Crete · RETHYMNO TOURS

The 15 Best Rethymno Tours & Day Trips

62 tours  ·  from $10

Rethymno is the quiet middle of Crete, with gorges behind it and Preveli beach an hour south. These 15 cover the walks, the beach runs and the safaris, each priced and clear about how much of it is driving.

Crete: Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip - Morning pickup from Crete’s eastern resorts
1-Day Tours, Chania Tours, Lake Kournas Trips, Rethymno Tours, Tour Reviews

Crete: Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

1.Rethimno, Chania, and Kournas Lake Day Trip

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

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 Rethymno: Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide - The early pickup and mountain road to Omalos
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From Rethymno: Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide

2.Samaria Gorge Full-Day Trek, Pickup & Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,610 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $37

Travel from Rethymno to Omalos, then walk Samaria Gorge at your own pace with a multilingual mountain escort. Expect rocky downhill paths, ancient trees, springs, wild goats, and a ferry from Agia Roumeli. Guides such as Pia, George, and Alexandra have been praised for clear instructions and personal care.

“Long day, but great. Well managed and organised. Pia was a fantastic guide with incredible language skills. She managed the group really well.”

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From Rethymno: Half-Day Quad Bike Safari - Pickup, briefing, and choosing your quad
Crete Quad Safaris, Half-Day, Quad Bikes, Quad Safaris in Rethymno, Rethymno Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews

From Rethymno: Half-Day Quad Bike Safari

3.Half-Day Quad Bike Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,444 reviews · 4 hours · from $70

From Rethymno, share an automatic quad or pay extra for your own, then follow guides such as Nikolas and Jorgos into the Maroulas mountains. Expect mountain roads, gravel tracks, shallow water, tight turns, dust, a traditional café, Lake Potami views, Prassies, water, and sandwiches.

“What an amazing experience! We had such a fantastic time, neither of us had used a quad bike before. The friendly instructor gave us a brief introduction to the quads and off we went. The terrain ranged from roads to gravel tracks and even some water! Very highly recommended, it's great fun. :)”

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From Chania/Rethymno: Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup - Early pickup from Chania or Rethymno
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From Chania/Rethymno: Samariá Gorge Guided Hike with Pickup

4.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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From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonissi Pink Sand Beach Tour - Reaching the beach and finding the pink sand
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From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonissi Pink Sand Beach Tour

5.Elafonissi Pink Sand Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 989 reviews · 11 hours · from $31

Spend a full day reaching Elafonissi from Rethymno or Kavros by air-conditioned bus. Guides such as Lazarus, Anastasia, and Janis share Crete stories, while stops in Elos and traditional villages break up the mountain drive. You get four hours at the beach, though the walk from the bus takes about 20 minutes each way.

“Everything was excellent! Guide Janis and driver Kostas was super team! We learned so much about Crete on the rode ! Thanks, and good luck for them !”

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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

6.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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From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach Tour - The coach ride through Topolia Gorge
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From Rethymno/Kavros: Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach Tour

7.Elafonisi Island Pink Sand Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 799 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $28

Ride from Rethymno or Kavros through Topolia Gorge and old villages to Elafonisi. You get about four hours for swimming and pink sand, plus stops in Topolia and Elos. Guides may include Takis, Stella, Giannis, or Taki, with English, German, and French available.

“Everything was perfectly organised and our guide was wonderful! The breaks at the tavern were convienient. We had a great trip! We went during high season so the beach was very crowded and no sunbeds available easily during the time, but it was definitely worth a visit!”

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Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra - The boat from Kissamos and what the day feels like
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Rethymno Area: Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

8.Gramvousa Island & Balos, Boat Ticket Extra

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 594 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $20

Travel from Rethymno to Kissamos by air-conditioned bus, then cruise to Gramvousa and Balos. You get time for swimming and photos at both stops, plus an optional climb to the Venetian fortress. English, German, and French guides are available on selected days, with pickup from many nearby resorts.

“The trip was overally very nice. Logistically-wise everything was very good organised, both the bus and the boat were on time all the time. The only minor issue was the boat. It was very loaded with people and sometimes you would need to stand for the entire ride. Also, the bar on boat was super crowded and you had to wait 20-25 min to get a bottle of water. Both Gramvousa and Balos were very beautiful.”

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Rethymno: Sunset Cruise on a Wooden Pirate Boat - Boarding Captain Hook at Rethymno port
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Rethymno: Sunset Cruise on a Wooden Pirate Boat

9.Sunset Cruise on a Wooden Pirate Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 581 reviews · 1 hour · from $29

Board the wooden pirate boat Captain Hook at Rethymno port for a one-hour sunset cruise past the Venetian Port and Fortezza Castle. You will see the Cretan mountains and city lights from the water, with one beer or soft drink included. Bring a jacket and arrive 30 minutes early.

“Got a little seasick on the small boat but it was okay. Didnt know beforehand. The cruise was amazing during sunset tho!”

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Half-Day Rethymno Quad Safari - Starting with safety, helmets, and quad instruction
Chania Tours, Crete Quad Safaris, Half-Day, Quad Safaris in Rethymno, Rethymno Tours, Safari, Tour Reviews

Half-Day Rethymno Quad Safari

10.Half-Day Rethymno Quad Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 494 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $72Top rated

Take a guided ATV ride from Rethymno through Potami Dam, Prassano Gorge, mountain tracks, and rural villages. Expect paved and rough off-road surfaces, dust, steep sections, a lakeside cafe stop, Cretan snacks, water, helmets, and hotel transfers within 30 kilometers.

“Drove on various terrain, smooth, rough, very rough and even went through water. Enjoyed every bit of it especially the breathtaking scenery when we reached the top of the mountain. Our Guide was excellent, constantly making sure that everyone was okay. Health & Safety is top priority! I would definitely recommend to all to try and I know I will definitely be back!”

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Rethymno: Sunset Catamaran Cruise - Sushi & Open Bar - The First Hour: Open Sea, Shade, and Snacks
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Rethymno: Sunset Catamaran Cruise – Sushi & Open Bar

11.Sunset Catamaran Cruise – Sushi & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 446 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $100

Sail from Rethymno on the 25-person catamaran Karina for 3.5 hours of swimming, SUP, snorkeling, sushi, Cretan snacks, and Greek wine. The English-speaking crew, including Nana, Yannis, Banos, and Sepdos, finishes the trip with sunset views near Geropotamos Beach.

“Host was incredible, atmosphere was amazing. Could not recommend this trip more!!!”

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Crete: Chania, Lake Kournas and Rethymno Tour - The coach ride from Heraklion’s resort belt
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Crete: Chania, Lake Kournas and Rethymno Tour

12.Chania, Lake Kournas and Rethymno Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 408 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $44

Spend a long day touring western Crete by air-conditioned coach, with free time in Chania and Rethymno plus swimming or pedalo rides at Lake Kournas. Hotel-area pickup, a live guide and a $44 price make this a useful car-free introduction to the island.

“excellent dqy trip. all well organised. chania and lake kournas were the highlights of the day and were incredible. would highly recommend this trip”

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From Rethymno: Spili, Agia Galini, and Matala Tour - Spili and its lion-head fountains
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From Rethymno: Spili, Agia Galini, and Matala Tour

13.Spili, Agia Galini, and Matala Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 391 reviews · 10 hours · from $33

Travel south from Rethymno by air-conditioned bus with an English or German-speaking guide. See Spili’s lion-head fountains, spend three hours at Matala Beach and its Minoan-era caves, then explore Agia Galini’s harbor for 90 minutes. Guides such as Anastasia and Lazarus add local stories along the way.

“My wife and I had an excellent day and we were well looked after by Anastasia and Kosta.”

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From Rethymno/Chania: Imbros Gorge Hike - Breakfast Before the Trailhead
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From Rethymno/Chania: Imbros Gorge Hike

14.Imbros Gorge Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 353 reviews · 8 hours · from $30

Walk downhill through Imbros Gorge with an English-speaking guide, passing narrow rock walls and historic landmarks before reaching Komitades. Afterward, enjoy free time in Sfakia for a swim, seaside meal, or Venetian-fortress views. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“Very nice guide with a very relaxing voice :) Hike was lovely and it’s such a beautiful experience - to walk through the gorge from the mountains to the seaside.”

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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

15.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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