Crete · CRETAN MONASTERIES
Arkadi, Preveli, Toplou: Cretan monasteries are fortified for a reason and the history is not gentle. The 10 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 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”
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 two Akrotiri monasteries from Chania with a private driver, local snacks, sea views, and an optional swim at Marathi or Seitan Limania.
“Picked up at the port chauffeured where ever we wanted. Our driver Vangelis was wonderful friendly, exceptional english so we had a lovely chat. Plenty of time to all we wanted to see. We even got a goodies bag with homemade dolmides, peaches, water, juice. We had a great day 🙂🙂”
Explore Chania’s hilltop views, Venetian Old Town, public market, and Chryssopigi Monastery on a private half-day tour.
“Very informative and laid-back with a wonderful stop at a monastery. Seeing Shaniya was wonderful! Our guide Tatiana was exceptional and very accommodating. She provided an awful lot of information and facts that were great to hear. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour on the island of Crete.”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
