Crete · PRIVATE
217 tours
Summer books out fast on this island and the good private tours go first. Here are the 15 standouts, with prices, group sizes and the detail that separates them, so you can lock one in before the calendar closes.
Skip Knossos ticket lines for a private 1.5-hour archaeologist tour, with Minoan palace highlights and an expert guide.
“Amazing tour with incredibly knowledgeable guide - he brought the palace to life and put everything in context. Highly recommended! Book the 9am tour if you can as it was so quiet compared to the rest of the day.”
Private 4.5-hour sailing from Heraklion to Dia Island for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, paddleboarding, unlimited drinks, and optional meals.
“It was absolutely amazing experience! We really enjoyed it! Really recommend”
4WD wine and olive oil day trip from Chania with St John Cave, ancient olive tree, tastings, and a gorge view lunch.
“Seeing the oldest olive tree, the olive oil tasting & the kitties there. John the Hermit & his cave. The lunch in the Milia resort . Actually everything. Andreas was delightful & so accommodating. He was knowledgeable & affable.”
Private boat from Kissamos to Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa: snorkel, swim, fort views, and more time on the water with your group.
“A group of 5 friends rented the boat for the day and had the best time. We were out to sea before anyone else, reaches destinations before other boats and Lefteris was a great captain who accomadated our requests but always was safe. We had endless beer and a nice sandwich for lunch. Money well spent!”
Private sailing from Heraklion to Dia Island for up to 8 people, with snorkeling, fishing, swimming stops, and unlimited drinks.
“We told the guides we were more interested in sailing than the excursions and they accommodated our request. The Elan 37 is a fun boat and she sailed well even in light winds. The lunch was delicious and we enjoyed it in an idyllic bay on Dia island. The captain and first mate were vey kind and helpful with our two kids. I highly recommend this excursion and will book again if we return to Crete.”
Private walking tour in Chania with a hilltop coffee stop, a sommelier-led Cretan wine tasting, and a big lunch in Old Town.
“Nasos provided us with a great experience getting to sample Cretan wine and food while touring the beautiful old town of Chania. I would highly recommend this tour.”
Private Crete day trip from Chania to pink sand Elafonisi, plus Agia Sofia Cave, Kedrodasos beach, and a Cretan village lunch.
“Fantastic trip with Leonides and brother Jordan .Travelled to Falassarna beach and Elafonissi beach as well as Paleochora Village .Leonides gave both my husband and I a great insight into Cretan life and gave us lots of suggestions as to what to do. Everything we did Read more”
Private Chania Old Town tour for up to 6, with harbor sights, Venetian ruins, and WW2 cemetery views, plus flexible time to roam.
“This company is two brothers who operate the tours. Our guide/driver was George, we met his brother Peter as you will be told to look for the VERY tall guy. Both brothers are extremely personable, professional with excellent English. Peter played Basketball in the USA and George has an international hospitality/hotel background. They are both native Cretans. I say this to provide context for the level of service and experiences over and above the standard listed in the description. Communication was prompt, the meeting place was easy, George is a history buff and takes the time to include the islands history in the tour experience. I would highly recommend this…”
A private Crete day of olive oil and raki tastings, mountain villages, Lasithi windmills, and optional Knossos and Zeus Cave.
“We were extremely happy with our choice. The communication from the tour operator via whats app was excellent and helpful leading up to the tour. Our guide Nikos was so nice, friendly, informative, he offered us snacks, waters, towels.., we were happy we did the tour with the plateau, windmills and cave in addition to the palace. It was much cooler up there during the hot summer. Be sure to get a guide for the palace (additional charge). It was worth it. Other folks on our cruise had mixed experiences with the tours they chose, we were extreme happy with our tour via “explore real Crete””
Private full-day Chania villages tour: Ottoman fortress views, olive oil mill tasting, Gavalochori coffee, monastery arches, Dourakis wines.
“Our guide picked us up at the cruise terminal and showed us some lovely places that we would not have found on our own. She also brought homemade local treats for us to taste. Thank you Maria for a lovely day.”
Private southern Crete day from Chania to Spili, Kourtaliotiko Gorge, and Kalypso Beach, with tastings, museum visits, and pickup.
“We had the absolute best time on this excursion. We seriously couldn't have asked for a better day. Angi knew that we were shorter on time because we were on a cruise and she made it work. Not only is she the absolute best, but she took us to the best places! She was so knowledgeable about everything and she was so fun to talk to and have along with us on our trip! The gorge and Kalypso are sooo beautiful, it was the best part of our entire trip. We also loved the olive oil and honey tasting, it was so delicious! It was so cool to see the…”
Private family day from Chania to Agia Sofia Cave and Elafonisi Beach, with pickup, flexible stops, and a long beach break.
“We were two families that had a wonderful day trip to Agia Sofia Cave, Elafonisi Beach and lunch in Chania town. Michail met us at the cruise port on time and his brother Yannis who was our tour guide was friendly, personable and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this team!”
Semi-private Chania wine and olive tour with 11 tastings, family wineries, countryside drives, and a visit to the ancient Vouves olive tree.
“Anna was awesome! She shared 6,000 years of history in 10 minutes to help us appreciate Crete’s political experience and its impact on the people and wine industry. She’s a trained sommelier, US born so her English is perfect to American ears 😊, grew up speaking Greek at home and is clearly respected here now that she’s moved to Crete. The small group experience was awesome. While my husband and I were initially focused on the wine, the olive oil education and tasting were a valuable bonus. Highly recommended!”
Private Chania tour to Falassarna and Balos Lagoon with flexible timing, pickup, and a comfortable drive to two of Crete’s best beaches.
“Reaching the Balos Beach! It was tough to get there on the dirt road and then a 25 minute hike. Our driver was a little late!”
Private Crete day from Heraklion with olive oil and raki tasting, Lasithi windmills, villages, optional wine, and Knossos entry.
“Amazing experience absolutely fantastic day thank you so much for helping make memories that will last forever. Stavros was great sharing his knowledge, helping us to see the real beauty of Crete. Visiting family run places with welcoming friendly people and tasting beautiful food and wine. His great sense of humour had us laughing all day. I would highly recommend this tour it will not disappoint. When we return to Crete we will definitely do it again. Thank you again 😁”
