Jun 27, 2025
A fabulous day - Fabulous day out exploring a piece of Crete. Wonderful food made with love. Yannis was so much more than a tour guide and his passion for Crete rubbed off on us. We would highly recommend anyone taking this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 17, 2025
Precious experience with brilliant guide - We highly recommend this wonderful day with Yannis. He took us to some special places that it would have been difficult to find alone. It was also an unexpected gastronomic tour, with introductions to regional dishes and the people that created them. His personal connection with the people and knowledge of the places we visited made the whole experience uniquely memorable and special. He’s a very good driver, never seems in a hurry and has great personal warmth. Treat yourself! Leave your car behind, if you’ve hired one,and let him take care of your day! He was engaging and thoughtful throughout and we felt we had met someone who had truly enhanced a wonderful time in Channia by showing us Crete’s warm hospitality and its north to south beautiful and dramatic landscapes. Many thanks Yannis! Peter and Christine
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 16, 2025
Fantastic Crete expedition and food tour! - Wow, what a great day spent with Yannis! He took us to fantastic spots and we ate like kings! The food at all locations was local, fresh, super tasty and plentiful... seriously, come with an empty stomach and full appetite!!! We went to beautiful spots, had the opportunity to take great pictures and had time to unwind at beautiful beach. All this and Yannis is a great and funny host. We very strongly recommend this experience... thanks Yannis for a superb day!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 16, 2025
Mountain/ Beach road trip - Giannis the private tour guide was phenomenal . From start to finish it was a great trip. Gianniis was very knowledgeable and friendly.. He took us to all the hidden gem restaurants that the locals frequent and during the trip we stopped at so many different places from beaches, cafes, churches and iconic landmarks.The whole experience was top notch.
Review provided by Viator
Oct 2, 2024
One For the Memoir - You will have many wonderful experiences on Crete, but a tour with Yannis will be the best of them. The jaw-dropping countryside, from the mountains to the sea and everything in between, expertly navigated by Yannis, will continuously impress you. You will be presented with traditional, from scratch meals that allow you to taste the love that Cretans have for their island, history and traditions. Truly delicious!! Finally, Yannis will immediately make you feel at ease and will care for you like a not so distant relative. Thank you so much for this unforgettable experience, Yannis!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 23, 2024
Come Hungry! - Well, it's the morning after we returned from this tour and we are still VERY full from all the amazing food! I see now why this tour - the one Yannis has given since he started this venture *and* the first of its kind in the area - remains his most popular. This is the original, and you shouldn't mess with perfection!
Yannis is friendly, funny and very charming. He knows a great deal about Crete, the surrounding islands, as well as more international destinations, and will comfortably swap stories about travel, Greek food and mythology, among many other subjects, all while deftly navigating the winding mountain roads. I found the journey almost as pleasurable as the meals, thanks to his easy, entertaining manner and expert driving. Not to mention the stunning scenery; every turn brings a new spectacular view. From silvery scrub, to the muted greens of olive trees heavy with fruit, to rocky outcrops, along with the occasional disinterested heard of goats, eventually coming to the vast, crystal clear expanse of the Libyan sea. This alone would make the experience worth it, but the star of the show is really the food!
Starting with strong coffee by a village stream - to make sure you are all awake and STAY awake - and on to the most delicious breakfast in all of Greece, featuring spinach pastries that are among the best I've had *anywhere*, sausages that my usually pork-adverse friend had to admit were something special, yogurt and grapes, which sounds simple but blows away with its flavour, and a decadent Sfakianopita, among many other elements. Then on to 'dessert', aka the biggest slice of cake/baklava you will see in your life, at a small port on the Libyan sea, before following the coast to a fortress and semi-secluded beach which looks straight out of a holiday brochure. While the usual itinerary is to stop here, Yannis was flexible enough to accommodate my friends' preference for swimming in the lake and took us on with only a short break for a walk along the shore. He's a wonderful guide, you need only ask and he is sure to find a way to make it happen!
Despite the clouds, the lake was warm enough for a quick dip, and we enjoyed watching the light play over the surrounding mountains. But, at long last, it was time for the main event. The final stop is a charming taverna overlooking the lake. To our mind, it seemed frequented only by locals, which made it all the more special to be there on a Sunday and to enjoy grilled lamb alongside families that have been going there for years. Yannis ordered so much food you could barely see the table underneath, and we gorged ourselves like the kings of old on everything that was offered. It was the best of each dish we've had - stuffed zucchini flowers, fried cheese, Greek salad, tzatziki - thanks to most of it coming from the owner's garden at the back of the restaurant and being a product of generations of mama's cooking! It was not something you can find everyday nor, I believe, with anyone other than Yannis, who - it seems - knows just about everyone in Crete!
I highly recommend this tour and am sure Yannis is just as capable and kind in every other trip he offers. You will not find another experience to match it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 18, 2024
5 Star Experience - We had an incredible day with Yannis. His knowledge of Crete was only surpassed only by his warm and hospitable nature. All the places we experienced were little gems that we never would have had the opportunity to experience on our own. Yannis was greeted warmly at each location and everyone went out of their way to make sure our experience was amazing. It was interesting to learn why each village was unique, what they specialized in and how they prospered. This gave us a deeper understanding and appreciation of Crete. The historical perspective and amusing anecdotes rounded out a truly fascinating experience. We were a group of 6, with different experiences and needs, yet we all agreed that we just had a truly 5 star experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 7, 2024
Exploring the Island of Crete end to end - Yannis provided us with a magical experience we could not have imagined. Throughout the day we were fully immersed in the Cretan culture. Learning about local traditions helped make the tour educational and fun. From the authentic Cretan breakfast at the start of the day, to a wonderful dinner overlooking Lake Kournas, every experience was made to feel special & unique. We highly recommend this tour for the value & authenticity. You will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 12, 2025
What experience! - This was horrendous. I booked this outing for myself and my friend and paid in full. The day before we were due to go, I received a trip advisor email reminding me of the following days outing. I also received an email from my bank saying my money had been refunded by trip advisor, the amount fell well short of the amount I originally paid, presumably due to exchange rates. This was the first indication that anything was wrong. I looked online to check my booking with trip advisor to find it had been cancelled and the whole trip details had been removed from the site. I tried contacting to find out what was happening but nobody returned my telephone calls or emails. I was lucky enough to spot that a problem had occurred otherwise we would have been standing in the sun for an hour or more waiting for our jeep to arrive - what kind of service is that! Nobody had the decency to contact me to let me know our special day out had been cancelled and at the moment I am out of pocket by over 30 euros for a trip that never happened. I am hoping, maybe foolishly, that on reading this review, somebody will have the integrity to contact me and help resolve the financial loss I have had and I would love an official apology in writing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor