The 15 Best Heraklion Tours & Day Trips

1.Dia Island Sailboat Cruise with Swimming and Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,579 reviews · 5.5 hours · from $95Our pick

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, a Mediterranean meal, unlimited drinks, and a relaxed small-group cruise.

“The perfect day! Our guided were all so kind and accommodating. The boat was beautiful, spacious, and had plenty of fun equipment. The lunch was delicious and abundant, as well and the drinks! Overall, a fantastic experience. Would absolutely do it again!”

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2.CRETAquarium Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,055 reviews · 1 day · from $9Best value

Review of CRETAquarium near Heraklion, Crete, with sharks, jellyfish, Mediterranean species, practical tips, timing, and value advice.

“Beautiful and educational experience. Loved having the audio guides. Friendly staff. Clean, healthy sea life creatures.”

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3.Palace of Knossos E-Ticket and Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 1,540 reviews · 1 - 5 hours · from $34

Review of the Knossos Palace e-ticket and phone audio guide, with practical tips on timing, value, route, heat, queues, and Minoan sights.

“It was a great experience, the audio really brought the site to life. Very easy to use and the skip the line feature is great. Would definitely recommend!”

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4.Agia Pelagia Crete Quad Bike authentic backland Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,430 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $50

Ride from Agia Pelagia into Crete’s hills, a ghost village, Fodele, and an olive mill on a friendly 3.5-hour quad tour.

“It was awesome to do this trip!! My son (14) and I enjoyed this tour and the nice, funny people who did the tour.”

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5.Jet Boat Tour with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,385 reviews · 1 hour · from $53

Race along Crete’s coast by jet boat, spin at 90 km/h, then swim and snorkel in the clear waters of Saint George’s Bay.

“We had an amesome day, it was fantastic, lovely staff, the driver that does the transfers is so polite and lovely. Thank you for the experience”

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6.Sunset or Morning Quad with Local Products Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,135 reviews · 3 hours

Ride Crete’s coast and mountains by quad, visit Achlada, taste olive oil and honey, and watch sunset over Heraklion Bay.

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7.5Hour Safari Tour in Crete(Heraklion)with Quad,Jeep,Buggy & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 941 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $107Top rated

Explore Crete by quad, buggy, Monster ATV, or Jeep with mountain views, caves, lunch, beach time, hotel pickup, and friendly guides.

“The pace was perfect ...exciting and adventurous, but with enough time to enjoy the scenery. The included lunch was fresh and delicious, giving us a real taste of local Crete. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Heraklion who wants a mix of adventure, nature, and local culture. A must-do activity!”

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8.Sailing Cruise to Dia Island with Drinks and Meal

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 778 reviews · 6 hours · from $106

Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, a fresh Greek meal, drinks, and sunset views.

“Our Captain came to our hotel in Agia Pelagia to pick us up in the morning and he was lovely from the get-go. The boat ride to Dia Island was fun, and the island itself was amazing. We got to hike up the island and have a look around. The water was so blue and so clear we could see schools of small fish in it. There’s even a small beach which we had time to sunbathe on before going back to the boat (we chose the half day). Before we set off back towards Heraklion, we had some delicious Greek salad, fruits, cheese and bread. Our Captain also took…”

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9.Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 742 reviews · 4.5 - 7 hours · from $82

Sail from Heraklion to uninhabited Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, Greek food, wine, and relaxed small-group sailing.

“The Sail Boat tour was extraordinary. We had such a beautiful sunny day. Both the Captains were very incredible. I booked for a Retreat I was hosting in Greece. We were 7 people and had the whole sailboat for ourselves. I booked the half day tour & honestly we loved it so much, that if I was doing it again, I would book the whole day! Highly recommend this experience! So worth it. 🤍 A big Thank you!!!!!! 🇬🇷 Best ever. Oh & the food was simple, but great! & we had lovely music for the whole tour, good ambiance!!!! +++5 stars ✨”

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10.Elafonisi Beach Day Tour with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 731 reviews · 13 hours · from $64

Review of the Elafonisi Beach day tour from Heraklion, with pink sand, scenic mountain roads, guides, costs, stops, and practical tips.

“Long but very nice trip. We have about hour of rain on the beach whitch make it even better. Odyssey bus driver was one of the best i saw, road is adrenalin packed threw narrow roads and mountains. Guide speak with 4 languages and was very nice, giving you interesting history,wildlife and agriculture speach threw journey. I would recommend this to anyone.”

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11.Zeus Cave -Old Traditional Villages-Olive Oil Factory

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 694 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $136

Explore Crete beyond Heraklion with Knossos, Zeus Cave, mountain villages, olive oil tasting, local food, and scenic Lasithi views.

“Exactly experience from start to finish. The itinerary for stops was well thought out to avoid tourists surges at hotspots like Knossos. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. My favorite part was getting away from the tourist areas and seeing the Real Crete, I 100% recommend.”

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12.Off-Road Quad Safari with Lunch/Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 664 reviews · 5 hours · from $82

Ride Crete’s back roads by quad, visit Milatos Cave and an olive oil factory, then enjoy a Cretan meal for $82.

“We had an amazing day! From getting picked up by a very happy driver who was funny, the whole day was planned perfect. The guide was absolutely brilliant knew everything you needed to know. The roads were fun to ride down & the dinner was beautiful. I also lost my wedding ring which was found later & will be brought all the way to my hotel absolutely grateful. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Crete. Will be back again when we return. Thank you Jack & Holly”

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13.Limeniskos: Gramvousa and Balos Speedboat Tour with Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 577 reviews · 3 hours · from $99

Review of the 3-hour Gramvousa and Balos speedboat tour from Falassarna, with small groups, drinks, swimming, and practical tips.

“The captain was very nice and accommodating. The entire activity was great. I would do it again!”

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14.Quad Off-Road Tour to Villages with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 557 reviews · 4 hours · from $67

Ride a quad through Crete’s mountain villages, olive groves, and off-road tracks, with hotel transfers, an olive-oil tasting, and sweeping views.

“Great mix of adventure and local sights. The guides were friendly and made everyone feel safe. The quad ride was fun and a bit dusty, with beautiful views and interesting village stops. A fun and well-run experience overall.”

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15.Cruise to Balos Lagoon and Chania Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 526 reviews · 14.5 - 16 hours · from $88

Review of Crete’s Balos Lagoon and Chania tour from Heraklion, with cruise views, swimming, a Venetian harbor visit, and practical booking advice.

“lovely day out exploring different parts of the island. spend around 6hours on the bus and 7.5hours on the boat and on the islands. nice hike up to the Venetian Castle at Gramvousa and a relaxing couple of hours at Balos. boat can be chilly, best to pack a jacket”

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