クノッソス-ゼウス洞窟-古い伝統村-オリーブオイル工場

The excursion is worth each euro spent. Stavros made our day fun, full of impressions, he showed us the places we would never manage to reach and see on our own. Don't even hesitate to book this private ecxuxcursi,vit will definitely make you holiday unforgettable. Despite the excursion lasted all day long, the children had a lot of fun and we're not even close boring! Highly recommended!

Stavros was an absolutely amazing guide! He was so friendly and knowledgeable, he definitely has a lot of passion for his job and couldn't have asked for a better guide or a better day. We opted for private tour and it was absolutely worth the money, did the tour the way we wanted and even dropped us off at a different return point. He showed us the real crete as well as the tourist points, I would highly recommend this tour ❤️

Our guide for the day was Spyros. He was fun, lively, full of information, and it was important to him that we had a good day. We started at Knossos. He gave us an hour to walk around the grounds. He knew that two cruise ships were coming into the area, so we went here first to avoid the crowds. If you can go to the National Archaeological Museum a day or two before your visit here. It will make it more special. He drove us to an area with dozens of windmills where grain would have been milled. One of the mills has been restored , so you can see what the others would have looked like. Stopped at a farm and picked strawberries to go with the white wine that Spyros had for us. Went my a small plant that produced olive oil. We had an olive oil tasting. They make raki at this place of which we had a sample. Had coffee/tea at a tiny village where the 80 year old owner had worked for years. Stopped by a potter’s studio. My husband made a pot with the artist’s suggestions. We hiked up to a cave that was the birthplace of Zeus. Then walked down to the bottom of the cave observing all the stalactites that were lit up. We stopped for lunch at the is lovely place with beautiful plants on the grounds. We had a terrific lunch on their veranda. Spyro stopped along the way to bring us samples of wild herbs to smell. It was a lovely day. Thank you, Spyro. We are at present sitting on a beach that you recommended and it is wonderful.

We cannot say or thank Stavros enough for an amazing day! Right from the start his dynamic personality captivated us. His enthusiasm, sense of humor, and knowledge were off the chart. He had us laughing from the beginning as he quizzed us on various topics and factes, some of which we knew, but many we did not including some about our home country. His recommendations were spot on, especially visiting Knossos early in the day to avoid the heat and crowds. We then stopped at an olive oil processing plant where he educated us on the how the olives were processed in the past as well as today. The real adventure began when he took us into the mountains to a plateau dominated by farms. First we stopped a farm of his friend where the owner was harvesting melons of which he gave us one that Stavros cut into pieces to share with us. The diversity of the crops were amazing! Next we visited his cousin's farm where we feasted on fresh strawberries and wine. It was interesting to learn about funds from the EU have helped his cousin expand his farm and produce vegetables and strawberries into the early winter months. Throughout the day, Stavros shared Greek history and mythology with us as well as his insights into the Cretan way of life. He shared a lot about the local foilage and fauna, and stopped in locations where sampled grapes, walnuts and carob. I cannot remember a more special day or tour in all of our travels which have been extensive!

+6

Stavros was superb. Very entertaining and knowledgeable. The whole day tour flew by but we never felt rushed. He took us to places off the beaten track so we could experience a bit a real Crete. Thank you

Stavros is a legend. The tour was authentic and hugely enjoyable. Great itinerary, perfectly timed. And great fun throughout.

This tour was amazing and Stavros is an incredible guide. His passion and enthusiasm are infectious right out of the gate and he has a very deep knowledge of Cretan and Greek history. Stavros’ tour includes a blend of famous historical sites, natural beauty, authentic small villages, diverse agricultural areas and local businesses and restaurants. He has been doing this for a long time and knows everyone. He made this tour unforgettable for our entire group. If going to take a tour in Crete, you must do it with Stavros.

Amazing day starting with a tour of Knossos Palace. Stavros was an excellent guide providing local information regarding history and culture. Enjoyed the visit to a family farm, local villages and birthplace of Zeus. Would highly recommend.

Our tour guide was amazing, passionate about the area, and knew things you would only know if you're a local with an investment in the local population. Stavros showed us things we wouldn't know to look for or do, and his relationship with the local farmers and community made this tour extra special for me and my husband. The sights were equally amazing, with a decsent into the cave of Zeus, and the reconstruction of the Knossos palace. We're already discussing our next trip to Crete so we can explore more of this wonderful land with this amazing guide. Do yourself a favor and put your tour in Stavros' hands. He won't steer you wrong.

+2

Without doubt, this was the best day experience of our holiday in Crete and one we will remember for a very long time. What made the day so special wasn’t simply the incredible places we visited, but Stavros himself. His knowledge of Crete is exceptional, but it’s his genuine passion and love for his island, its history, culture and people that really shines through. He doesn’t just tell you facts — he tells stories, explains how people live and work, and gives you a real understanding of the Crete beyond the tourist resorts. And he’s also incredibly funny, so there was plenty of laughter throughout the day! Our day had a bit of everything. We stepped back thousands of years at Knossos Palace, learning about the fascinating Minoan civilisation, before moving from history into Greek mythology with a visit to Zeus’s Cave. Although, when we saw the trek up to the cave, our small group unanimously decided that admiring it from a little further down was perfectly acceptable! 😂 We visited a local olive oil producer, where we learned about the production process before sampling some fantastic Cretan olive oil — accompanied, of course, by a taste of Raki! 🇬🇷 From there we headed higher into the mountains and across the beautiful Lasithi Plateau, seeing how local farmers work the land and learning about what they grow and produce. We travelled through tiny traditional villages, experienced spectacular mountain scenery and saw a side of Crete that we simply wouldn’t have discovered on our own. Throughout the whole day Stavros was welcoming, knowledgeable, entertaining and completely passionate about showing us his Crete. It never felt like we were being taken around on a standard organised excursion; it felt much more like spending the day exploring the island with a local friend who genuinely wanted you to experience and understand his home. There are plenty of excursions you can book in Crete, but if you want to get away from the resorts and experience the real, authentic Crete, I cannot recommend Explore Real Crete and Stavros highly enough. History, mythology, mountains, villages, local produce, olive oil, Raki, stunning scenery and plenty of laughs — an absolutely superb day from beginning to end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A genuine 5-star experience and an absolute must when visiting Crete.

+5