The 15 Best Chania Tours & Day Trips

From Kissamos Port: Boat Cruise to Balos Lagoon & Gramvousa - The crossing from Kissamos Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6,755 reviews · 7 hours · from $47Our pick

Sail from Kissamos Port to Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon on a large, comfortable ferry. Swim in clear water, hike to a Venetian castle, see a shipwreck and cave, and buy food aboard. The route may reverse, and Balos landing conditions can vary.

“Fantastic, very well organised and the team on board worked hard to keep everything clean and tidy which given the size of the vessel and the number of passengers is a big task. We had a great trip. The food was delicious and it was great value. Balos and Gramvousa are incredibly beautiful. There are pros and cons to being on whats essentially a cruise ship vs a smaller boat. In this case I think they did it very well and I would recommend it. The only thing I would change is the music haha but hey some people like euro pop so fair enough.”

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From Chania: Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

2.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Trek Excursion & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,191 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $41

You’ll hike 17 rocky kilometers through Samaria Gorge with an English-speaking guide, then rest, swim, or eat in Agia Roumeli before a coastal ferry and bus return. Guides such as Sara and Christina help with pacing and safety, but you need strong shoes and good fitness.

“The tour guide and transportation were great! The gorge itself has too many people. Often, the foot path is only wide enough for one person. With so many people on the paths, some fast, some slow, it kind of sucks. Also, the bathrooms suck. For the amount of money the gorge park takes in, improve the lousy bathrooms.”

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From Chania: Day Trip to Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach

3.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

4.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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From Chania/Rethymno: Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup

5.Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,010 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Join an English-speaking guide such as Ingrid, Nikos, or George for Samaria Gorge’s rocky 16-kilometer descent. Pickup, bus transport, ferry tickets, and the €10 park entrance are separate. Walk at your own pace, then swim at Agia Roumeli before sailing to Sougia.

“This was an amazing hike, super easy with the hostel pick up/drop off. It was pretty busy at the start but not too bad if you get ahead of the crowds. We finished in about 3.5hrs and the ferry didn’t leave until 5pm, so we spent a while at the end - but there was a cute town and nice beach so no complaints! Would recommend.”

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Chania Areas/Kalyves:Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra

6.Gramvousa Island & Balos,Boat Tkt Extra

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 992 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $23Best value

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Chania, Kalyves, Almyrida, or nearby resorts to Kissamos, then cruise to Gramvousa and Balos. Swim, hike to the Venetian fortress, and enjoy guide-led logistics. Boat tickets cost extra on most Chania departures, so check the final price carefully.

“Sooooo beautiful place! I would only want to stay there a bit more (than 1h on Balos and 3h on Gramvousa) but apart from that it was an unforgettable experience :)”

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Chania: Balos Gramvousa Cruise with Transfer and Boat Ticket

7.Balos Gramvousa Cruise with Transfer and Boat Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 925 reviews · from $47

Spend a full day sailing from Kissamos to Gramvousa and Balos Lagoon, with hotel-area pickup from Chania. You get time to swim, hike to a Venetian castle, and enjoy the boat’s bar and open deck. Staff names praised by visitors include Elvira, George, and Hope.

“Everything worked according to the plan, the bus came at the indicated hours, an the ferry as well. is just that the food on the board is below average, so I recommend to get something packed from outside.”

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Cretan Safari – 4x4 Adventure to Preveli Beach with Lunch - Spili and the famous lion-head fountain

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Cretan Safari – 4×4 Adventure to Preveli Beach with Lunch

8.Cretan Safari – 4×4 Adventure to Preveli Beach with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 780 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $113Top rated

Spend 7.5 hours crossing Crete by 4WD Land Rover with guides such as Dionysus, Stavros, or Vasilis. Visit Spili, Karines, Prasses Gorge, Potamon Dam, Kourtaliotiko Gorge, and Preveli Beach, then enjoy a Cretan lunch with unlimited wine.

“Dionysius was great and really informative! We got to see lots of villages, learned a lot about Crete, it’s animals, plants, fruit and people.”

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Elafonissi Beach Day Trip from Chania -Stop in Elos Village

9.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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From Chania: Samaria Gorge with Professional Hiking Guide

10.Samaria Gorge with Professional Hiking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 720 reviews · 14 hours · from $37

Join an English-speaking guide and comfortable coach from Chania for the 16 km Samaria Gorge hike. Walk past the Iron Gates, refill water at springs, then swim and eat at Agia Roumeli before a scenic boat ride to Sougia. Guides such as Ingrid, Nikos, and Dimitris help keep the long day organized.

“I try think it would be better to write hidden costs of entry fee and ferry in description prior to paying. I would have still gone”

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Chania/Almyrida: Balos Gramvousa Day Trip with Boat Ticket

11.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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Stand -Up Paddleboard and Multi-Surprise Elements Tour in Crete

12.Stand -Up Paddleboard and Multi-Surprise Elements Tour in Crete

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 554 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $89

Paddle your own SUP across calm Marathi Bay with guides such as Stefanos, Marcello, Bobby, and Nick. Expect clear water, rock formations, swimming, a cave stop when conditions allow, cliff jumping, mud fun, safety gear, photos, and Chania-area transfers.

“We were in Crete for only a few hours during our cruise and booked this tour. We had the best time! My teenage boys are still talking about it. Stefanos and Marcelo were amazing guides. It was the most perfect day! We would highly recommend this tour. Thank you!!”

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Chania: Authentic Cooking Class in the White Mountains

13.Authentic Cooking Class in the White Mountains

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 529 reviews · 6 hours · from $129

Spend six hours traveling from Chania to a family home in the White Mountains. Guides such as Alex, Yannis, and Costa share Cretan history, while Maria leads a hands-on class using garden produce. Expect cheese, wine, sheep, mountain views, traditional dishes, and a generous meal.

“Our guide Alex was incredible! The vehicle was very nice!! I would highly recommend Alex and this cooking class.”

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From Heraklion: Cruise to Balos Lagoon and Chania Old Town

14.Cruise to Balos Lagoon and Chania Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 526 reviews · 14.5 - 16 hours · from $88

Join Cretan Odyssey for a full-day trip from Heraklion to Balos Lagoon and Chania. Guides speak English, German, French, Italian, and Polish. Expect a long coach ride, a five-hour cruise, swimming at Balos, and two hours in Chania’s old town.

“All transport comfortable and on time. Guide informative and helpful throughout day. Enough time to explore Chania and visit Balas beach, very worthwhile trip, beautiful areas. Bring a jumper for boat etc. Excursion was everything as described and well planned out. Would recommend!”

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Chania: Elafonisi Bus Trip with Free Time and Stop in Elos

15.Elafonisi Bus Trip with Free Time and Stop in Elos

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 512 reviews · from $31

Ride from Chania to Elafonisi with an English or Greek-speaking guide, stopping for local products and a one-hour meal break in Elos. You get about four hours at the beach for swimming, shallow lagoons, sand dunes, and free exploration. Guides may include Agnes, Teresa, or Daniel.

“Great trip. We met around 7/7:30 and set off to the location. We stopped at one place for a bathroom break at a honey place that did snacks/ice cream/drinks/pastry etc which was welcomed. Got to the beach around 10:30 (perfect time in our opinion as it wasn’t too busy - we could pitch up a spot happily). We stayed for 4 hours from drop off to set off, plenty of ice cream/drinks shops on the beach. 4 hours was perfect, could’ve stretched to 5 but was very hot. Sunbeds available to hire when we got there but quickly filled. Some people were late on the coach (not guides fault) and…”

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