Excursions & day trips

Full-day tour of Crete’s historic Knossos Palace and Heraklion

from

$90.00

Free cancellation

Language: Dutch

Mobile voucher accepted

Duration: more than 8 hours

Entrance Fees Included

Fast track

Guided Tour

Instant confirmation

Tour with Audioguide

e-Voucher

Why you’ll love this…

It'll take you right back to the beginnings of European civilisation on a tour of Knossos Palace
You'll get fast-track access to the labyrinth of corridors leading to King Minos' original throne
The history-steeped streets of Heraklion's city centre are yours to wander on a guided walking tour
Heraklion's street markets are the ideal place to haggle over local treats and hand-made crafts
Your guide's a proud, local expert when it comes to the history and legends of Crete

What to expect

'The Palace of Knossos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Crete because it's where Europe's first civilisation began,' says Veta, one of our guides. A born and bred local, she knows a thing or two about the legends and myths surrounding the island's most popular attraction. You'll spend the day watching history come to life as you tour the grounds of the palace, before crossing over to Heraklion for some free time in the capital.

Once the hub of Crete's Minoan civilisation, Knossos Palace sits in the heart of what's considered to be Europe's oldest settlement. You'll enjoy a guided tour around its treasures, stopping by the throne room, royal apartments, frescoes and more. And with fast-track access, there's no waiting around in queues.

It's then time to head to Heraklion, the island's capital. See the 17th-century Morozini Lions fountain and the 400-year-old Venetian Loggia – which is still the city hall – during a short guided walk around the city centre. We'll round the day off by taking you to the open markets for some free time. Poke around stalls laden with hand-made trinkets and fresh local produce or stop off for a coffee at a local café for some people watching. Other must-sees include the Koule Fortress and the Church of Agios Titos.

What's included

Transport
Guide
Admission to Palace of Knossos
Knossos App provided for a 360-degree virtual view of Knossos
Audio headset guide

What to remember

Just so you know, Crete is a large island with many resorts and hotels dotted along the coast. Because of this, the transfer time on this tour could be up to 2.5 hours each way, depending on your hotel's location and traffic conditions on the day
Knossos App allows guests to see a 360º and 3D view of the archaeological site
There's a donation towards the preservation of Knossos Palace for every excursion sold
This is a very popular and in-demand activity. Expect higher levels of attendance during July and August
Bring your passport or official EU identification
Not suitable for guests with reduced mobility

Provider

TUI Hellas Travel, Tourism and Airlines SA, with Tax Number 094469778 and Travel License Number 0261Ε60000126100

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Cancellation policy

Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.3 /5

Based on 1217 reviews from verified customers

Review categories

Staff

4.2/5

Safety

4.2/5

Value for money

4.1/5

Service

4.2/5

A
Allan
Verified booking
4.2
October 31, 2025
Traveled as a couple
This was a really lovely day out. Obviously it's really busy and there's lots of pick ups and drop offs but still glad we did it and the time in the capital was great. The guide didn't pay attention and lost lots of us walking to the church. Luckily another person saw where she went and we eventually caught up. It was pointed out to her what happened but she was oblivious. Dispute this it was a good day and I'd recommend the trip to you.
J
Jo from Solihull
Verified booking
3.4
October 30, 2025
Solo traveler
Tour guide was knowledgeable however she walked very fast and became out of range with headset. She also lost about 10 of her party in Heraklion because she went up a side street and didn’t wait for us to catch up
T
Tina T
Verified booking
4.6
October 30, 2025
Traveled as a couple
Palace of knossass wonderful , very knowledgeable guide , we went in October which was still very warm , if you went in the summer there is not a lot of shade at all , we are more than capable of walking around but some more elderly people struggled with climbing and uneven ground.
E
EVG
Verified booking
5
October 29, 2025
Traveled as a couple
The tour guide, Popi, was extremely knowledgeable and provided excellent information. It made for a very interesting day.
C
Chris and Rachael
Verified booking
2.6
October 26, 2025
Traveled as a couple
We enjoyed the palace, but what we did not enjoy was being walked around to each part, for the guide to talk for 30 minutes in each spot, in the rising temperatures. She kept talking about the cobbled floors and star signs. If we could have had a brief introduction and then walked around on our own where we could have read the descriptions listed everywhere we would have really enjoyed it. She was also rude to the public by making them walk away from our group if they were taking their time.
M
Mark Lewis
Verified booking
5
October 24, 2025
Traveled as a couple
Excellent guide who provided excellent support and incredible intresting information. Thanks to her, everything was well organised . The major problem for traveling from Easter crete( Elounda) is the time it took to get to Knossos ith all the pick ups..2 hrs, ridiculous really. TUI shoulsurely divide into smaller groups whatever the economics

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