Crete Island Tour - (4 Nights - 5 Days) - 2026
01.DAY: ISTANBUL AIRPORT – HERAKLION
Meeting at 09:00 in front of the Aegean Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal. After passport control, check-in, and baggage procedures, depart for Heraklion on Aegean Air flight A3435 at 12:35. Arrival in Heraklion at 14:05 local time. Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel by our private vehicle waiting at the airport. After check-in at the hotel, room assignment and free time. Today you may enjoy the hotel’s facilities and the sea all day long. Overnight at our hotel.
02.DAY: HERAKLION
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the optional “Heraklion City Tour & Knossos & Archanes Village Tour” arranged by their guide. After breakfast, we meet with our guide and begin our tour. We set off for the Heraklion City Tour. Upon arrival in Heraklion, we begin our tour from Plateia Eleftherias and discover the historical and cultural richness of Crete. Agios Titos Church, known as a sacred place bearing the traces of history, the grandeur of Agios Minas Cathedral, and the historical character of the Ottoman Bon Marche Building will be among the highlights of this tour. These special places we visit are important structures reflecting Crete’s rich cultural fabric. Valide Sultan Fountain, Evkaf Building, and after visiting these structures that reflect the historical importance of Crete and bear the traces of the past, we will see the Venetian Loggia, one of the important structures from Crete’s Venetian period, which will offer us Venetian influences as a historic building. One of the most impressive moments of this tour will be the Venetian Port and shipyards. After the city tour, we will have free time to taste local delicacies and rest. Then we continue to the Knossos Ancient City. This tour is designed for you to discover Crete’s ancient and traditional face. On our tour, we will visit Knossos Palace and the historic Archanes Village. Knossos Palace is a magical structure built in 2000 BC and the capital of the Minoan Kingdom. After our palace visit, we head to Archanes Village. This charming Cretan village is famous for its streets and houses that still preserve the traditional lifestyle. By experiencing Cretan culture and way of life on site, you will better understand the spirit of the island. After free time, we return to our hotel.
03.DAY: HERAKLION
After breakfast, free time for personal activities and shopping. Guests who wish may join the optional “Rethymno & Chania Tour” arranged by their guide. After breakfast, with our guides, we begin our tour by heading toward Rethymno, where you will witness the enchanting beauty of Crete. Rethymno is like an open-air museum bearing traces of the Venetian and Turkish periods. Upon arriving in Rethymno, one of the most striking cities of Crete, you will journey through streets steeped in history. During our explorations in Rethymno, the Venetian Castle, Ibrahim Agha Mosque, Venetian Fountain, Neratze Mosque, and the old Ottoman School will be among the places we see. After our discoveries in Rethymno, we turn our route toward Chania, home to Crete’s unique beauty. As we proceed to Chania via Souda Town, you will enjoy a pleasant journey accompanied by magnificent views. On our Chania city tour, we will explore the Venetian Shipyards, the Lighthouse, Hünkar Mosque, Agios Nikolaos Church, and the Kastelli Muslim Quarter. Toward the end of our tour, you will have the opportunity to shop at the Covered Market. After the tour, we return to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
04.DAY: HERAKLION
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the optional “Elounda & Spinalonga & Agios Nikolaos Tour” arranged by their guide. Our tour begins in the port town of Plaka, where we will board the boat. After a short boat ride, we first visit Spinalonga Island, which houses one of the strongest forts of the Venetian period. We then cross by boat to Elounda and have free time. Afterwards, we visit Agios Nikolaos, a charming town also famous for the lake located within the town and the many legends about its depth. We tour the pleasant harbor of this former fishing town overlooking Mirabello Bay and visit Voulismeni Lake, also known as the Bottomless Lake. After the tour, we return to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
05.DAY: HERAKLION – ISTANBUL AIRPORT
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and have free time for personal activities and shopping until the transfer time determined by our guide. Guests who wish may join the optional “Jumbo Shopping Tour” arranged by their guide. We will spend our last day at Jumbo, one of the most popular stores in Greece, famous for its affordability and offering many options from toys to household items. After the tour, transfer to the airport. After passport control and check-in procedures, depart for Istanbul at 15:25 on Aegean Airlines flight A3434. Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 17:00 local time. End of our tour.
Prices are calculated per person in a double room.
Hotel standards in Greece may be below those in Turkey.
Hotel check-in times are between 15:00–17:00, and check-out times are between 10:00–12:00.
If more than one hotel alternative is offered in the same destination and/or only the hotel category is specified, the hotels you will stay at will be notified to you 48 hours before the tour departure date.
Due to high occupancy, hotel changes may occur; however, the hotel category will not change.
Some hotels may provide twin beds. During the hotel stay, requests for room type changes are at the hotel’s discretion.
We kindly ask you to check the prices before making a purchase.
What's Included
Economy class flight ticket with Aegean Airlines between Istanbul Airport and Heraklion, and return from Heraklion to Istanbul Airport
4 nights’ accommodation in the selected hotel category in Crete, on a bed and breakfast basis
Airport taxes
Hotel taxes
Experienced Turkish-speaking tour leader service (subject to a minimum of 15 participants)
Airport taxes
All hotel and airport transfers
Mandatory travel insurance (professional liability insurance)
Not Included
Personal expenses and hotel extras.
All excursions listed as optional tours in the program.
The overseas departure tax (it can be paid to the relevant banks or to the treasury office at the airport).
Lunches and dinners.
City taxes charged by hotels.
Domestic connecting flights.
Schengen visa fee.
Travel insurance package (including cancellation coverage).
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