All Itineraries are tailor-made to suit the specific requirements of syllabus, budget and stamina. Please let us know Exam Board, options and modules – we can then discuss how best to incorporate prescribed Literary/Visual/Material Sources.
If you require a quotation, send us your wish list!

Day 1

< Lake Voulismeni, Aghios Nikolaos, Crete

Depart for Heraklion Airport.
Courier escorted coach transfer to Hotel
Aghios Nikolaos: a small harbour town with large esplanade, beach, archaeological and folk museums, tree lined avenues, picturesque lake surrounded by cafés and restaurants. One of the best shopping centres in Crete with ubiquitous tourist outlets and superior boutiques selling clothes, rugs, leather goods and jewellery.
Evening Meal at hotel or local taverna.

Day 2

< Malia Minoan Palace

Malia Palace, dating from 1700 B.C. and destroyed 1450 B.C. probably by the catastrophic eruption of Santorini (Thera) and the ensuing tsunami.
Visit Heraklion Museum, a repository of amazing archaeological evidence of the Minoan Palace civilisation of Crete, including the famous bull’s head rhyton, ivory bull leapers and snake entwined priestesses.
Lunch in Heraklion at non-tourist, family-run taverna. Time to explore the Cretan capital and outdoor markets selling everything from home-made BBQs to Turkish antique jewellery.

< Knossos

Visit Palace of Knossos, legendary home of King Minos and the Cretan labrys (double headed axe) which gives us our modern word ‘labyrinth’. This was the setting for the legendary defeat by Theseus of the Minotaur and the historical venue of the dangerous bull leaping and ritualised cannibalism.

< Knossos Artefact Handling Session.
Courtesy of Clifton College and British School of Athens. 

Optional Artefact handling Session at the Knossos Research Centre, courtesy of the British School at Athens.

Day 3

< Gournia Minoan Palace

Spectacular drive via Gournia (Minoan trading city with palace quarters and theatrical area, destroyed by fire, providing evidence of geometric town planning and domestic occupation) through mountain ranges to the volcanic Lassithi Plateau.

< Diktaion Cave

The floodlit Diktaean Cave is the reputed birthplace of Zeus and the Trapeza Cave an important centre for pilgrimage from its Neolithic occupation to 7C B.C. This highly fertile area with natural sink hole and eight natural passes has been the focus for rebellion and revolt from ancient times to WWII.

< Doric Karfi

The Folklore Museum charts the family history of a peasant farming family throughout the early years of the last century.

Day 4

< Matala Beach and Rock Tombs

Another spectacular drive via Doric Lato (with threshing floor and remains of rectangular Minoan theatrical area) through the southern mountain range to Bronze Age Aghia Triada. The ‘Summer Palace’ is beautifully situated on a hill at the mouth of the Ieropotamos river.
Palace of Phaestos, excavation site of the Disc which aided decipherment of Linear B.

< Lato

Lunch at seaside resort of Matala, overlooked by Rock cut Chamber Tombs later ulitised as cave dwellings by the 1960’s hippy colony.
Gortyn, capital of Roman Crete with public Codex, largely unexcavated and set amongst olive groves in the foothills of Mount Ida.

 

 

 

 

< Gortys

Day 5

< Itanos

A choice of cruises depending upon season and weather.
Private charter to either Spinalonga (former Leper Colony) or Minoan islets of Mokhlos and Pseira.

 

< Mochlos Island Nekropolis

Public cruise to either Santorini (and Akrotiri) or Kouphonisi (Roman Murex centre)

Day 6

< Palaikastro Kouros

Journey to eastern and southern Crete via cosmopolitan Sitia (archaeological museum home to the famous crystal eyed ivory kouros) and Toplou castle monastery.

 

 

< Kato Zakhros Palace

Kato Zakhros Palace, ideally placed in sheltered harbour for trade with Egypt and the Levant, set below the Ravine of the Dead (a Minoan burial area) and above a freshwater estuary.
Lunch at beachside taverna.

< Palekastro ruins

Visit Paleo Kastro, potentially larger and more important than Knossos, excavations ongoing. Then time for palm fringed beach of Vaii, film location for ‘Bounty’ adverts.

Day 7

< Souda Bay War Cemetery Graves

Journey west along north coast to visit Venetian ports of Rethymnion, Chania and the Commonwealth Cemetery at Souda Bay, a WWII burial area for victims of the Battle of Crete including Pendlebury, British archaeologist executed for espionage.
Evening at Anapolis Village Fiesta

< Rethymnon

 

 

 

 

< Chania

Day 8

< Olive Oil Museum

Visit to a local olive oil farm: wine, olive and food tasting with functioning 150 year-old oil press and (on Saturdays) participate in grape treading. After lunch, courier escorted coach transfer to Heraklion Airport for return flight to Uk airport.

Feel free to contact us to tailor your own tour. 01342 324727