Knossos Palace, Museum & Rethymno city Private Tour from Chania

From $563.92 per group Lowest Price Guarantee

Select Date and Travelers

You can select up to 15 travelers in total.

Traveler (0-120) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 15

Book online or call: +1 437 970 2890

Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Inclusions / Exclusions

Mobile ticket
Private transportation
WiFi on board
Public liability insurance
Sandwiches, Cretan pastries in a snack box
Guided tour in the palace (if option selected)
USB charging ports in van
Cold soft drinks, juice, beer, wine, bottled water
Air-conditioned vehicle
Audiovisual presentation of Cretan customs in van

Entrances to Knossos Palace: Ticket 15€ & Archaeological museum: Ticket 12€
Gratuities

Overview

During this day trip, we explore the oldest civilization of Europe, the Minoan palace of Knossos, which is connected with thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur and the story of Daidalos and Ikaros. Our next stop is the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, one of Europe’s most important museums, where we admire more than 15000 artefacts. Afterwards, we have the chance to wander around Rethymno and discover the picturesque routes and the historical monuments of the city.

Itinerary

The Palace of Knossos

Knossos, the heart of the Minoan civilization, lies 5 km southeast of Heraklion, in the valley of the river Kairatos. Crete’s most famous historical attraction, he site is considered to be the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on the island and is referred to as the oldest city in Europe. Knossos was first inhabited by a Neolithic settlement in the seventh century BC. It stayed inhabited for several thousands of years until it was finally abandoned in 1375 BC after its destruction, which marked the end of Minoan civilisation. In 1878, the first large-scale excavation was undertaken by the wealthy art-lover Minos Kalokairinos, while Crete was still under Turkish occupation. This was followed by the long-term excavations (1900-1913 and 1922-1930) of Sir Arthur Evans, who uncovered the whole surrounding area of Knossos.

1 hour 30 minutes
Heraklion Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is one of the largest and most visited museums in Greece. It is also among the most important museums in Europe. It is home to artefacts from all the periods of Cretan prehistory and history. The exhibitions cover a chronological span of over 5,500 years from the Neolithic period to Roman times. The Minoan collection contains unique examples of Minoan art, many of them true masterpieces. The Archaeological Museum is located in the centre of Heraklion and was built between 1937 and 1940 by the architect Patroklos Karantinos. It was built on a site previously occupied by the Roman Catholic monastery of Saint-Francis which was destroyed by earthquake in 1856. The colors and construction materials used in the building, are similar to certain Minoan wall-paintings.

1 hour
Rethymnon

Rethymno is situated at the northern coast of Crete about in the middle between the two large cities Chania (58 km West) and Heraklion (79 km East). It is the only town on the island, which is built on a cape. There are two sides of Rethymno offering two styles of visit: the endless big beach and the old town with its mix of architecture and history. The large Venetian castle “Fortezza”, which dominates the city, countless orthodox and catholic churches, mosques, the old lighthouse, majestic mansions of Venetian architecture, arches and cobbled paths, which create a magical atmosphere, have inspired thousands of visitors to pause and take a picture.

1 hour

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Free Cancellation

April 27100% refund

April 28No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

42 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

5 stars

42
4 stars

0
3 stars

0
2 stars

0
1 star

0

We perform checks on reviews

We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 42 reviews with 5 stars

Wonderful experience

Published on Oct, 2024

Our driver, Thanos, and tour guides Christine, and Thalia at Knossos, were all amazing and accommodating. We had an on-time pickup at our hotel in Chania. Smooth drive with videos and good conversation to Knossos. The tour there was wonderful. I’m a history buff but the private tour and passion about the subject also got my mom and wife excited to learn more about the ancient Minoan civilization. It pairs very well with the museum in Heraklion immediately after. They provide a nice boxed lunch that was surprisingly tasty and unique to Crete. We also stopped in Rethymno shortly and made a second stop in Rethymno, per our request, to see their local University. We made it back a bit early, which was great for us. Very comfortable and well worth the money for the private experience.

Amazing Experience

Published on Oct, 2024

Awesome experience, worth every penny spent. Highly recommend taking this private tour. Crete is beautiful and amazing; the cultural, the history and mythology. In addition you learn a few words in Greek to enhance your trip.

Knossos archeological site - a great experience!

Published on Sep, 2024

Six of us friends took the trip to the Knossos ruins and the associated museum. Christine and the driver were fabulous. They picked us up at the villa we were staying at in Chania and transported us safely to the sites. Christine was very informative about the history of Crete during the drive. At the Knossos site, we were met by a very informative archeologist that provided extensive detail about the history of the Minoan people and the Knossos site itself. On the way back, Christine arranged for an impromptu fun and informative olive oil tasting at a local olive oil factory. Overall we had a great experience and would highly recommend Christine and the SeabyBus for this experience.

Best tour ever —and company!!

Published on Sep, 2024

Best trip and provider of our 3 month holiday!! SeaByBus is wonderful-great driver, excellent guide and they go above and beyond to make the trip amazing and comfortable. We even did another one with them the next day. Highly recommend.

Great day trip from Chania

Published on Sep, 2024

Amazing, knowledgeable and personable staff. We had a great time at Knossos palace and the museum. After that, Christine + Thanasis suggested a beautiful taverna and we spent some hours listening to the sea and eating great food- fun was had by all