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Pirate Castle & Balos Lagoon: Crete's Hidden Gems
4.3
8 Ratings
Gramvousa
Discover the pirate fortress of Gramvousa and the historic shipyard of Tersanas. Enjoy swimming in the invigorating waters of Balos and Gramvousa beach, with two opportunities to swim! Stroll through the enchanting Balos lagoon, known for its shallow, warm waters, and experience one of Crete’s most beautiful locations.
Discover the pirate fortress of Gramvousa and the historic shipyard of Tersanas. Enjoy swimming in the invigorating waters of Balos and Gramvousa beach, with two opportunities to swim! Stroll through the enchanting Balos lagoon, known for its shallow, warm waters, and experience one of Crete’s most beautiful locations.
Duration:
17 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Gramvousa Beach - The journey begins at Gramvousa, also known as the “pirates’ island.” This location hosts over 100 bird species and 400 plant species, making it a vital natural habitat in the Eastern Mediterranean. Visitors can explore the renowned Venetian fortress of Gramvousa, constructed in 1579, which majestically sits atop a rock. Climbing…
- Gramvousa Beach - The journey begins at Gramvousa, also known as the “pirates’ island.” This location hosts over 100 bird species and 400 plant species, making it a vital natural habitat in the Eastern Mediterranean. Visitors can explore the renowned Venetian fortress of Gramvousa, constructed in 1579, which majestically sits atop a rock. Climbing to the summit offers a breathtaking view. After discovering the area, guests can swim in the pristine waters of the stunning beach or enjoy a meal on the boat.
- Balos Lagoon - In the early afternoon, the adventure continues to Balos Lagoon, one of Greece’s most spectacular sites. Its awe-inspiring beauty is often likened to the exotic beaches of the Caribbean. Visitors will have approximately 3 hours to unwind and relish this paradise—an unforgettable experience!
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Pick-up and drop-off service from designated pick-up points
- Professional Guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Pick-up and drop-off service from designated pick-up points
- Professional Guide
What's Not Included
- Round-trip boat tickets
- Round-trip boat tickets
Location
Gramvousa Beach
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(8 Ratings)
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Vanessa0408
Jul 31, 2022
Gramvousa - Magnificent, steep enough path to access the castle to see the wreck of the pirate ship, island completely deserted crystal blue gradient waters it was superb
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurel2018
Aug 31, 2021
Hard but so beautiful - The Balos lagoon is worth it. After 30 min drive on a track just slushable. You have to walk for 25 minutes in pebbles with a certain elevation difference. People with lower limb locomotor problems may suffer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Corail2012
Sep 26, 2019
A marvel! - Must see!!! It's breathtaking!!! We arrived by boat but went up the hill to see the view! This is wonderful!!! Visit on September 23, 2019 not many people! The water in the lagoon smells like sulphur... and is really cold compared to the sea!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Soniaben1
Sep 24, 2019
Superb - The site is beautiful! You can reach it by boat or car.
With the car option you access from above so you have a superb view!! There is a bit of track by car about 8 km) the entrance by car costs 1 euro per person. You walk about 2km (downhill from the mountain + some flat) after with parked your car. Plan basketball water and small sandwich (even if there are 1 or 2 sellers they will not really have much choice)
What to do when you're in Crete!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erika
Jul 11, 2019
Breathtaking beaches - Balos beach and Gramvousa Island was beautiful, the organizer was excellent, overall it was a super day.
Review provided by Viator
Eneli
Jul 6, 2019
Great price/value - Went with Grandma and toddler, it was nice to have the everything organized and the guide gave good information
Review provided by Viator
Diana_t
Sep 3, 2019
Beautiful nature - The visit is worth it. Both Balos and Gramvousa have beautiful crystal clear water , on Gramvousa you can go up the mountain and get to see the beautiful view. But the visit was very bad organized. We travelled on a full bus beacause people that were visiting elafonissi were in same bus. Since it is a long trip, we should be less people in the bus , so we can be more comfortable. The guide was a little bit lost , she wasn't very well organized.
Review provided by Viator
Jean
Jul 18, 2019
Horrible pity. - The sights are very natural and pretty.but how to appreciate the beauty when you land almost 3000 people on a small beach.the big tourist boats spoil everything.
We were part of one of those boats which also deposited us on slippery stones, inappropriate for people with reduced mobility.
The tour operator heliades would have had the good idea to tell us these inconveniences.Our hotel being located at 3am because going the day will unfortunately not remain as a great memory.
Pay 65 euros per person for 6 hours of coach and 03 hours of navigation on a boat of 1200 people. It's a factory and it's not the idea that we get crested.
Too bad the sites are beautiful.it is necessary that the tour operators communicate on the reality of things so we know what to expect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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