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Greece
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Crete Region
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Heraklion
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Tours & Activities
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Heraklion Bites and Sights Morning Small Group Tour
4 h
Small Group
Morning
About this activity
One of the most vibrant cities in all of Greece, Heraklion has been at the crossroads of civilisations for centuries. In its infancy the city was known as “Kastro”, which historians believe indicates that the city was surrounded by fortification walls. Join this Heraklion walking tour to get to know the city as it is now, but also as it was centuries ago, uncovering remnants of occupations by the Byzantines, Arabs, Venetians, Turks, and pirates…yes, pirates.
Heading off from “Freedom Square” aka Eleftherias Square, our tour of Heraklion will continue through lesser-known streets and neighbourhoods to give you the opportunity to see the real city as a local insider. Appropriately, you’ll started off with a freshly brewed traditional coffee paired with a wander through the local market, where you can sample local products such as barley rusks and olives and cheese (what else would you expect?!), and chat with local shop owners.
From there, take a hop back in time with a walk atop Heraklion’s great Venetian wall fortifications for some of the best view of the city. It’s also a great vantage point to see how these walls (ahem, the longest in Europe, ahem) divide the old city from the new city. Continue along to the lonesome tomb and monument of Nikos Kazantzakis, the son of Crete, and discover what inspired him to write Zorba.
Moving on, we’ll walk along the pedestrian street, 25 August, admiring some of Heraklion’s major highlights, like St. Titus Cathedral and the Morosini Fountain in the heart of the city. Continue along the hidden backstreets of Heraklion, where your local guide will discuss the city’s history and point out further evidence of how the city has been shaped into the lively place it is today.
After our morning exploration, our Heraklion walking tour will end at a local favourite – a meze tavern, where you’ll finish things off with a bang, or, rather, a drink! Dig in to a meze platter and sip local specialties like raki and tsikoudia, the island’s famous (and oh so strong) distilled spirit. Opa!
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Heading off from “Freedom Square” aka Eleftherias Square, our tour of Heraklion will continue through lesser-known streets and neighbourhoods to give you the opportunity to see the real city as a local insider. Appropriately, you’ll started off with a freshly brewed traditional coffee paired with a wander through the local market, where you can sample local products such as barley rusks and olives and cheese (what else would you expect?!), and chat with local shop owners.
From there, take a hop back in time with a walk atop Heraklion’s great Venetian wall fortifications for some of the best view of the city. It’s also a great vantage point to see how these walls (ahem, the longest in Europe, ahem) divide the old city from the new city. Continue along to the lonesome tomb and monument of Nikos Kazantzakis, the son of Crete, and discover what inspired him to write Zorba.
Moving on, we’ll walk along the pedestrian street, 25 August, admiring some of Heraklion’s major highlights, like St. Titus Cathedral and the Morosini Fountain in the heart of the city. Continue along the hidden backstreets of Heraklion, where your local guide will discuss the city’s history and point out further evidence of how the city has been shaped into the lively place it is today.
After our morning exploration, our Heraklion walking tour will end at a local favourite – a meze tavern, where you’ll finish things off with a bang, or, rather, a drink! Dig in to a meze platter and sip local specialties like raki and tsikoudia, the island’s famous (and oh so strong) distilled spirit. Opa!
Included
- Local English-speaking guide
- Food and beverage samples as indicated in the itinerary, rusks, olives and cheese, coffee or soft drink
- A meze platter
Not included
- Additional food and drink
- Items of a personal nature
- Gratuities for your local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Small group of a maximum of 12 people
- As this is a walking tour, we advise you wear comfortable walking shoes. During summer, don’t forget your sunglasses and a camera, of course, as Heraklion is sure to amaze you!
- The guide will point out places of interest, such as museums, and make recommendations of places that participants can visit in their own time after the tour
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
80%
Reviews
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We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide Maria was the best! Maria was very knowledgeable about all of the sites she took us to see, and Greece history in general. We got to see many things off of the beaten path that we would not have seen on our own. I had been looking for some Greek music on my trip, and Maria took me to a music shop to purchase a CD. She translated what I wanted to the shop owner and I got the perfect 5 CD set to take home with me. We went to lunch at an amazing restaurant that we all fell in love with. The food was amazing and we had Raki! I highly recommend this tour.
Very informative tour and our guide Theodore English translation was a lot of fun.