Get to know the west side of the island in a tour, enjoying a morning bus trip towards the cosmopolitan town of Rethymno, followed by a visit to Chania, the little “Venice” of Crete. Complete your day trip to the picturesque lake of Kournas, Crete’s only freshwater lake.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
In demand: 33 of the next 73 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 8.
Rethymno is the third biggest town in Crete west of Heraklion on the north coast of Crete. Here monuments of the archaeological, Ottoman, and Venetian eras co-exist. A stroll in the alleys of the old town, a visit to the Turkish minarets and the Venetian fortresses, or a coffee at the magnificent harbor are some of what you can do while you visit.
Chania is considered by many as the "little Venice" of Crete. Chania is the second largest town of Crete on the north coast west of Rethymno. The city of Chania is divided into 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”. You can find Turkish minarets and mosques, Muslim neighborhoods, Venetian fortresses, dockyards, fountains, squares, arches, mansions, and the lighthouse. Visit the famous Agora (market), which houses traditional little shops and taverns. Here you can buy souvenirs or leather goods for very good prices.
Kournas lake a beautiful habitat with natural freshwater, one of a kind in Crete. The whole area of Kournas is protected under 'Natura 2000', as it's a designated wetland. Vast greenery, steep cavities between hills, rare species of fish and birds, make Kournas the ideal place to enjoy an early afternoon walk.
Pickup and Drop off provided from the areas of Sissi, Malia, Stalida, Hersonissos, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Heraklion, Amoudara. Pickup time depends on the location of the accommodation hotel. The exact pickup time and location will be sent via email.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 430 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Day trip to Rethymno, Chania & Kournas lake lasts about 9 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
Prices start at $49 per person for this Heraklion experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 4 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 6:45 AM, 7:25 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:15 AM, and 8:30 AM.
Children aged 5–12 pay from $25, adults from $49. Infants go free.
It can: 33 of the next 73 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Pickup and Drop off provided from the areas of Sissi, Malia, Stalida, Hersonissos, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Heraklion, Amoudara. Pickup time depends on the location of the accommodation hotel. The exact pickup time and location will be sent via email. Pickup points include Pela, Anastasia Star Beach Hotel & Spa.
The experience is available in DE, EN, FR.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 50 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We spent a very beautiful day with a pickup in front of our hotel, a pleasant, kind, and attentive guide. The landscapes are magnificent, we also strolled through the shopping streets and made some great finds with handcrafted jewelry and original items for gifts.
We were picked up 1 minute walk from our hotel on time. Driver and guide very good. Rethymno and Chania are a must see. Both have beautiful harbours and quaint streets in the old town. The lake was very peaceful, however would be much busier on a hit day.
Very beautiful excursion. We were able to see magnificent landscapes during the trip. The only point to improve is the time. We did not have enough time to visit some places and do some souvenir shopping at each location.
Be prepared to do a bit of walking and pack some water for the trip too. Bring some togs with you and sun cream.
The cities of Rethymnon and Chania are magnificent. I would have liked to have more time to better appreciate the restaurants and shops. The excursion went well with a guide who explains in 3 languages. An excursion to recommend
Plenty to see and enjoy at each of the three stop and on the coach. Lots of great information given along the way and good guidance at each stop. A great day out.
This was a superbly organised tour to the Chania region with three stops which gave plenty of time for sightseeing, shopping or eating. The tour was expertly conducted by Michael who spoke to the tour in three languages, English, French and German, thoroughly enjoyable.
Our 9 hour trip ended up being 15 hours!! No eating or drinking allowed on the vehicles. Chania and Rethymno were beautiful, but 3 hours in the two towns was not worth 12 hours of riding. They should have been more transparent on how long it would take for all of the pickups and dropoffs. Our tour guide was good, but the poor guy had to repeat everything in 3 languages.
We had a great time. Everything was so organized. The lake was nice, but we could have spent more time in the other two locations. For the price it was a great day.
We enjoyed both Rethymnon and Chania but would have preferred more time in Rethymnon rather than go to Lake Kournas. Lake Kournas was a little disappointing in that it is over commercialised and you don't really get to enjoy the Lake and it's surroundings as much due to all the businesses taking the frontage.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip to Rethymno, Chania & Kournas lake | 9 hours | 3.9 (57) | $49 | |
 Chania Old Town & Top Sights | From Heraklion, Rethymno & Chania | 6–10 hours | 5.0 (34) | $111 | View |
 Heraklion To Chania Private Tour Sightseeing Stop in Rethymno | 5–6 hours | — | $241 | View |
 Explore Chania Town, Venetian Harbor, and Ancient Aptera. | 4–5 hours | 4.8 (5) | $916 | View |
 5Hour Safari Tour in Crete(Heraklion)with Quad,Jeep,Buggy & Lunch | 5 hours | 4.8 (1,273) | $102 | View |
 Knossos - Zeus Cave - Old Traditional Villages-Olive Oil Factory | 7h 30min | 5.0 (761) | $132 | View |
 Dia Island Sailing Cruise with Meal and Water Activities | 5–6 hours | 4.7 (586) | $78 | View |