Knossos Palace, Lasithi Plateau, Zeus Cave, Villages & Olive Oil Tour from Heraklion
by Unique Crete Tours
Choose from 7 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€220Overview
This full-day bus tour of about 7 to 8 hours covers some of Crete’s most notable sites starting with a visit to Knossos Palace, the ancient Minoan ceremonial center and political hub. Guests spend about 90 minutes exploring the extensive palace ruins, learning about its Bronze Age origins as Europe’s oldest city. The tour continues to a traditional olive oil production facility where visitors spend 45 minutes learning about the history and methods of olive oil harvesting followed by a tasting of premium Cretan olive oil. Next, the group stops in the village of Krasi for 30 minutes to see the famous 2,000-year-old plane tree and have time to enjoy coffee at a local kafeneio. Traveling onward to the Lasithi Plateau, guests spend one hour exploring this fertile area surrounded by the Dikti Mountains, notable for its role in local mythology and early wind farms. The tour then visits the nearby Dikteon Cave, the legendary birthplace of Zeus, for about an hour. This cave features stalactites, stalagmites, and panoramic mountain views. Note that the cave will be closed for restoration from October 2024 until summer 2026; during that time, the tour extends visits to nearby villages and cultural sites instead. There is an optional lunch stop at a traditional tavern overlooking the plateau where local dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven can be enjoyed. The route includes a drive-by of a 14th-century Byzantine monastery noted for its frescoes and the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. The final stop is the village of Mochos, where guests have about 30 minutes to visit local cafes and interact with residents before returning to their original location. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned minivan with options for small groups or private bookings, includes a knowledgeable local guide, bottled water, coffee, traditional snacks, and hotel or port pickup in Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, or Elounda. Licensed guides for Knossos Palace are provided if that option is selected.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Olive Oil Production Facility
Visit a traditional olive oil producer run by four generations of the same family. Learn about the history of olives and harvesting techniques from ancient times to today. A tasting of high-quality Cretan olive oil is included during this 45-minute stop.
45 min
Krasi Village and Plane Tree
The next stop is the village of Krasi, where the famous plane tree, more than 2000 years old, stands. Visitors have enough time to have a coffee at a local kafeneio and take photos.
30 min
Lasithi Plateau
Spend an hour exploring the fertile Lasithi Plateau, surrounded by the Dikti Mountains. This area is linked to ancient mythology as the birthplace of Zeus and was once home to the world’s first wind farm, with several windmills still visible.
60 min
Zeus Cave (Dikteon Cave)
Visit the Dikteon Cave on Lasithi Plateau, believed to be the mythical birthplace of Zeus. The cave contains notable stalactites and stalagmites and offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. It is closed for restoration from October 2024 until summer 2026, during which extended visits to nearby villages take place instead.
60 min
Lunch Stop (Optional)
Guests may have lunch at a traditional tavern overlooking the Lasithi Plateau. The menu features authentic local dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven.
60 min
Byzantine Monastery Drive-By
Pass by a 14th-century Byzantine monastery known for its frescoes and the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. Although there is no stop, the guide provides information about the monastery’s historical and spiritual significance.
Mochos Village
End the tour with a 30-minute stop in Mochos village, where visitors can mingle in local cafes and experience the everyday life of the area before returning to the pickup location.
30 min
Knossos Palace
Begin the tour with a 90-minute visit to Knossos Palace, the main ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age. Explore the ruins of the palace built for King Minos, the oldest city in Europe.
90 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
Knossos Palace, Lasithi Plateau, Zeus Cave, Villages & Olive Oil Tour from Heraklion
by Unique Crete Tours
Choose from 7 available options
How do you want to book?
✓Confirmation before Wed, 9 Sept - card's only charged if it's a yes. If it's a no, still time to book on Viator.
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.€220Overview
This full-day bus tour of about 7 to 8 hours covers some of Crete’s most notable sites starting with a visit to Knossos Palace, the ancient Minoan ceremonial center and political hub. Guests spend about 90 minutes exploring the extensive palace ruins, learning about its Bronze Age origins as Europe’s oldest city. The tour continues to a traditional olive oil production facility where visitors spend 45 minutes learning about the history and methods of olive oil harvesting followed by a tasting of premium Cretan olive oil. Next, the group stops in the village of Krasi for 30 minutes to see the famous 2,000-year-old plane tree and have time to enjoy coffee at a local kafeneio. Traveling onward to the Lasithi Plateau, guests spend one hour exploring this fertile area surrounded by the Dikti Mountains, notable for its role in local mythology and early wind farms. The tour then visits the nearby Dikteon Cave, the legendary birthplace of Zeus, for about an hour. This cave features stalactites, stalagmites, and panoramic mountain views. Note that the cave will be closed for restoration from October 2024 until summer 2026; during that time, the tour extends visits to nearby villages and cultural sites instead. There is an optional lunch stop at a traditional tavern overlooking the plateau where local dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven can be enjoyed. The route includes a drive-by of a 14th-century Byzantine monastery noted for its frescoes and the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. The final stop is the village of Mochos, where guests have about 30 minutes to visit local cafes and interact with residents before returning to their original location. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned minivan with options for small groups or private bookings, includes a knowledgeable local guide, bottled water, coffee, traditional snacks, and hotel or port pickup in Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, or Elounda. Licensed guides for Knossos Palace are provided if that option is selected.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Olive Oil Production Facility
Visit a traditional olive oil producer run by four generations of the same family. Learn about the history of olives and harvesting techniques from ancient times to today. A tasting of high-quality Cretan olive oil is included during this 45-minute stop.
45 min
Krasi Village and Plane Tree
The next stop is the village of Krasi, where the famous plane tree, more than 2000 years old, stands. Visitors have enough time to have a coffee at a local kafeneio and take photos.
30 min
Lasithi Plateau
Spend an hour exploring the fertile Lasithi Plateau, surrounded by the Dikti Mountains. This area is linked to ancient mythology as the birthplace of Zeus and was once home to the world’s first wind farm, with several windmills still visible.
60 min
Zeus Cave (Dikteon Cave)
Visit the Dikteon Cave on Lasithi Plateau, believed to be the mythical birthplace of Zeus. The cave contains notable stalactites and stalagmites and offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. It is closed for restoration from October 2024 until summer 2026, during which extended visits to nearby villages take place instead.
60 min
Lunch Stop (Optional)
Guests may have lunch at a traditional tavern overlooking the Lasithi Plateau. The menu features authentic local dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven.
60 min
Byzantine Monastery Drive-By
Pass by a 14th-century Byzantine monastery known for its frescoes and the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. Although there is no stop, the guide provides information about the monastery’s historical and spiritual significance.
Mochos Village
End the tour with a 30-minute stop in Mochos village, where visitors can mingle in local cafes and experience the everyday life of the area before returning to the pickup location.
30 min
Knossos Palace
Begin the tour with a 90-minute visit to Knossos Palace, the main ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age. Explore the ruins of the palace built for King Minos, the oldest city in Europe.
90 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.