Chania is our favorite town in Crete and we believe that you will love them as we much as we do. It’s perfect setting with the White Mountains as a background, lively harbor, historical remains from its Turkish and Venetian past, busy market, and nearby beaches make it the ideal spot,
In the afternoon we will meet at our hotel and after a brief orientation meeting, we’ll set off to explore the old part of this lively city. To conclude the night, we will have our first dinner together in a traditional Cretan restaurant while getting to know each other in eager anticipation of our adventure.
Overnight in Chania in a boutique hotel
Dinner included
Today we will head towards Imbros gorge at the south side of the island, driving by the rugged interior, which is largely untouched by mass tourism. A dreamy mosaic of sleepy villages and fertile valleys, dotted with Byzantine churches.
The pine tree-lined Imbros gorge was part of the route that linked the city of Chania with the Chora Sfakion village. Here, you’ll set off on your three-hour hike, following footpaths through wildflower meadows. Keep watch for Crete’s ‘kri-kri’ wild goats as you go. And reach for your camera at the most spectacular section, where everything narrows into a 2-meter passageway twisting steep, 300-foot walls.
Overnight in Chania in a boutique hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Hiking distance: 6,8 km / Hiking Duration: 3 hr
Elevation gain & loss: 10 m & 580 m
Driving distance:
Chania to entrance of the gorge 52 km / 1 hr
Exit of the gorge to Chania 66 km / 1 hr 20 min
Balos lagoun is one of Chania’s most prized gems and cannot be missed. It is an exotic sandy beach of turquoise waters with a unique geomorphological shape located on the northwest side of the prefecture. It is known for its wild natural beauty and it’s among the most beautiful beaches of the country.
One of the delights of travelling through Crete is food, so in the afternoon we will drive in a 300-year-old olive grove 5 kilometres from the city of Chania where we going to participate in a hands-on cooking lesson. The cooking class explores the culinary legacy of the ancient Greeks, offering enticing interpretations of historic dishes in a 300-year-old olive grove. After a brief introduction to the food, cooking methods, customs, and trade routes of Classical Greece, we’ll delve into its cuisine. Drawing inspiration from ancient Greek texts and archaeological research, you’ll learn how to recreate ancient recipes as they would have been prepared centuries ago.
Overnight in Chania in a boutique hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Hiking distance: 2,4 km / Hiking Duration: 2 hr
Elevation gain & loss: 160 m & 160 m
Driving distance:
Chania to Balos 50 km / 1 hr
Balos to Chania 50 km / 1 hr
Ancient Eleftherna, a Dorian built settlement, lies in the foothills of Psiloritis, the highest mountain of Crete. The Archaeological Institute of America included Eleftherna archaeological site in its top discoveries of 2009. We start our hike from the ancient Acropolis, and on our way we will pass the remarkable Roman cisterns, which are carved into the hill’s west side, the Necropolis and a 3rd century BC ancient bridge.
Our hike finishes in the tiny village of Margarites, known for its pottery. Learn about the traditional techniques from a local potter who derives inspiration for his ceramics from Minoan and Byzantine originals.
In the afternoon we will have time to explore the labyrinthine lanes of the historic quarter of Rethymnon which still preserves much of its Venetian and Ottoman appearance.
Overnight in Rethymnon in a boutique hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Hiking distance: 6 km / Hiking Duration: 3 hr
Elevation gain & loss: 223 m & 308 m
Driving distance:
Chania to Ancient Eleftherna 90 km / 1 hr 30 min
Margarites to Rethymnon 30 km / 40 min
Crete’s natural beauty is equaled only by the richness of its history. Once here, grab the opportunity to start your day visiting the Archaeological museum of Heraklion. The museum houses the most important collection of Minoan art in the world. It’s a great introduction to our visit in Knossos, Crete’s must-see historical attraction, which will follow. The Minoans were ruling big parts of the Aegean from their palace in Knossos some 4000 years ago, giving the area a great strategic and cultural importance.
In the afternoon we will do a walking tour in Heraklion, and in order to experience it you have to penetrate the modern façade of the city and you will discover its attractive features. After all, it is the birthplace of El Greco and Nikos Kazantzakis.
Overnight in Heraklion in a 4* hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Driving distance:
Rethymnon to Κnossos 85 km / 1 hr 15 min
Knossos to Heraklion 8 km / 15 min
Today we will catch the morning ferry to Santorini which was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions of all time. Here everything is brighter: the whitewashed cube-shaped houses, the lapis lazuli sea and the sunsets that light up the caldera.
After settling in our hotel, we will be transferred to the modern capital of the island, Fira. From there, we will hike towards picturesque Oia, the most beautiful village of the island if not the whole Aegean Sea. The cobblestone trail follows the rim of the Caldera, taking you away from the crowds, permitting you to admire the power of the natural forces that shaped this amazing environment.
Overnight in Oia in a boutique hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Hiking distance: 11 km / Hiking Duration: 4 hr
Elevation gain & loss: 410 m & 512 m
Driving distance:
Santorini Port to Oia 15 km / 40 min
Oia to Fira 11 km / 20 min
Ferry:
Crete to Santorini 8:40-10:35
Dorians, Venetians, and Turks occupied Santorini, but its most influential early inhabitants were Minoans. They came from Crete sometime between 2000 BC and 1600 BC and the settlement of Akrotiri, dubbed as the Greek Pompeii, dates from the peak years of their civilization. Alongside with a guide you will have the opportunity to walk along the streets and squares of the city, which was buried in volcanic ash after the eruption of the volcano and frozen in time.
After the tour, it is time for kayaking. We will explore the south side of the island as few people do. Seeing Santorini from the sea level is a real treat, plus paddling gives your upper body a bit of exercise. We will paddle by the Red and White beach with stops on the way for swimming and snorkeling.
Overnight in Oia in a boutique hotel
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Sea kayaking duration: 2 hr
Driving distance:
Oia to Akrotiri 22 km / 40 min
Akrotiri to Oia 22 km / 40 min
Breakfast is at your leisure at the hotel and following that, your Tripin Adventures trip in Greece concludes. Transfer independently from our accommodations in Santorini to the international airport of the island for return flights home or continue your explorations of this marvelous region of Greece.
Breakfast included
We are constantly updating our unique itineraries based on new information and experiences available. The walks, accommodations, and visits listed may be adjusted. The itineraries presented are subject to modification and change by Tripin Adventures. We reserve the right, without penalty, to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in our judgment, conditions warrant, or if we deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of participants, anything not mentioned in above program.
