Full-day tour of Crete’s historic Knossos Palace and Heraklion
Home / Greece / Things to do in Crete / Full-day tour of Crete’s historic Knossos Palace and Heraklion
Excursions & day trips

Full-day tour of Crete’s historic Knossos Palace and Heraklion

4.3/5
Excellent
1159 reviews
from
$90.00
Free cancellation
Language: English
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: more than 8 hours
Entrance Fees Included
Fast track
Guided Tour
Instant confirmation
Tour with Audioguide
e-Voucher

This experience meets the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. By choosing this experience you can protect the places you love, care for the environment and support local communities.

Why you’ll love this…
  • It'll take you right back to the beginnings of European civilisation on a tour of Knossos Palace
  • You'll get fast-track access to the labyrinth of corridors leading to King Minos' original throne
  • The history-steeped streets of Heraklion's city centre are yours to wander on a guided walking tour
  • Heraklion's street markets are the ideal place to haggle over local treats and hand-made crafts
  • Your guide's a proud, local expert when it comes to the history and legends of Crete
What to expect

'The Palace of Knossos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Crete because it's where Europe's first civilisation began,' says Veta, one of our guides. A born and bred local, she knows a thing or two about the legends and myths surrounding the island's most popular attraction. You'll spend the day watching history come to life as you tour the grounds of the palace, before crossing over to Heraklion for some free time in the capital.

Once the hub of Crete's Minoan civilisation, Knossos Palace sits in the heart of what's considered to be Europe's oldest settlement. You'll enjoy a guided tour around its treasures, stopping by the throne room, royal apartments, frescoes and more. And with fast-track access, there's no waiting around in queues.

It's then time to head to Heraklion, the island's capital. See the 17th-century Morozini Lions fountain and the 400-year-old Venetian Loggia – which is still the city hall – during a short guided walk around the city centre. We'll round the day off by taking you to the open markets for some free time. Poke around stalls laden with hand-made trinkets and fresh local produce or stop off for a coffee at a local café for some people watching. Other must-sees include the Koule Fortress and the Church of Agios Titos.

Read more
crete
Crete Discover more experiences
What's included
  • check Transport
  • check Guide
  • check Admission to Palace of Knossos
  • check Knossos App provided for a 360-degree virtual view of Knossos
  • check Audio headset guide
What to remember
  • Just so you know, Crete is a large island with many resorts and hotels dotted along the coast. Because of this, the transfer time on this tour could be up to 2.5 hours each way, depending on your hotel's location and traffic conditions on the day
  • Knossos App allows guests to see a 360º and 3D view of the archaeological site
  • There's a donation towards the preservation of Knossos Palace for every excursion sold
  • This is a very popular and in-demand activity. Expect higher levels of attendance during July and August
  • Bring your passport or official EU identification
  • Not suitable for guests with reduced mobility
Read more
Provider
TUI Hellas Travel, Tourism and Airlines SA, with Tax Number 094469778 and Travel License Number 0261Ε60000126100
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.3 /5

Based on 1159 reviews from verified customers

Review categories

Service

4.1/5

Staff

4.1/5

Safety

4.1/5

Value for money

4.2/5

50%
36%
11%
2%
1%

Sort by:

  • M

    Mark Lewis

    Verified booking

    5
    October 24, 2025

    Traveled as a couple

    Excellent guide who provided excellent support and incredible intresting information. Thanks to her, everything was well organised . The major problem for traveling from Easter crete( Elounda) is the time it took to get to Knossos ith all the pick ups..2 hrs, ridiculous really. TUI shoulsurely divide into smaller groups whatever the economics

  • M

    Mikey

    Verified booking

    3.4
    October 9, 2025

    Traveled as a couple

    Knossos was the highlight of the tour although it is a very popular destination and it was very crowded. I don’t think it suits a large group like ours as you are shuffling single file through the crowds and often lose the signal of the guides audio. Quite often the guide in front was talking about something that the last of the group were minutes behind. We had a double decker bus and some of the group had been on for an hour before it picked us up the an 1.5 hrs to the first location.

  • N

    Nancy

    Verified booking

    3.8
    October 9, 2025

    Traveled as a couple

    Tour guide Maria was very knowledgeable and friendly. The palace has a fantastic history however there was no time after the tour to explore on your own. Would have preferred an hour or so after and less time in Heraklion. We queued for a long time to view the throne room only to feel pushed through due to it being so busy which took up a lot of the tour time.

  • D

    Diana

    Verified booking

    4.6
    October 9, 2025

    Traveled as a couple

    The guide ( Popi ?) Was superb. Very knowledgeable and experienced. Driver great too. More toilets at Knossos itself then more time would be free !!

  • S

    Sara R

    Verified booking

    4.2
    October 7, 2025

    Traveled as a couple

    Bobi, our guide was absolutely excellent. The facilities at Knossus are not good and this wasn't explained until everyone has been picked up, it was hard to prepare. Also, lots in Heraklion is closed on a Tuesday, not a disaster, but again, helpful to know in advance.

  • I

    Ian mcdougall

    Verified booking

    5
    October 6, 2025

    Traveled with family

    To rushed at the palace

1 / 194

You might also like

Serviço VIP e Lounge do Aeroporto de Heraklion
Extras

Serviço VIP e Lounge do Aeroporto de Heraklion

Facilite sua espera no aeroporto com nosso serviço de aeroporto VIP. Evite todos os aborrecimentos habituais, pois você é rastreado rapidamente através do check-in e da segurança para desfrutar de bebidas ilimitadas, lanches, Wi-Fi e muito mais na sala de embarque exclusiva. Uma forma totalmente mais descontraída de terminar a sua estadia.

free cancellation
Confirmação Instantânea

4.4/5

(314)

from:
€52.00
Tour de áudio autoguiado de Spinalonga em seu telefone
Atividades

Tour de áudio autoguiado de Spinalonga em seu telefone

Compre este tour de áudio da Ilha Spinalonga para download em seu smartphone! Explore no seu próprio ritmo, ouça histórias fascinantes e obtenha ótimas informações sobre a ilha!

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

from:
€11.99
Parque Amazonas e Passeio de Barco com Fundo de Vidro
Atividades

Parque Amazonas e Passeio de Barco com Fundo de Vidro

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en 

4.4/5

(61)

from:
€66.00
Parque Aquático Heraklion Watercity com Transfer
Bilhetes e eventos

Parque Aquático Heraklion Watercity com Transfer

Um dia no parque aquático é a atividade de férias em família definitiva. A mistura de emoções de alta octanagem e diversão relaxante significa que há algo para todos e para todos os gostos. E esse é o parque aquático temático Watercity em detalhes.

free cancellation
Taxas De Entrada Incluídas

4.1/5

(68)

from:
€37.50
Tour pelo Mercado de Agios Nikolaos e Reserva Natural do Parque Amazonas
Excursões e passeios de um dia

Tour pelo Mercado de Agios Nikolaos e Reserva Natural do Parque Amazonas

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en 

3.7/5

(19)

from:
€39.00
Passeio pela cidade e mercado de Rethymnon
Excursões e passeios de um dia

Passeio pela cidade e mercado de Rethymnon

Com bastante tempo livre para explorar no seu próprio ritmo, esta viagem matinal para a romântica cidade de Rethymnon é tão relaxante quanto parece. Você viajará pela costa oeste de Creta até Rethymnon, onde descobrirá história, arquitetura e charme aos montes.

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en 

4.2/5

(14)

from:
€39.00
Passeio em família pelas montanhas de Creta com o Parque Mitológico
Atividades

Passeio em família pelas montanhas de Creta com o Parque Mitológico

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en, fr, nl 

4.5/5

(20)

from:
€94.00
Visita guiada à Ilha Spinalonga com almoço
Excursões e passeios de um dia

Visita guiada à Ilha Spinalonga com almoço

A pequena ilha de Spinalonga fica a apenas um pulo de Creta, mas uma visita é como voltar no tempo. Séculos de história estão reunidos dentro dos muros que a cercam. Veja-a pelos olhos de um verdadeiro local nesta excursão de dia inteiro pelos seus monumentos imperdíveis.

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

4.5/5

(277)

from:
€94.00
Passeio 4x4 pelas montanhas de Creta com almoço em taverna
Atividades

Passeio 4x4 pelas montanhas de Creta com almoço em taverna

Prepare-se para sair da estrada nessa aventura 4x4 cheia de adrenalina que vai te tirar do radar. Explore as partes mais rurais de Creta e a bela natureza enquanto você viaja pelas montanhas nessa excursão para grupos pequenos.

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en, fr, nl 

4.7/5

(1994)

from:
€94.00
Malia Scene Pass
Atrações e visitas guiadas

Malia Scene Pass

Looking to let loose in Malia? We got you. Bag your Scene Pass for access to the some of Crete's best nights out, including pool parties, beachside raves and more...

free cancellation
Confirmação Instantânea
from:
€79.00