Heraklion Tours

Discover the best of Heraklion through a selection of must-see tours. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of the city with a tour bus ride to the famous monuments. If you're a lover of wine and olive oil, there's a tour dedicated to these Cretan delicacies with your name on it. And for adventurous families, the quad bike tour to Agia Pelagia offers fun and excitement as you explore the beautiful landscapes of the ancient Minoan land.

What other activities can you do? There is a wide range and in this article you will learn about the best things to do in Heraklion in terms of tours and excursions, with prices, advantages, disadvantages and details so you can decide which experience is right for you!

Visiting the Cretan capital and want a quick tour of the highlights? A city tour of Heraklion is the right opportunity to discover the heart of Hellenic culture by visiting the city's landmarks. Best of all, you can do the tour on foot or with an electric bike tour of Heraklion.

During this tour, you will have the opportunity to visit the most outstanding museums, explore impressive monuments and marvel at the local architecture. Among the must-see stops is the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, a beautiful building whose construction began in 1937 with the architect Patroklos Karantinos, and which was under renovation until 2014. Another stop on this type of tour is the imposing Koules Fortress.

Then we continue on to visit the series of defensive walls of the Venetian Walls in the historic centre of Heraklion. Other places of interest include the Byzantine Cathedral of Agios Minas and the Church of St. Titus, a mosque converted in honour of the first bishop of Crete. Finally, sights such as the Morosini Fountain, St. Mark's Basilica and St. Catherine of Sinai Church are also often included as well as a variety of museums.

Throughout the tour, an expert guide provides you with fascinating information about the history and culture of Heraklion, as well as interesting anecdotes about the places you walk around. With all the information you can easily decide whether to buy a ticket for the Archaeological Museum of Crete or any other point of interest of your choice.

Interesting details

• Price: from 67 € per person.
• Duration: 3- 4 hours approximately.
• What you should know: this type of tour usually offers the best view of the city to make the most of your visit in Heraklion. A wine tasting is usually offered for an additional supplement.
• What the tour may include: electric bike rental. Professional guide service. Helmets.
• Pros: The tour is quite comprehensive, convenient and quick. Half a day to tour the Minoan capital? That's a treat!
• Cons: Entrance to any of the sites visited is not included. No food or drinks are included.

The olive oil and wine tour in Heraklion is an ideal activity for food lovers who wish to learn about the origins, production and elaboration of these star products of Crete.

During the olive oil and wine tours in Crete an expert local guide accompanies you to visit a winery and an oil mill, where you can witness the process of production, while enjoying tastings.

You will also have the opportunity to sample the delicious local cuisine at a lunch with hot and cold snacks to indulge in the local cuisine accompanied by a wine tasting. By the end, you will have enjoyed a delicious day, learning about the history of the protagonists of Hellenic cuisine.

Interesting details

• Price: from 152 € per person.
• Duration: 7-8 hours.
• What you should know: This is an adult-oriented tour.
• What the tour may include: Transfer to and from your accommodation. Wine tasting. Olive oil tasting. Visit to a famous local winery. Lunch. Water and wine during lunch.
• Pros: usually a small group tour.
• Cons: additional drinks such as coffee or soft drinks are not included.

A great way to discover Heraklion is with the Hop on-Hop off sightseeing bus. It takes you to the main monuments, beaches and attractions of the city for 48 hours. You can hop on and off the bus as many times as you like along its more than 9 stops distributed in 2 routes: the red route and the blue route.

On this tour you can take the time to explore the city and do activities such as entering the Palace of Knossos in Crete, exploring the charm of the Venetian Harbour, or take a look at the vestiges of the past by buying a ticket for the Archaeological Museum of Crete, one of the stops on the red route. If your day's itinerary is all about beaches, you can take the blue route which includes stops at the Agapi Beach Hotel and the Dolphin Hotel, both facing the sea.

With an audio guide in 8 languages, you'll learn about Crete's fascinating culture and civilisation as you admire the streets and monuments from the comfort of the panoramic double-decker bus. You'll be able to hop on and off at your convenience, allowing you to explore the sights that interest you most, safe in the knowledge that you'll have safe transport for 2 days, at one price.

Details of interest

• Price: from €15 per person.
• Duration: the ticket allows you to hop on and off the tourist bus for 48 hours from the moment you activate it by using it for the first time.
• What you need to know: The waiting time between units is 60 minutes, so please take this into consideration when planning your daily itinerary. The Heraklion Hop On Hop Off operates from 01 May to 31 October each year. Service hours are Monday to Sunday between 09:15 - 17:15 hours.
• What the tour may include: Panoramic bus transfer around the main sights of the city. Headphones for the audio guide.
• Pros: for an affordable cost you can use the ticket for 2 days, which is quite convenient. The audio guide is available in 8 languages, including Spanish.
• Cons: Mobile vouchers are not accepted. You are required to print the voucher to be exchanged for your ticket. The redemption process is simple, it can be done with the bus driver himself, the important thing is that it is printed.

This type of tour offers added value to the combined tickets for the Archaeological Museum and Knossos Palace in Crete because it adds expert commentary. It is a recommended experience for an in-depth understanding of the history and culture of the ancient Minoan civilisation.

During the tour, visitors can walk through the maze of ruins where the legend of the Minotaur took place. Another highlight is the original throne of the mythical king, as well as, the mysterious shrines, the luxurious quarters of the royal family, the treasure chambers and the water management systems. In all, there are about 1,500 chambers.

The labyrinthine Knossos is considered the oldest city in Europe and the palace built for King Minos is an impressive display of the power and sophistication of this culture during Bronze Age Crete.

The first palace was built around 2000 B.C. but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1700 B.C. However, it was built again in 1700 B.C. The first palace was built around 2000 B.C. but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1700 B.C. The palace was built in 1700 B.C., but it was not destroyed.However, a new palace was built which represented the pre-eminent centre of power for trade and politics in the region for centuries.

In addition to the visit to the Palace of Knossos, the tour also includes admission to the Archaeological Museum of Crete, a visit which recounts over 5,000 years of history. At the museum, visitors will see the famous statue of the serpent goddess, the head of the bull of Knossos and a pristine collection of sarcophagi, as well as a wide variety of artefacts depicting the daily life of the ancient Minoan civilisation.

Details of interest

• Price: Combined tickets can be found from €44 per person. If you wish to add the guided tour, the cost can start from €70 per person.
• Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours.
• What you need to know: The commentary is personalised according to the dynamics of each group.
• What the tour may include: Skip the line tickets to the Archaeological Museum of Crete and the Palace of Knossos. Professional guide service.
• Pros: Guided tours are appreciated when the guides are specialists and in this case, they are usually professionals who are passionate about the local culture, so they are willing to share interesting anecdotes and curiosities that enhance the experience.
• Cons: No transfer from accommodation, meals or drinks are included.

Treat yourself to a culinary tour in Heraklion to indulge your taste buds with the exquisite flavours of Crete. One of the great things about this type of gastronomic tour is that it is combined with a tour of Minoan history. Your guide leads you through the historic centre of Heraklion, stopping at at least 8 places among the local neighbourhoods. This is a great opportunity to taste the island's traditional products and discover how they are made.

The day usually starts with an ellinikos kafés, the Greek coffee, to discover the cultural importance of this beverage in the country while appreciating how it is handcrafted. Then comes the opportunity to savour the famous bougatsa cake, a true Heraklion delicacy made from semolina and layers of filo dough with a special filling.

Afterwards, the experience can make its way to the local market, the place where Cretans buy their culinary treasures. You can sample their olives, pastries, cheeses, meats, fried snails, local wines and the favourite: home-grown olive oil, among other delicacies. If you are from the mainland, you may find that everything is available at home, but the seasoning varies considerably. It will be an authentic and immersive experience in the culinary world, a feast for the senses!

Details of interest

• Price: From 95 € per person.
• Duration: Approximately 4 hours.
• What you should know: This type of tour usually includes at least 8 product tastings in different locations. The tour is on foot.
• What the tour may include: Expert guide service. Food and drink tastings.
• Pros: The variety of tastings is enough to cover a full meal. Usually offered for small groups.
• Cons: Guide service is often only offered in English.

Embark on an exciting quad tour to Agia Pelagia and venture through the unspoilt nature of the route. This type of tour starts with a short theoretical introduction and a quad biking lesson. As you ride along a beautiful off-road trail, you will witness breathtaking views over Agia Pelagia, one of the best beaches in Heraklion.

The adventure usually follows its course through the ancient and abandoned village of Archanes, one of the most beautiful villages in Crete, where you will learn about its origins and the traditional Cretan way of life.

Explore the mountains and be dazzled by the surrounding nature as you make your way to Fodele, the birthplace of Domenikos Theotokopoulos, the famous painter better known as El Greco. Apart from the artistic reference, this village is known as the village of oranges.

Immerse yourself in the local culture, visit the museum and orthodox churches, and enjoy a refreshing freshly squeezed juice from the local orange trees. This quad biking tour gives you an exciting and enriching experience as you explore the hidden treasures of Crete. I'm telling you, it's a favourite with the little ones, so make sure you put it on your list of things to do in Heraklion with kids.

Interesting details

• Price: From 85 € per couple.
• Duration: 3- 4 hours.
• What you should know: Maximum weight per passenger is 120 kg.
• What the tour may include: Helmets. Quad rental. Instruction at the beginning of the tour. Personalised attention. Guide service in several languages. Taxes and fuel. Transport service to the accommodation.
• Pros: Groups are usually small so that all participants enjoy the adventure. Stops are timed to make the most of the ride.
• Cons: No food or drinks are included. Transport service to accommodation usually only covers major hotels.

• Excursion to the beaches of Heraklion. Crete is the largest Greek island and is one of the top islands in the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Its beaches of fine sand and transparent waters are idyllic, Balos, Agia Pelagia, Kommos, Elafonisi, Falasarna, Paleochora... there are about 2.000 Blue Flag coves. I invite you to take a look at the list of the best beaches in Heraklion so that you don't miss the stars of the place.
• Museum tour. We have mentioned the Palace of Knossos but the capital of Crete is home to the most important museums of the Greek islands. It is well worth organising a tour of the museums of Heraklion, it is an excellent activity to enjoy with the children and get to know the vestiges of Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish art in a single city. The Crete Historical Museum, the Crete Archaeological Museum - the largest and most popular of the museums - and the Crete Museum of Natural History, a favourite with the little ones thanks to its dinosaur fossil, are a must-see.
• Hot air balloon rides. The route of the ancient Minoan road is beautiful from land or sea, but from above the experience is exquisite and in Heraklion you have the opportunity to book a hot-air balloon ride to the Lasithi plateau.
• Hiking. With routes for all levels, from the famous Samaria Gorges, to the demanding Troula Gorge and urban routes, if you fancy losing yourself in the natural scenery of Minoan culture, you'll love Heraklion.