Quick Details
Bypass the concrete and head straight for the heart of Heraklion. Hit the backstreets and hidden pathways, checking out the highlights, sampling local treats, and discovering all the forces that have combined to make Heraklion the city it is today.
Local impact — How you help the local community by joining this tour:
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, food and beverage samples as indicated in the itinerary, rusks, olives and cheese, coffee or soft drink, a meze platter
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, items of a personal nature, tips/gratuities for your local guide
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,” a.k.a. Eleftherias Square, our tour of Heraklion will continue through lesser-known streets and neighbourhoods to give you the opportunity to see the real city like a local insider. Appropriately, you’ll start 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 into a meze platter and sip local specialties like raki and tsikoudia, the island’s famous (and oh so strong) distilled spirit. Opa!
Dress standard: As this is a walking tour, we advise you to wear comfortable walking shoes, and of course, bring a photo camera as Heraklion will amaze you! During the summer, don’t forget your sunglasses.
Your trip: For your Urban Adventure, you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We’ll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: 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.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Email address: [email protected]