Heraklion: Semi Private Tour | Cretan Outback’s | Melidoni Cave | Wild life | Honey & Olive Oil
Highlights
Group Tour
EASY
English
Description
Full-Day Exploration of Melidoni Village
📍 Starting Point: Melidoni Village, Crete
🕤 Tour Start Time: 09:30
⏳ Duration: Approx.6–7 hours
👥 Suitable for: Families, Nature Enthusiasts, History Buffs & Food Lovers
09:30 – Arrival & Exploration of Melidoni Cave
🔹 Begin your adventure at Melidoni Cave, an impressive natural and historical site.As you enter the cave, admire its awe-inspiring stalactites and stalagmites while learning about its significance in Greek mythology and its role in Crete’s history, including its tragic past during the Ottoman period.
🔹 Walk through its chambers and soak in the serene, mystical atmosphere.
🕥 Estimated Time Spent: 1 hour
10:30 – Visit to Reptisland Wildlife Center
🐍 Head to Reptisland, an exciting sanctuary home to Crete’s native and exotic reptiles.
🔹 Get up close with various species, including chameleons, iguanas, snakes, and tortoises.
🔹 Experience interactive encounters and learn from the knowledgeable staff about the role of these creatures in the local ecosystem.
🕚 Estimated Time Spent: 1 hour
11:30 – Immersive Experience at the Honey Museum
🍯 Visit the Honey Museum, where you’ll discover the rich tradition of beekeeping in Crete.
🔹 Learn about ancient and modern beekeeping methods.
🔹 Taste a variety of local honey types, including thyme and pine honey.
🔹 Understand the importance of bees in Crete’s biodiversity and culinary traditions.
🕛 Estimated Time Spent: 1 hour
12:30 – Leisurely Cretan Lunch at a Traditional Taverna
🥗 Time to relax and enjoy authentic Cretan flavors at a traditional village taverna.
🔹 Delight in a selection of local dishes such as dakos, Cretan salad, grilled meats, fresh cheeses, and homemade pies.
🔹 Complement your meal with local wine or raki.
🕜 Estimated Time Spent: 1–1.5 hours
14:00 – Olive Oil Experience at a Local Olive Mill
🫒 Discover the essence of Cretan olive oil at a traditional olive mill.
🔹 Take a guided tour of the olive groves and learn about the harvesting process.
🔹 See the pressing process, from traditional stone mills to modern cold extraction methods.
🔹 Enjoy a tasting session of extra virgin olive oil paired with fresh bread, olives, and other local delicacies.
🕞 Estimated Time Spent: 1 hour
15:30 – Conclusion & Free Time in Melidoni Village
🏡 Enjoy a leisurely stroll through Melidoni village before heading back.Explore the charming alleyways, interact with locals, or grab a cup of Greek coffee at a café while soaking in the peaceful Cretan atmosphere.
🕓 Tour Ends at 16:00
Tour Highlights:
✅ Mythical & historical insights at Melidoni Cave
✅ Interactive encounters at Reptisland Wildlife Center
✅ Sweet discoveries at the Honey Museum
✅ Authentic Cretan lunch experience
✅ Olive oil tasting & educational tour at a local mill
Itinerary
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Reptisland
Get ready to take a deep look into the eyes of the descendants of the dinosaurs! An amazing collection of reptiles such as Snakes, Cayman Crocodiles, Lizards, Bearded Dragons, Frogs, Tarantulas [sensitive content]waiting for you at Reptisland.Don't miss the opportunity to take pictures while you handling them, it is completely safe!
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Cave Of Melidoni Village
The Cave of Melidoni or Gerontospilios is located approximately 1,800 meters northwest of the homonym village of Mylopotamos, at an altitude of 220m and on the south side of Kouloukonas Mountain.Gerontospilios, as also called, is very important due to the archaeological findings, some of which are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon.Apart from its archaeological significance, the cave is of great historical importance, since it is connected to one of the greatest tragedies in Greek history.In October 1823, 340 women and children and 30 men from Melidoni village found refuge in the cave, in order to escape the Turkish army.When Hussein Beis discovered their hiding place, he encircled the cave with his army and asked the Cretans to surrender and they refused.By January 1824, the Turks had made several unsuccessful raids to occupy the cave.So, Hussein Beis decided to block the entrance of the cave with branches and other flammable materials and then he set fire.All the women, children and men died from asphyxiation caused by smoke.
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Family Run Olive Mill
A family modern olive oil factory, which is located in Melidoni, Municipality of Mylopotamos, was established in 1991.It is a one-of-a-kind olive oil factory, with state-of-the-art facilities.In our olive oil factory, every olive harvest approximately 400 tons of olive oil is produced.The technology, the know-how, and the strict specifications allow us to have high-quality results.The taste, the aroma, and the golden-green color olive oil we produce put us in first place in reference to our customers.
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Honey Museum - Bee Keeper
At the foot of Psiloritis Mountain, following the history and the unique natural characteristics of the land, apiθανο was born, where tradition meets today.It started when two childhood friends, Dinos and Christos, decided to unite their passion for their homeland and the bees and offer the best and purest bee products.
With the values of quality, purity and protection of the bees and the planet, we produce products which respect the environment and humans.Thus, we contribute -in our own way- to a better future.
We collect our honey from selected areas of Crete which thanks to their rare biodiversity and endemic vegetation, give it a strong aroma and a unique taste.
Apiθανο doesn’t go under heat processing, which is the reason why the quantity is limited and always proportional to the number of hives we have, but also to the weather conditions of each beekeeping period.Apiθανο is standardized and packaged with responsibility and care, according to all the rules of hygiene, in our lab.Visit us in our lab and explore the fascinating world of apiθανο and the bees!
What's Included
What's Excluded
What To Bring
Please Note
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -
Refund of 80% of the tour price.