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Heraklion Outdoor activities

Our most recommended Heraklion Outdoor activities

From Crete: Santorini Island Guided Tour

1. From Crete: Santorini Island Guided Tour

Enjoy a roundtrip tour to Santorini. Travel comfortably on a modern boat and in air-conditioned buses while learning about this island's history and mythology. Capture pictures of Santorini's famous Aegean architecture and narrow, winding streets.  Travel to Heraklion port where you will depart on a high-speed boat for Santorini. Enjoy ocean views on the 2.5-hour cruise to the island and pickup a snack from the bar onboard.  Arrive at Port Athinios and hop aboard the bus for the guided tour. Travel 40 minutes to Oia, where you will admire the blue and white houses built over the cliffs. Learn about the city before enjoying free time to admire the volcanic caldera at your own pace. Next, travel 30 minutes to Fira, the main town of Santorini, built on the edge of a 300-meter cliff. Check out its narrow streets, white vaulted houses, and bright blue domes. Have the option to take a cruise from Fira in a wooden boat to the volcano and hot springs (for an additional charge) or spend more time exploring the city. Return to Port Athinios where your guide will help you board the return ferry.  Take in the late-afternoon views on the boat before arriving at Heraklion port.

Heraklion: Half-Day Sailing Trip to Dia Island with Meal

2. Heraklion: Half-Day Sailing Trip to Dia Island with Meal

Set sail from the old Venetian Port of Heraklion to Dia Island on a yacht tour. Cruise through the Mediterranean Sea. Feel the wind on your skin, cool off in the sea by snorkeling and swimming, and enjoy a full meal onboard. After an hour of sailing, drop anchor at St George's Bay, the biggest bay on the island. Spend 2.5 hours there, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. With the snorkeling equipment that is available for everyone on board, explore the Mediterranean biodiversity and the remains of the ancient Minoans' port. Or use the fishing gear to try your hand at fishing, with respect to the local ecosystem. For the more adventurous, there is also a chance to walk the wild landscape of the island towards the chapel of Analipsi. Later, come back onboard for a taste of local cuisine. Sit on the deck, savor your meal, admire the scenic view, and listen to music.

Dia Dreamlike Sunset Sailing with dinner

3. Dia Dreamlike Sunset Sailing with dinner

Dia is an uninhabited island in the north of Crete which played an important role in navigation in antiquity, especially in the Minoan and medieval times. Enjoy sailing in clear tropical waters and warm sun! The yacht sails from the port of Heraklion and arrives in Dia after an hour. Once you get there, you will have free time to admire the natural beauty of the island and of course enjoy sunbathing and your swim in the crystal clear water. You will also have the opportunity to use the amateur fishing and swimming equipment as enjoy your meal on board and later the dreamlike sunset.

From Heraklion: Samaria Gorge & Agia Roumeli Hiking Day Trip

4. From Heraklion: Samaria Gorge & Agia Roumeli Hiking Day Trip

Take a hike through Samaria Gorge with pickup in Malia and Heraklion. Trek through this impressive gorge, known for being the longest in Europe. Make a stop at the Plateau of Omalos, admire the mountains of the gorge, and take an unforgettable journey through Cretan nature. Get picked up in the morning from your designated pickup point and head towards Omalos. Once there, make sure you have all the equipment and take the chance to buy some supplies before entering into the gorge. Begin the trek, and feel the impressiveness of the longest gorge in Europe. Take in the surrounding views of the White Mountains, admire the small river that runs through it, and catch sight of the Cretan wild goats, commonly known as Kri-Kri. At the exit, find yourself by the Libyan Sea in the village of Agia Roumeli. Explore this beautiful and isolated village, nestled between huge rocks and the expansive sea. Enjoy a relaxing and refreshing swim at the beach, and have some lunch in a small local tavern. Later, embark on a boat that takes you back to Chora Sfakion. There, catch the bus that returns back to the resort.

Agia Pelagia: Quad Safari-Family Tour

5. Agia Pelagia: Quad Safari-Family Tour

Begin the tour at the Peninsula Resort and Spa with a short theoretical introduction and a quad driving lesson before the adventure begins. Follow a beautiful off-road cliff path along the sea and into the heights of Achlada away from traffic and in the midst of the most beautiful nature the area has to offer. Enjoy breathtaking views over Agia Pelagia until reaching Heraklion, then continue to the ancient and abruptly abandoned ghost village of Achlada.  Find out more about the background of the village and the traditional Cretan way of life and share a special personal moment with the last two remaining inhabitants of the village. Stroll through this otherwise inaccessible village at leisure. From the heights of Achlada, pass in between the mountains surrounded by breathtaking nature before continuing to Fodele, a traditional Cretan village, also called the village of the oranges and birthplace of the famous painter El Greco.  Explore Crete’s culture and marvel at its local handicrafts. Take some time for shopping and a visit to the museum or to the village’s orthodox churches. Sit back and enjoy a famous freshly squeezed orange juice made from the local orange trees for a more relaxing experience. Return to the hotel at 1.00 p.m., just in time for lunch.

From Heraklion: Gramvousa and Balos Cruise with Hotel Pickup

6. From Heraklion: Gramvousa and Balos Cruise with Hotel Pickup

Start with pickup from Heraklion or the surrounding area. Drive over to Kastelli by bus to board your boat. Balos are Gramvousa are located on the West part of the island. Depending on the area your hotel is located is around 4 hours by bus to the place where the boats depart. Embark the boat from the village of Kasteli and head over to Balos Lagoon and enjoy plenty of time to swim in the quiet crystal clear waters, walk across the golden sand beach and soak in the sun as you relax. Cruise across the western Cretan sea and arrive at the tranquil Gramvousa. Swim along the coast and stroll up to the castle on the hill to admire panoramic views of the natural landscape as you hike up to that point. The drivers will be awaiting you at the port, in order to begin the drive back to Heraklion.

Crete: Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

7. Crete: Day Trip to Agios Nikolaos and Spinalonga Island

Embark on a full-day guided trip to northeastern Crete and take a boat trip to Spinalonga Island. Visit Agios Nikolaos with its famous lake, and explore the picturesque village of Elounda. Begin the day with the visit to Agios Nikolaos, and see the shore of Mirabello Bay. Explore the town, famous for the lake at its center and its shopping and cafes. Take your time for a walk to enjoy the views, enjoy some shopping or have a drink in one of the numerous cafes around the lake. Explore an open-air market on Wednesdays. Move on to see Elounda village, a former fishing village on the northern coast of the island. Depart from Elounda for the cruise to Spinalonga Island. Learn about the island's vibrant history, from a home for the Venetians and Turks to a place of isolation for those suffering from leprosy. Experience the island, more popular after the 2005 historical novel “The Island” about how lepers lived in Spinalonga. Join the hundreds of people who come to the island every day to visit and learn its history.

Black Rose Pirate Boat: 5-Hour Trip from Heraklion

8. Black Rose Pirate Boat: 5-Hour Trip from Heraklion

Embark on a multi-stop cruise from Heraklion to St. Georges Bay, Sissi, Stalis, and more. Hop on board the Black Rose pirate boat and enjoy a pirate-themed experience with face painting, music, dancing, and a BBQ meal. The Black Rose sails daily from the Port of Hersonissos through the clear waters of the Cretan Sea. The first stop on the trip is St. Georges Bay. You’ll have around 2 hours to swim and snorkel and explore the area. By the time you’re back on the boat, the pirate crew will have prepared a delicious BBQ meal for you to enjoy. Later, head for the coast of Malia and Stalis for the second swimming stop.

From Heraklion: Elafonisi Beach Day Tour with Pickup

9. From Heraklion: Elafonisi Beach Day Tour with Pickup

Spend 4.5 hours enjoying Elafonisi Island. Don't forget your camera, as you'll definitely want to capture this island's pink sandy beaches and clear Aegean waves. The day starts with pickup from a meeting point near your resort. Travel 4 hours to Elafonisi, taking in views of canyons, valleys, and hidden villages on the way. Learn more about Crete and its history from the local guide. Take 20-minute stop to stretch your legs or grab a quick breakfast before arriving to the destination. Once on the island, guests are free to take a swim in the clear waters, soak up the sun on the sandy beach, or chill and grab a drink at the snack bar. At the end of the visit, meet at the bus for the return trip to Heraklion. The journey will take approximately 4 hours, depending on traffic and your drop-off location.

Heraklion: Dia Island Sailing Tour with Lunch and Swimming

10. Heraklion: Dia Island Sailing Tour with Lunch and Swimming

Dia is an uninhabited island in the north of Crete which played an important role in navigation in antiquity, especially in the Minoan and medieval times. Enjoy sailing in clear tropical waters and warm sun! The yacht sails from the port of Heraklion and arrives in Dia after an hour. Once you get there, you will have free time to admire the natural beauty of the island and of course enjoy sunbathing and your swim in the crystal clear water. You will also have the opportunity to use the amateur fishing and swimming equipment as enjoy your meal on board.

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What people are saying about Heraklion

Highly recommend this Ecobike tour with wine tasting! We had never ridden ecobikes before, but we got used to them pretty quickly. Alex and Marina were very communicative prior to the tour. Marina was our guide for the day and we thought she was fantastic: friendly and informative. We stopped by three different restaurants in town to sample delicious mezzes and five glasses of wine. Because Marina is a professional sommelier, we learned a lot about local wines. Alex joined us at the last stop and they shared anecdotes and local recommendations; it felt like hanging out with friends and we had a blast!

The lake is cool, but perhaps not as beautiful as it is depicted in photographs (that being said I did see it on quite an overcast day). However, the towns were absolutely lovely and I really enjoyed just strolling through and exploring a different side of Crete! Really loved the guide as well!

The boat trip is very long takes 3 hours to get there, it can be busy with tourists etc when you get there. However it was a good trip and definitely worth doing if you would like to see Santorini.

Excellent fun, the captain and crew were lovely and the food was surprisingly good. Views were stunning, highly recommended.

Alex and Maria was so kind and friendly, sightseeing was also good and food are fascinating