Fra Rethymno: Arkadi Monastery Margarite landsby og Melidoni Cave

The tour was fun and all, rich history, but this company needs to get their stuff together…25 minutes late to picking us up without calling or informing us that they were running behind. We almost thought they weren’t coming at all. Then, we get on the bus and there has been nothing but fiascos about the seating arrangements. People were getting chewed out by an old lady for sitting in the open seat next to her when there was no where else to sit because she felt she deserved 2. During one of the stops and getting back on, the seats got jumbled and we took this guys seat and he had to scream at us on the bus and make it a big drama. They should assign seats if people are going to be so miserable about where they sit between places. Also, this is complete false advertising as they don’t pick you up nor drop you off at your accommodation, despite it allowing you to pick a location. They make you walk to in the bus stop. Then, the tour was not to the expectations in the description.

The guide could be a bit more vibrant and upbeat.

I was very satisfied with this tour, it was very educational and at a good pace. Not rushed at all, and made it through in the expected time. The monastery was very peaceful and full of history. The small town was very tranquil to walk around in with very pleasant people. Finally the cave was very amazing to view, it is very surreal to be inside a cave like this one with many stalagmites and also with so much history. Demetrius was a very excellent guide, and I would absolutely recommend this tour!

Luxury bus? Minivan mercedes? The joke was a double-decker bus filled with 40/50 people. The guide gave explanations on the bus but did not go to the sites gave us information on what we see concretely. I chose the tour in English, I didn’t understand that it would be in English and German! It is not very nice to hear the same information in 2 languages. I'm not wearing pottery so I would have personally dispensed with this stopover. The cave was nice and easy to access as long as you fit on its 2 legs, so the elderly and children can access it. The monastery was really good. I think the description is embellished. It remains a good value for money, but it would be to do it again I will do it myself by renting a car.

We absolutely loved this half-day tour! For just £21 for both of us, it was such great value. Our guide was fantastic – full of energy, stories, and humour that made the journey fly by. He really brought the history to life and kept us entertained throughout. The Melidoni Cave was incredible – spacious and dramatic, and thankfully not too tight or claustrophobic. The Arkadi Monastery was peaceful and beautiful, but our favourite part by far was the pottery stop. The woman who demonstrated how quickly she could shape a vase was absolutely amazing – so skilled and engaging to watch. All in all, this tour was a real highlight of our trip. We’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. 5/5!

Great tour views amazing and the cave was exceptional. Our driver Dimitri was very informative and told us all we needed to know about the history of the Monastery and explained what we were seeing along the way. Really enjoyable and nice day.