We invite you to Crete, the junction between Europe and Africa, the island with the mild climate, the bright sunshine, the fertile land, the island that gave the routes of Western civilization. We invite you to learn our history and culture, to show you our beautiful landscapes and introduce you to our tasteful products!

Day 1: Flight to Heraklion
Arrival at the airport of Heraklion, where you meet your guide and are transferred to your hotel. After room allocation you meet again for a welcoming cocktail and to go over the programme for the next few days.

Day 2: Heraklion- Market -Knossos-Museum
In the morning you visit of the colourful market of Heraklion followed by a sightseeing tour in the centre of the town. Your coach will then take you to the famous archaeological site of Knossos for a guided tour through ancient history and mythology followed by a visit to the Archaeological Museum where the largest collection of Minoan artefacts and treasures is displayed. The afternoon is free for you to spend as you like.

Day 3: Lasithi-Plateau - Zeus Cave (approx. 140 km)
The day begins with a beautiful drive through the mountain village of Kera with the charming nunnery known for the Icon of Panagia I Kera. From here you continue our trip to the Lassithi Plateau with the famous wind mills. From here it is short trip to the cave where, according to myth, Zeus was born. The land here is very fertile and the farmers cultivate potatoes and many kinds of vegetables. In the village Psychro you can rest and have lunch in a traditional taverna with a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains. On the way back to Heraklion we visit a banana plantation in Mallia as well as a carnation field in Chersonissos.

Day 4: Southern Crete, Gortys-Agricultural School-Matala-Zaros
(approx. 240 km)
Today you drive through colourful vineyards and hilly areas where wine is produced, to the biggest and most fertile plain of Crete, Messara. Here you can visit the old Roman capital of the island – ancient Gortyna – where archaeologists found the oldest law texts in Europe written by the Dorians. It is worth visiting the wide spread ruins of this town, where Hannibal found refuge for some time and pay a visit at the Agricultural School of Messara.
We continue to the second largest Minoan palace, in Phaistos, where the famous disk was found. Next stop Matala with the numerous caves once used as tombs and cult places. You then continue to the mountain village Zaros on Mt. Ida and visit the unique sweet water trout vivarium. You can have a fresh trout lunch, prepared in the traditional Cretan way, as well as other specialties.

Day 5: Rethymnon - Arkadi Monastery - Fodele (approx. 200 km)
We drive along the north coast towards the west. In Rethymnon one can see the latter historical chapters of Crete, with the Venetian houses and the monuments from the times of the Turkish Occupation. This visit is followed by a trip to the national sanctuary of Crete, the Arkadi Monastery. During the Turkish Occupation this monastery offered refuge until 1866, when 1000 refugees preferred to blow themselves and the monastery in the air rather than surrender to the Turks. During your return to Heraklion you visit the sausage factory „Creta-Farm“ and have a stop-over in Fodele, a small traditional village built among big orange groves where the famous medieval painter El Greco was born.

Day 6: Archanes and Peza (approx. 60 km)
First we visit the centre of Cretan wine production, the village of Archanes. We visit the bottling factory plants and continue for the archaeological site of Vathipetro, where you find a wine press from the Minoan Era. In Peza, our next stop, the wine producers cultivate only traditional Cretan varieties and have a complete winery with oak barrels for the red wine and steel tanks for the white wine. Here you can learn everything about the wine vintage, production and bottling procedures. There is also much to learn about the olive trees and the olive oil processing. You can then visit a private winery where you are introduced to the secrets of wine production and are invited for a wine tasting.

Day 7: Anogia - Cretan Night (approx. 90 km)
The day begind with a visit to the beautiful mountain village Anogia, high up towards the Psiloritis, where the shepherds still prepare their products with traditional methods. You also have the opportunity to see traditional a sheep farm (Mitato). A visit to the beautiful Sfendoni cave with its enchanting stalagtites and stalagmites next on the schedule. In order to learn more about Cretan culture you will have dinner in a big taverna in a Cretan village with music and dance groups in traditional folk costumes. You can try as much as you like from the delicious specialties and the local wine.

Day 8: Return flight
Transfer to the airport and return flight