Crete · 1-DAY TOURS

15 Full-Day Trips in Crete to Build a Day Around

27 tours  ·  from $10

Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 full-day trips justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.

Crete: Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island - Agios Nikolaos and the lake
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Crete: Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

1.Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,416 reviews · 8 - 11 hours · from $44Our pick

Spend 8 to 11 hours exploring northeastern Crete with guides such as Manos, Helena, Alexandra, or Alkistis. Visit Agios Nikolaos and Elounda, cruise to Spinalonga, walk its former leper settlement, and swim from the boat on the return. Transport and boat tickets are included, but the €20 island entry fee is extra.

“Lovely day communication from travel company very good re pick up. Guide informative, again clear communication re timings and where to meet. Ample time at each stop. Very warm at Spinalonga, enjoyable swim in sea on the way back. Good value, well organised enjoyable day”

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From Chania: Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach - Coffee, breakfast, and a taste of village Crete
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From Chania: Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

2.Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,014 reviews · 450 minutes - 12 hours · from $38

Travel from Chania to Elafonisi with an English, German, or Danish-speaking guide, stopping in Topolia Gorge and Elos before four hours on the beach. Guides such as Simona and Joanne add local stories, while hotel pickup, a modern coach, and a village lunch stop keep the long day simple.

“It was very good trip to a one of the best beaches in the world🏖️ A road to Elafonisi was with excited views and intresting stories about Crete from our guide👍”

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Crete: Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip - Morning pickup from Crete’s eastern resorts
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Crete: Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

3.Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,694 reviews · 10 - 14 hours · from $45

Travel from Crete’s east to its handsome west coast with a multilingual guide such as Michael or Elena. You get free time in Rethymno and Chania, then a relaxed stop at freshwater Lake Kournas. Hotel pickup, transport, and guiding are included, but food and drinks are not.

“I thought this was excellent. A great opportunity to see more of Crete (especially if, like myself, you were based in Malia to the east, and don’t have a license to be able to hire a car!) Everything was prompt; the guide was friendly and approachable and all instructions (like timings) were made clear to us. I’m a bit of a budding photographer and both of these towns were so photogenic (a bonus if you’re a bit cat obsessed, like me, for there are plenty of stray cats to snap!) I’ve heard people mention that it would be possible to remove the lake from the visit but I actually enjoyed…”

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Rethymno: Preveli Beach Damnoni Beach Kourtaliotiko Day Trip - Kourtaliotiko Gorge and the waterfall walk
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Rethymno: Preveli Beach Damnoni Beach Kourtaliotiko Day Trip

4.Preveli Beach Damnoni Beach Kourtaliotiko Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 929 reviews · 9 - 11 hours · from $25

Travel from Rethymno with guides such as Barbara, Stella, or Alex to Kourtaliotiko Gorge, Damnoni Beach, Preveli’s palm forest, and Plakias. Expect a full 9 to 11 hours, comfortable bus transport, several swims, a short but steep gorge walk, and extra costs for the boat and gorge entrance.

“I was really impressed about the whole experience. First things first, Barbara, our guide, was super! All locations are really beautiful, perfect schedule and timings, super comfy transportation and really good driver. Great value for money also! I highly recommend this particular day trip to anyone that wants to see some amazing spots of Crete.”

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Elafonissi Beach Day Trip from Chania -Stop in Elos Village - The coach ride through western Crete
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Elafonissi Beach Day Trip from Chania -Stop in Elos Village

5.Elafonissi Beach Day Trip from Chania -Stop in Elos Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 744 reviews · 10 hours · from $37

Spend four hours at Elafonissi Beach, then stop in Elos Village for optional Cretan food. An English-speaking guide such as Ingrid or Helena shares local details while a skilled driver handles Crete’s narrow mountain roads. Hotel-area pickup, air-conditioned transport, and drop-off are included.

“We didn’t have to drive, stops along the way, information about the area”

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Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket - The boat ride through western Crete
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Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket

6.Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 590 reviews · 12 hours · from $64

Spend a full day sailing from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island, with air-conditioned transport from Chania-area pickup points. Swim in shallow turquoise water, see the Dimitrios P shipwreck, and climb to Gramvousa’s Venetian fortress. Guides such as Vicky, Irene, and Eva are often praised for clear help.

“Everything was well-organized. Even though it was plenty of other people on boat our guide Vicky was always visible and even gave her number. She was supernice🧡🤗 Everything was explained perfectly. Balos was gorgeous, with crystal clear water and pink sand. Gramvousa nice to see, but it didn’t wanted to hike, that’s why enjoyed the beach, the only issue, there were lots of slippery stones, i guess it’s better to bring special water shoes for this I remember i was scared to return back from sea, but one kind woman noticed me and helped me 💛”

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Chania: Elafonisi Beach Day Trip with Elos Stop and Transfer - The Chania pickup and the first hour on the road
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Chania: Elafonisi Beach Day Trip with Elos Stop and Transfer

7.Elafonisi Beach Day Trip with Elos Stop and Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 306 reviews · from $32

Travel from Chania to Elafonisi by air-conditioned coach, with commentary from guides such as Dimitris or Daphne. You get roughly four hours at the beach, a short coffee break, and an Elos village stop for local food. Hotel pickup, transport, and drop-off are included.

“Excellent day trip, we enjoyed the guide giving lots of history of Crete whilst we were on the coach. We also liked the extra stop on the way to and from Elafonisi.”

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From Rethymno: Full- or Half-Day Trip to Chania - Morning pickup from Rethymno and the ride west
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From Rethymno: Full- or Half-Day Trip to Chania

8.Full- or Half-Day Trip to Chania

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 298 reviews · from $27

Ride from Rethymno to Chania with hotel pickup, a multilingual guide, and about five hours to explore independently. Walk the old town, see the Venetian Port, visit museums, shop for local goods, and stop for Greek coffee or lunch. Private and small-group options are available.

“Chania is one of those must visit places. The five hours was plenty of time to take in the main sites, visit the Maritime Museum and find lunch. This is a great excursion for shopping and souvenir buying, particularly if you are looking for more variety. They provide a little map of the main sites and streets which is useful. All very efficient in pick ups and drop offs.”

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From Rethymno: Full-Day Trip to Santorini by Boat - Getting to the Rethymno port
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From Rethymno: Full-Day Trip to Santorini by Boat

9.Full-Day Trip to Santorini by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 279 reviews · 13 hours · from $243

Take a high-speed ferry from Rethymno to Santorini, then explore Oia and Fira by air-conditioned bus with a multilingual guide. You get about 105 minutes in Oia and two hours in Fira, plus an optional caldera boat ride. It is a long, busy day, but an efficient first look at Santorini.

“Santorini is a beautiful place to visit. It was extremely busy and the capital Thira was a good choice for lunch and enjoying the scenery.”

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Heraklion: Santorini Day Trip with Boat Transfer & Oia Visit - Oia: the famous view with a crowd attached
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Heraklion: Santorini Day Trip with Boat Transfer & Oia Visit

10.Santorini Day Trip with Boat Transfer & Oia Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 269 reviews · 11 hours · from $199

You’ll cross from Heraklion to Santorini by SeaJets high-speed boat, then tour Oia and Fira by air-conditioned bus with an English, French, German, or Polish-speaking guide. Expect spectacular caldera views, free time in Fira, crowds in Oia, and an optional €20 volcano boat ride.

“Onze gids kon Nederlands en was heel aardig en vertelde enthousiast veel over het eiland. Oia zelf was heel erg druk zoals verwacht. De 2e stad vonden wij persoonlijk veel gezelliger en leuker om te winkelen. Jammer was wel dat de optie voor vulkaan bezoek van de tijd zou gaan dus hierom hebben wij er niet voor gekozen omdat de tijd al niet erg veel was. Verder mooie dag gehad.”

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From Rethymno/Chania: Day Trip to Preveli Palm Beach - Hotel pickup and the long ride south
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From Rethymno/Chania: Day Trip to Preveli Palm Beach

11.Day Trip to Preveli Palm Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 220 reviews · from $9Best value

Travel from Rethymno or Chania to Preveli with hotel pickup, a guide, and a scenic boat ride from Damnoni. You’ll have free time for swimming, the palm forest, and Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Guides such as Spiro and Michael add local stories, but the boat ticket costs extra.

“Our tour guide Spiro was very kind, helpful and caring and host!”

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Heraklion: Gramvousa Island Day Trip & Balos Beach - The early coach ride from Heraklion to Kissamos
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Heraklion: Gramvousa Island Day Trip & Balos Beach

12.Gramvousa Island Day Trip & Balos Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 206 reviews · 11 - 15 hours · from $47

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Heraklion to Kissamos, then cruise to Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon. You get time to hike to the Venetian fortress, swim from the island, and relax beside clear water. Guides may include Valeria, Lydia, or Kostas, depending on the departure.

“The trip was very well organised. The guide and the driver were very kind and helpful.”

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Day Trip To Heraklion City Center & Market & CretAquarium - Starting at Pateles market
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Day Trip To Heraklion City Center & Market & CretAquarium

13.Day Trip To Heraklion City Center & Market & CretAquarium

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 205 reviews · 7 hours · from $23

Travel by air-conditioned bus from eastern Crete to Heraklion’s Pateles market, city center, Venetian port and Koules Fortress, then visit Cretaquarium in Gournes. A multilingual guide, hotel pickup and return are included. Bring cash for food, shopping and the aquarium ticket.

“It was fantastic our guide was so clear explain for as lots of informations and history about the Crete culture we love it .”

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From Chania/Kalyves: Full-Day Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip - The early pickup and ride to Omalos
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From Chania/Kalyves: Full-Day Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip

14.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Hiking Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 162 reviews · from $32

Join Io Tours for a 14-hour Samaria Gorge day trip from Chania or Kalyves. Guides such as Pari and Dafne lead you through an 18-kilometre gorge at your own pace, then you get time for lunch and a swim in Agia Roumeli before the ferry and bus ride home.

“Incredible hike, challenging and hot but very picturesque. Dafne the guide was great. Clear instructions, earned trust quickly. Wear very sturdy shoes, preferably hiking boots. Steep descent of 1,700m isn’t kind to the fittest of legs/ankles. Lots of scree, uneven ground, small river crossings and rock hopping. Plenty of clean spring water, rest areas and toilets on the way. Food at the end was incredible. Pack snacks, lunch as there is no food during the hike. Most of the hike is in shade and there was a coolish breeze comi n up the gorge which was refreshing. Agia Roumelli beach where you finish isn’t the nicest of Crete beaches but…”

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From Heraklion: Day Trip to Matala Hippie Beach and Caves - The coach ride from Heraklion
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From Heraklion: Day Trip to Matala Hippie Beach and Caves

15.Day Trip to Matala Hippie Beach and Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 148 reviews · 8 hours · from $37

Travel by coach from Heraklion to Matala, then spend about four hours swimming, eating by the sea, exploring the former Roman tombs, and walking the colorful town. A multilingual guide provides commentary during the journey, while the cave entrance costs extra.

“Guide agréable, visite en autonomie, très jolie ville dans son décor hippie et visite des grottes super sympa (prévoir de bonnes chaussures, ça grimpe!). Bus peu confortable pour 1h30 environ de route.”

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New in 1-Day Tours

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★ 4.6Agios Nikolaos, Kritsa and Amazonas Park Day TripFrom $6111 reviews
★ 4.0Preveli Beach and Plakias Full-Day Trip From RethymnoFrom $2659 reviews
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Crete, coast by coast

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On foot

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