Crete · CRETAN MONASTERIES
Arkadi, Preveli, Toplou: Cretan monasteries are fortified for a reason and the history is not gentle. The 15 below cover the visits and the drives that link them, with entry costs and dress notes.
Spend a relaxed day in South Crete with Matala Beach, its famous hippie caves, scenic coastal views, and historic Odigitria Monastery.
“amazing day, the beach is absolutely incredible, the water is so clean and transparent. we really loved it. highly recommended.”
Ride a 520cc quad through Crete’s mountain trails, visit a Byzantine monastery, taste local olive oil, enjoy lunch, and swim at Sisi.
“We joined the Quod Safari tour with visits to the Monastery, Malia Palace, and lunch included, and it was truly a unique experience! Everything was perfectly organized from the very beginning: the guides were friendly, professional, and knowledgeable, always happy to answer any questions. The quod ride was super fun, adventurous but always completely safe, with spectacular landscapes along the way. The Monastery is a place of great spirituality and beauty, surrounded by peace and silence. Malia Palace really impressed us with its fascinating history and majestic architecture. Lunch was another highlight: authentic local cuisine, generous and flavorful portions, served in a charming location....”
Explore Crete beyond the beach on a 10-hour tour of Melidoni Cave, Arkadi Monastery, Margarites pottery, lunch, music, and rural villages.
“Absolutely fun day out … including Greek dancing in the street!”
Explore Kera Monastery, Lassithi Plateau, Psychro pottery, Zeus Cave views, mountain villages, and a traditional Cretan lunch for $44.
“Excellent - very well organised. Guides were knowledgeable, caves were immense and the lunch was so authentically Greek !!”
Explore Melidoni Cave, Arkadi Monastery, Margarites pottery, and Fragma Potamon Dam on a practical Crete tour from Rethymno.
“The guide was very informative and answered any questions. My wife and I enjoyed the visit to the monastery. The coach was very cunfortable with plenty of room”
Explore Melidoni, Margarites, and Arkadi Monastery on a low-cost Crete tour with village time, pottery, history, and hotel transfers.
“Great value for money. Pick up time good notification and map link sent Great communication all round Tour guide was lovely welcomed us on coach very knowledgeable costos the driver lovely and friendly very safe driving. 3 places visited. All lovely. Good times at all.”
Explore Arkadi Monastery, Margarites pottery, Melidoni Cave, and Axos cheese traditions on an eight-hour mountain tour from Rethymno.
“Excellent day trip! I booked this last minute and it was everything I expected and more. Pick up from our hotel was on time, the facilitator was very friendly as was the coach driver. Absolutely hats off to his driving skills round the small mountain roads and little villages, very impressive. The lunch was fantastic for 10 euro and we even had the opportunity to feed some baby goats! They were very entertaining! The hosts at lunch were full of character and just made for a really enjoyable experience. We had a lovely day out.”
Explore Matala Beach, its famous hippie caves, Gortys, and Odigitria Monastery on a relaxed full-day trip from Heraklion.
“L’’escursione è memorabile, lo spettacolo naturale vale il viaggio. La guida era molto preparata e disponibile”
Cycle 44 km from Rethymno to Arkadi Monastery on an e-bike, with village stops, coastal views, and a Cretan lunch for $79.
“Undoubtedly the highlight of a brilliant Crete holiday was the tour to Arkadi Monastery organised and led by the knowledgeable and professional Michalis of ebikes Rethymno. Suitable for all ages and abilities we cycled round the Rethymnon countryside making several stops at significant sites to learn for example the importance of the olive industry in the local economy and to visit buildings of historical importance. Before returning we enjoyed a delicious lunch of local specialities in a taverna overlooking the bay.Read more”
Explore Margarites pottery, Arkadi Monastery, and Patsos Gorge on a private Crete tour with lunch, transport, and local charm.
“Excellent and varied tour to the countryside (village, monastery and Amari valley) At Patsos gorge, nice hike along the river: depending on your ability, you can have an easy walk to the st anthony cave only or walk further out. Had an excellent lunch at a countryside taverna, excellent meatballs in a fragrant tomato sauce, goat and local cheese pastry with mint and honey desert! I recommend for a day out of the city!”
Explore Lasithi Plateau from Heraklion with village stops, off-road views, olive oil and wine tasting, pottery, lunch, and Greek mythology.
“Exceptional Service. Knowledgeable guide. Iosef gave us great insights into the Cretan way of life and drove us on winding roads so we could get the closest view possible from our off road vehicle. He brought us to a family run business, where Popi was the perfect hostess. She treated us like family! We tasted different Cretan wines, oils and liquor and even had a pottery lesson on the wheel! The traditional Cretan lunch was delicious! We highly recommend this tour. Nothing better!”
Explore Chania’s Old Town, Agia Triada Monastery wine tasting, and Marathi Beach on a private six-hour Crete tour.
“Chania is a beautiful place and during this tour we explored 100 perfect of it. Tour was well organized, guide was super super caring with our time to see everything.”
Explore Arkadi Monastery, Margarites pottery village, Melidoni Cave, Eleutherna, and Rethymno Old Town on a private Crete tour.
“Very organized visit. At the entrance you receive a detailed map with a clear path to follow in order not to miss any corner of the site. Spaces are well cleaned and cared. Duration of the visit is less than an hour.”
Explore Crete’s Lassithi Plateau, Kera Monastery, Zeus’s cave, windmills, and pottery workshop on an affordable guided day trip.
“We booked the tour on a date which was available due to an error in their system, even if it shouldn't have been. The normal response of companies is to cancel the booking and write and apology. This company (and primarily the wonderful guide Viola) however sincerely apRead more”
Review of the Vai Palm Forest and Toplou Monastery tour from Agios Nikolaos, with coastal views, lunch, wine tasting, and practical booking advice.
“A truly incredible experience exploring the coastline of Crete. You get to see so many amazing views. And the palm forest was one of a kind! Perfect trip to explore Crete and relax while seeing beautiful views and having authentic Cretan experience for lunch! We had so much delicious local food enjoyed with a view. And our guide Jorgos was the best- funny and super friendly.”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
