Bygone Crete Adventure departing from Chania
Crete, Greece
From USD 168.19
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Bygone Crete Adventure departing from Chania
Crete, Greece
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
Spend a day in the great outdoors, exploring the rich Cretan culture, villages, and hiking trails that don’t see too many tourists. We’ll visit a medieval town, pass through the oldest olive groves in the Mediterranean, see iconic historic sites, learn the culinary secrets of the island, with a hands on cooking class, explore an abandoned monastery, and even trek through a gorge! Adventures await!
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Highlights
- Travel through time and discover what rural life was like on Crete back in the late 19th century
- Learn Cretan cooking skills, then enjoy your own home cooked meal made with organic products
- Discover Cretan herbs and flora while walking through a remote village that doesn’t host too many tourists
- Channel your inner explorer at an abandoned monastery, and on a trek through the greenest gorge you’ve ever seen!
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- Your tour promotes rural tourism, which supports deep-rooted traditions and local economies that don't generally benefit from tourism.
- You'll meet a local family in their traditional home who preserve the traditional way of living and the customs of the area.
- You'll also visit a family farm where you'll participate in a hands-on cooking class and learn about local products and traditional cooking techniques.
- Your tour also supports traditional ways of cooking that could be lost if not preserved.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 11 hours
- Meeting point:
Chania Municipal Market
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- Starting time: 8.15 AM
- Ending point:
Chania Municipal Market.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, transportation, coffee, sweets, lunch, light dinner, fresh orange juice for children.
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your driver and guide.
Your Crete tour will commence with a wonderful scenic ride to a tiny village set in rolling hillsides. If that alone isn’t enough to entice you, we’ll spend the morning sipping coffees in the courtyard of a house made famous through folklore, and we’ll also get to meet the owner of the house and hear about life in 19th-century Crete. As we continue our drive, you’ll see a side of Crete that tourists don’t often get to see – namely, the rural areas beyond the city centres.
Our next stop is one of the island’s most famous landmarks: the Monastery of Arkadi. Surrounded by striking natural beauty, and combined with a rich and prestigious history and numerous legends, this landmark of architecture will steal your heart. You’ll also have time to take a tour within its walls and admire the refectory, the museum, an icon shop, as well as the religious edifices.
From here on, our next mission will be to get you acquainted with rural life — so roll up your sleeves as we teach you how to cook, Cretan style! We’ll participate in a hands-on cooking class in a picturesque mountaintop village. Discover all the techniques required to make the perfect Cretan meal.
While your food is slowly cooked, we’ll grasp the opportunity to explore this remote region. With the help of a local, we’ll marvel at a quaint Byzantine church from the 11th century. The exceptionally beautiful and well-preserved mosaics and frescoes are certainly something to marvel at! We’ll also spend some time exploring the nature around us and learn all about Cretan herbs and their use in everyday life — from medicine to cooking!
We will then take some time to explore an abandoned monastery, located in the heart of the Amari Valley. This Byzantine monastery flourished during the late Venetian and Turkish rule, but was turned into an agricultural school in the mid-20th century. You’ll feel like an explorer as we walk through the deserted rooms that were once full of life.
At this point you’ll be probably be starving. But worry not, our bus will take us back to the village, where we’ll get to taste not only our fresh-baked bread, but other products from the family’s farm! A three-course meal and a million-dollar view — what else could one need?
With our bellies stuffed and our hearts content, we’ll end our night off with a walk through one of the most beautiful gorges in Crete. We’ll venture and explore for about half an hour through lush, green scenery and along running waters — to make room for some traditional Cretan sweets and raki, of course!
Though the day may come to a close very quickly, you’ll be left with a sense of appreciation for being able to experience a side of Crete that most tourists on the island are unaware of.If you stay in Rethymnon and would like to book this tour, please refer to Bygone Crete Adventure departing from Rethymnon tour.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, transportation, coffee, sweets, lunch, light dinner, fresh orange juice for children.
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your driver and guide.
Dress standard: Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. A hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses are must-haves in the summer!
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Email address: info@creteurbanadventures.com
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