Private Tour Crete to Cave where Zeus was Born, Knossos & Traditional Villages

Itinerary

Our driver will pick you up from Heraklion port just next to your ship (or from your hotel) and take you for a drive of approximately 20’ until you arrive in Knossos. During this tour you will have the chance to travel back 4.000 years to the time of the oldest civilization in Europe. Knossos flourished for approximately two thousand years. It had large palace buildings, extensive workshop installations and luxurious rock-cut cave and tholos tombs. As a major center of trade and economy, Knossos maintained ties with the majority of cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. You will have the unique opportunity to visit the Palace of Knossos in Crete, to learn about the rich lifestyle which began circa 2000 BC and was typified by magnificent monumental buildings

Visit the Cave of Zeus which is one of the most important cult places of Minoan Crete from 2800-2300 B.C. According to Mythology, at the cave of Psychro Zeus was born under great secrecy because there was an oracle which said that Saturn would kill him because of his fear that one of his children would take his throne. That's why when a baby was born, Saturn swallowed his children. His wife and sister, Rea, hid their last child, Zeus, and gave Saturn a bandaged stone to swallow, instead of the baby. Zeus, when he grew up, killed Saturn by giving him to drink poison. In order to reach at the Cave of Psychro you have 15 minutes’ walk or you can get a donkey that the locals provide there. The panoramic view from the top of the hill will, take your breath away. Cave is amazing, small and easy to explore and inside the cave it is lovely and cool even on a hot summer day!

Our last visit will be at the traditional village "Krasi", a small mountain village, an altitude of 600 meters. One of the most important things to see in Krasi is the huge ancient plane tree that is situated next to the water springs. The trunk of the plane tree has a circumference of 14.60 meters and the leaves and branches of the tree provide shade over the square. This tree is estimated to be around 2400 years old and as you will see, more than ten people are needed in order to hug it and it is one of the 5 biggest trees in Europe. Among the plane tree there are chairs and tables for the guests of the village pub taverna where you may relax under the shadow of this beautiful plane tree and have a coffee or lunch. Afterwards, we will return to the cruise ship or to your hotel.