Tour description

After getting acquainted with your guide and a short briefing, the excursion will begin. Our first stop is the archaeological site of Knossos. Discovered by Arthur Evans and David George Hogard, Knossos is the largest Bronze age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest civilization. There you can walk within the ruins of the palace and learn about its historic importance as much as the myths and legends surrounding it (Specialised guides are located in the site and can be hired for a tour with some extra charge). After our visit to the archaeological site of Knossos we will head  towards the highest peak of Giouhtas, following the dirt road through a beautiful pine forest, on the east side of the mountain. There, the small church of Christ the Lord is located, built in 1443. The view to the valley of Archanes, which is a vast vineyard, Psiloritis, Dikti and Heraklion, is amazing! You will also have the opportunity to search for herbs and observe the imposing vultures, that find refuge on the steep cliffs. Then we will drive to a local winery, where you will have the opportunity to experience a special wine tasting at the Fabrika Wine Experience, tracing step by step the process of winemaking, maturation and bottling of wine, while also getting acquainted with traditional wine making processes and tools such as the great cement tanks that hold the must during the fermentation period.
After your wine tasting experience, you will board the car and head towards a local tavern where you will enjoy the excellent Cretan cuisine.
Once you finish your meal and have a complimentary drink of raki, you will once again board the car and drive towards our last destination for the day, the Heraklion archaeological meuseum. Your return to Heraklion will be through the old road of Archanes - Heraklion, between beautiful vineyards and olive groves, which passes next to the Venetian aqueduct built in 1628 by Morozini where we will have a short stop for some pictures and for you to observe the structure in all its beauty. The arcaeological meuseum is one of the largest and most important museums in Europe because it houses representative artefacts that  span of  a period of 5500 years from the Neolithic Period to Roman times  with an emphasis to the Minoan art, with artefacts that are considered true masterpieces. As the day goes on and we depart from Heraklion’s archaeological museum, we will head back to the hotel, where the excursion will conclude.