Day trip
A south-coast monastery and swims from Heraklion.
Photo: Charlie Jordan / Pexels
Quick facts
- Region
- Heraklion
- Start town
- Heraklion
- Planning time
- Depends on the selected itinerary
- Type
- Day trip
From Heraklion a day can cross to the south coast for a monastery and one or more swims. The monastery is a building with a gate. The swims are whatever coves the plan names. Umbrellas on a south-coast beach, which is the photograph, stand in for the shore. They are not the monastery court and they may not be your cove.
Ask which monastery, which beaches, and whether the tickets and the towels are your problem or theirs. Confirm the Heraklion pickup and the hour you are back.
Is it worth it
It suits people who want both a quiet building and the sea, and who accept the drive. Skip it if the group only had a morning in the city. The south coast is not a short hop.
What to bring
- Water, suitable footwear and the items required by the selected itinerary.
Tips
- Check the selected listing for transport, admission, equipment and cancellation terms.
Related tours
Day tripPreveli palm beach
PlakiasDepends on the selected itinerary
Preveli beach is the palm-backed shore where the Kourtaliotiko river meets the south coast. From Plakias it is a shorter approach than from Rethymno town. You still walk down to the sand and back up, unless you arrive by boat. The palms are real. The shade under them is limited once the beach fills. Fire has scarred the grove in living memory, so the photograph in your head may be fuller than the trees. It suits swimmers who can handle the path or the boat. It is a poor midday choice for anyone who cannot climb out. Go earlier than the August coaches. From Plakias, drive toward Preveli or take a small boat along the coast. From Rethymno, the gorge road is the usual approach. Confirm the path is open.
View detailsFind options on GetYourGuide
HistoryThe cliffs and caves above Matala beach
MatalaDepends on the selected itinerary
The caves sit in the cliff above the Matala beach, on the south coast. Looking at the cliff from the sand is not the same as entering a cave, and a beach hour is not a visit to Phaistos or Gortyna. Access inside the caves is a separate question from swimming. It suits people who want the cliff as well as the beach and can manage steps. Skip it if anyone in the group cannot face a climb in the sun. Use the Matala beach approach your option names, then ask which cave openings are open. A coach day that also stops at a monastery is a wider trip than this cliff.
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Day tripFalasarna beach day from Kissamos
KissamosCheck route and total travel time
Falasarna is a west-Crete beach destination; visiting the ancient site is a separate decision from time on the sand. Compare a beach-only outing with an itinerary that includes archaeology, and check both access arrangements. A coastal photograph does not establish swimming conditions or a suitable return time. Compare the beach approach with your group’s needs for shade, facilities and walking. If adding archaeology, check that the separate site visit matches your interests and access requirements. Locate the particular Falasarna beach entrance and parking or bus stop you will use. Check archaeological-site access separately and allow for your chosen return journey.
View detailsFind options on GetYourGuide
Options checked on GetYourGuide
Each link opens one product page. The operator named there is not a Discover Crete partner. Availability, the pickup and the inclusions are confirmed on that page for the date you choose.
South-coast monastery and swims from Heraklion
A guided day of about eight hours from a Heraklion hotel, villa or port to a working monastery in the south and swim stops on the Libyan Sea, in a 21-seat vehicle. Modest dress is required for the monastery. Lunch is paid on the spot. The page does not name the monastery, so it is not matched to one cloister here. Availability was not checked.
Check this activitySouth-coast monastery and swims from Heraklion
FAQ
Questions.
- Planning time: Depends on the selected itinerary. Confirm the exact duration and whether travel from your accommodation is included in the selected option.
- Suggested season: Check current access and the selected date. Confirm the date, access conditions and operating schedule before making a booking.
- Ask which monastery, which beaches, and whether the tickets and the towels are your problem or theirs. Confirm the Heraklion pickup and the hour you are back.
- It suits people who want both a quiet building and the sea, and who accept the drive. Skip it if the group only had a morning in the city. The south coast is not a short hop.