Christmas & New Year Tours & Trips in Crete

Ring in the New Year in western Crete with a visit to the Palace of Knossos, legendary seat of King Minos and Europe's oldest civilization dating back 5,000 years. Celebrate the festive season wandering through Chania's Venetian harbor, seeing Byzantine mosaics in Rethymnon, and watching traditional pottery-making in Margarites Village with local artisans. Stay 4 nights at Hotel Arkadi in Chania while visiting the active Monastery of Agia Triada set among olive groves and walking through Heraklion's blend of Venetian and Byzantine architecture during this private 5-day holiday.

This private 8-day trip along Crete's north coast includes a wine tasting at a local vineyard where you'll sample indigenous varieties like Vidiano and Liatiko. Visit the UNESCO-listed Knossos Palace in Heraklion, where Minoan civilization flourished, then head to the Archaeological Museum to see its collections of ancient jewelry and pottery. Walk through Chania's Venetian harbor decorated for the holidays, spend time at Elafonisi Beach with its pink sands, and check out the traditional pottery workshops in Margarites village.

Celebrate the holidays with daily e-bike rides through Crete's inland villages, where Cretan housewives prepare traditional feasts with honey, wine, cheese, olive oil, and fresh fish. Stay 6 nights at Adams House or Villa Kerasia near Heraklion, with guided rides to authentic beekeeping farms, family-run wineries, and coastal fishing villages untouched by tourism. Festive meals include 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 2 dinners featuring local specialties while you check out Crete's culinary heritage during the Christmas and New Year season.

Ring in the New Year checking out Crete's legendary landmarks, from the UNESCO-listed Palace of Knossos in Heraklion to the Venetian old town of Rethymno with its Ottoman mosques and wrought-iron balconies. Swim at famous beaches like Balos and Elafonisi near Chania, then find the Preveli palm forest and Matala's ancient caves along the Libyan Sea. Stay 7 nights at budget-friendly hotels in Chania, Agia Galini, Agios Nikolaos, and Heraklion with daily breakfast included.