The 15 Arkadi Monastery Tours near Rethymno That Earn Their Price

1.Quad Safari with Monastery, Malia Palace and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 232 reviews · 5 hours · from $93Our pick

Ride a 520cc quad from Malia through olive groves, mountain tracks, Vrahasi village, and the 16th-century Monastery of Saint George Vrahassotis. You’ll stop at an 800-year-old oak, eat lunch in Latsida, taste award-winning olive oil at Vasilakis Estate, and finish with a swim at Potamos Beach.

“Really good day, friendly instructors just all round really enjoyed ourselves. Good value for money would definitely recommend doing .. scenery is fantastic in the hills .. nice meal as well .”

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2.Arkadi, Melidoni, and Margarites Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 211 reviews · 10 hours · from $41

Spend a full day exploring rural Crete from Rethymno, with stops at Melidoni Cave, Margarites, Arkadi Monastery, an old olive oil mill, St. Antonios Gorge, and Fragma Potamon dam. Guides such as Anastasia and Nektarios bring local stories to life, while a family taverna adds food, music, and dancing.

“A fabulous thought inspiring day with the caves and monasteries and the lunch in the Tavern with Greek dancing was brilliant fun meeting lots of people of different nationalities. Our Driver Consta and our guide Anastasia were the absolute best very informative and fabulous fun they made the perfect day Thankyou”

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3.Melidoni Cave and Arkadi Monastery Half-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 120 reviews · 210 minutes - 6 hours · from $28Best value

Travel inland from Rethymno to Melidoni Cave, Arkadi Monastery, and the Fragma Potamon Dam with an English- or German-speaking guide. An optional Margarites pottery workshop adds local craft to the route. Pickup covers Rethymno and nearby resorts, though the day may run longer than advertised.

“The guide was very informative and answered any questions. My wife and I enjoyed the visit to the monastery. The coach was very cunfortable with plenty of room”

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4.Arkadi, Margarites, Melidoni Cave, and Axos

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 37 reviews · from $56

Travel from Rethymno into Crete’s mountain villages with an English-speaking guide. Visit Arkadi Monastery, shape pottery in Margarites, explore Melidoni Cave, and help make and taste cheese in Axos. Hotel pickup, transport, and homemade snacks are included.

“Informative and a great trip and the guide was fantastic”

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5.e-Bike Cycling Tour to Arkadi Monastery with Lunch included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $79Top rated

Join guide Michalis for a six-hour, small-group e-bike ride from Rethymno to Arkadi Monastery. The 44 km route includes coast roads, olive groves, village stops, monastery history, and a Cretan lunch in Kirianna. The e-bike makes the 500-meter climb manageable, but you still need to ride confidently.

“Undoubtedly the highlight of a brilliant Crete holiday was the tour to Arkadi Monastery organised and led by the knowledgeable and professional Michalis of ebikes Rethymno. Suitable for all ages and abilities we cycled round the Rethymnon countryside making several stops at significant sites to learn for example the importance of the olive industry in the local economy and to visit buildings of historical importance. Before returning we enjoyed a delicious lunch of local specialities in a taverna overlooking the bay.Read more”

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6.Pottery Village of Margarites – The monastery of Arkadi & The Gorge of Patsos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $357

Travel from Rethymno by private car or minibus to Margarites, where Yorgos demonstrates hand-thrown pottery. Explore Arkadi Monastery, hike to St. Anthony’s cave in Patsos Gorge, and enjoy a traditional tavern lunch. The six-hour tour includes admission, transport, and hotel pickup in the Rethymno district.

“Excellent and varied tour to the countryside (village, monastery and Amari valley) At Patsos gorge, nice hike along the river: depending on your ability, you can have an easy walk to the st anthony cave only or walk further out. Had an excellent lunch at a countryside taverna, excellent meatballs in a fragrant tomato sauce, goat and local cheese pastry with mint and honey desert! I recommend for a day out of the city!”

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7.Shore Explore Chania: City Charm, Beach, Monastery & Winetasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Set out at 10:00 with a private guide such as Elena, Victor, or Helen for Chania’s harbor and old town, Agia Triada Monastery with three wines, rusks and olive oil, then Marathi Beach. Air-conditioned transport, bottled water, child seats, pickup, and local tips are included.

“Elena was awesome. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Van was very comfortable for my party of 5 with good a/c The walking in the little downtown shopping area has a lot of history and they did a good job with very old and modern construction. Monastery was beautiful and you can buy wine and some treats as the Baklava. Beach was crowded but still find place for your towels, we didn’t have enough time to eat as the restaurant takes long time to take your order so do it with time. Overall, Elena did a great job explaining the history of the city. Highly recommend this tour!”

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8.Arkadi Monastery, Margarites Village & Melidoni Cave.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews

Travel by private vehicle with a professional driver and guide from your Chania or Rethymno hotel. Visit Arkadi Monastery, Margarites pottery village, Melidoni Cave, and Rethymno Old Town, with an Eleutherna history lesson along the way. The group fare covers up to six people.

“Freedom to roam around with lots of interesting stories/history. Cheap entry fee and cafe on site. Good for all ages”

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9.Plateau of Lassithi, Monastery of Kera and Ceramics

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 11 reviews · from $36

Spend about eight hours exploring Lassithi Plateau, Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, and Dictean Cave, linked to the birth of Zeus. Your local guide handles the route from north Crete, with air-conditioned transport, Wi-Fi, and a pottery workshop included. Guide Viola has led some departures in English and German.

“We booked the tour on a date which was available due to an error in their system, even if it shouldn't have been. The normal response of companies is to cancel the booking and write and apology. This company (and primarily the wonderful guide Viola) however sincerely apRead more”

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10.RIVIERA – Vai Palm Beach, Toplou Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $107

Travel east from Agios Nikolaos along the Gulf of Mirabello to Toplou Monastery and Vai Palm Forest. You’ll have time for swimming, an optional wine tasting, included Cretan lunch, and a sunset stop at Platanos. Guides such as George, Jorgos, and Olivier have led past departures.

“A Perfect Day at Kai Beach with George – Absolutely Unforgettable! 🌞🌊”

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11.e-Bike tour to Arkadi monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

Join Yannis or Panos for a small-group e-bike ride from Rethymno to Arkadi Monastery. Expect country lanes, traditional villages, steep climbs made easier by electric assistance, and stops such as a village café, military museum, or old ruined settlement. Helmets, vests, water, and a guide are included.

“heel rare situatie maar vond het supertof dat we eigenhandig terug mochten.onze begeleider zijn batterij was leeg en had platte band als we boven waren.arkadi is zeker de moeite”

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12.Chania Old Town, Public Market and Chrisopigi Monastery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from your Chania hotel, villa, cruise port, or another local address with a guide and driver. See the view from Venizelos Graves, walk Chania’s Old Town and public market, then visit Chryssopigi’s working women’s convent. Guides including Tatiana and Maria bring local context.

“Very informative and laid-back with a wonderful stop at a monastery. Seeing Shaniya was wonderful! Our guide Tatiana was exceptional and very accommodating. She provided an awful lot of information and facts that were great to hear. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour on the island of Crete.”

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13.Monastery – Ancient Olive tree & Museum-Cretan Brewery Private Tour from Chania

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews

Travel from Chania into the Cretan countryside with a private guide such as Christine or Thanasis. Visit Transfiguration Monastery, the ancient olive tree at Vouves, its small museum, and Cretan Brewery for Charma beer, coffee, and olive oil tastings.

“We had a wonderful private tour with this company and we were able to modify our tour to suit our interests. The service was exceptional from our pickup at the cruise terminal, our knowledgeable guide Christine, and the wonderful places we Read more”

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14.Chania Monasteries Private Tour: A Greek Orthodoxy Tribute

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 7.5 hours · from $176

Spend 7.5 hours with historian Apostolis visiting Byzantine church ruins, a rare underground chapel, old olive mills, active monasteries, and remote chapels around Chania and Akrotiri. Private transport, hotel pickup, snacks, and flexible stops are included.

“My wife and I went on the monastery tour and had an amazing experience. Apostolis is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. He took us to amazing monasteries and beautiful secluded churches that only the locals know about. We had as much time as we wanted at each location and he didn't rush us. He catered to our interests regarding monasteries as we enjoy the ones by the water. Apostolis told us stories, and unique facts about each place (that only a true historian would know) and made detours to suit our taste. A lovely conversationalist and good sense of humour that we Aussies enjoy. By the end of the tour, Apostolis…”

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15.Full-Day Tour to Vai Palm Beach, Toplou Monastery, and Sitia Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $58

Spend 11 to 12 hours exploring eastern Crete by air-conditioned coach. Visit Toplou Monastery with a guide, swim at Vai Palm Beach, and enjoy free time in Sitia. Pickup is offered from selected areas, but the long return journey and extra monastery, lunch, and sunbed costs matter.

“Grandioser Ausflug. Wir haben sehr viel gesehen. Vai und Sitia sind wunderschöne Orte. Immer wieder gerne würde ich es buchen.”

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