions about his life, the culture & history of Crete. Then we saw the old windmills, sampled fresh yogurt, picked fresh strawberries & sampled a local wine, ate lunch at a traditional family restaurant, saw the oldest tree in Crete and returned to the beach for a final wine tasting. It was a lovely way to spend the day. We learned so much, supported local businesses, and got away from the overly touristy places. I also felt like we made a new friend! Thank you, Stavros for showing us “The Real Crete!”

  • Exceeded high expectations! Incredible experience.

    M7832WQalexm,,Jun 24, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    I was very excited to visit Crete for the first time and this tour still beat my expectations. Ed knew how to schedule our tour to miss the crowds and get an authentic Crete experience. The olive oil factory was great and the owners were very gracious showing us around. Lunch was amazing and again, the family that owned the place was incredibly gracious and made us feel right at home. Experiencing all of the local food and wine, olive oil and honey was a delightful experience. We walked through a couple local villages and Ed pointed out many of the trees and plants of the region and we even stopped to pick some strawberries and enjoy some local wine. I wish more tours were this personal and authentic.

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  • Do it, it was great!

    Curious48986728177,,Jun 24, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Book this one! Ed was amazing from pick up to drop off. The whole experience was a ton of fun and very entertaining and informative. We got to see a side of Crete away from the tourist port and saw the local farms, tasted the local yogurt and food, all the while being guided comfortably and entertained the whole way. I would not hesitate to book again and it was by far the best tour we did in Greece.

From €115.00

4.99
(82 reviews)