Discover the West Crete! Trip to Chania – Kournas Lake – Rethymno from Heraklion!

Every Wednesday and Saturday | Available from June till October

Duration 11 hours / Stay in Chania 2 hours / Stay in Kournas’ Lake 1 ½ hour / Stay in Rethymno 1 hour and 15 minutes

This excursion brings us to West Crete and our first stop in Chania, the most ravishing city of Crete. It was an important Minoan city and the “mother of the Cretan cities”, according to ancient writers.

The city is divided in the Old City, with the gorgeous harbor and the New City, beyond its Venetian fortifications. The Old City is one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean and is called “Venice of the East”.  We can admire samples of all the civilizations that have passed from here: archaeological Minoan sites, Turkish minarets and mosques, Muslim neighborhoods, Venetian fortresses, dockyards, fountains, squares, arches, mansions, Loggia and the Lighthouse. We can visit the famous Agora (Market), which houses traditional little shops and taverns. Here we can buy souvenirs or leather goods in very good prices.

Leaving this extraordinary city, we arrive at the quaint Kournas Lake, a beautiful habitat with natural freshwater, one of a kind on Crete. Lush greenery, steep cavities between hills, rare species of fish and birds, like eels, moorhens and two-color turtles, make Kournas the ideal place to enjoy a swim before our lunch or an early afternoon walk. The whole area of Kournas is protected under Natura 2000, as it has been a designated wetland.

Going back, we stop in Rethimnon, the third biggest town on Crete, where monuments of the archaeological, Ottoman and Venetian eras coexist, in an extremely interesting way. Have a stroll in the alleys of the old town, visit the Turkish minarets and the Venetian fortresses or just enjoy your coffee in the magnificent harbor.

Indicative Time – Table:

10:00       Stop in Skaleta for breakfast & WC

10:15       Departure from Skaleta

11:30       Arrival at Chania

13:30       Departure from Chania

14:15       Arrival at Lake Kournas (for swimming & lunch)

15:45       Departure from Lake Kournas

16:15       Arrival at Rethymno

17:30       Departure from Rethymno

19:00       Arrival Heraklion

The timing of the program will be approximate, depending on traffic and weather conditions

Remember to bring‼️ Sun Cream (a lot!), Sunglasses and Hat, Long-Sleeved Shirt for Sensitive skin, Swim Suit and a Beach Towel.

Discounts:

Children up to 2 years old, free of charge and travelling on parents’ lap

Children from 3 till 12 years old, 50% discount on tour rate

Terms & Conditions

1. Mandatory use of face covering before boarding the bus
2. The travel agency reserves the right to alter or cancel any tour due to adverse weather conditions or insufficient passengers number or force majeure 12 hours prior to departure time with a notification to the traveler.
3. Please arrive on time to the given pick-up point. Unfortunately, there is no option to wait for latecomers. In case of delay, missed pick-up, missed departure time, no refunds.