YOUR HOLIDAY at a GLANCE

DEDICATED GUIDES

Just You Holiday Director as your host & Specialist Local Guide

RETURN FLIGHTS

Return flights from London

4-STAR HOTEL

7 nights half-board in a 4-star hotel

16 INCLUDED MEALS

7 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D) including a welcome drink & farewell get-together

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Enjoy a lunch of delicious local produce in the quaint village of Argyroupoli

ESSENTIALS

Overseas transfers, other transportation & porterage

INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS l Walking tour of Chania l Walking tour at the Sirikari Gorge & Polirinia l Walking in the Botanical Gardens & White Mountains l Tour the ancient ruins of Aptera & Lappa l Walk in the city of Rethymno & visit Kournas Lake

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES l Visit Gonia Monastery, Vouves & Agias Lake

Your itinerary

DAY 1 UK - CRETE

Today you will fly to Crete. On arrival, we’ll transfer to our central hotel in Chania. Settle in and relax before meeting your fellow travellers over a drink and dinner tonight. (D)

DAY 2 CHANIA

Walk 4 km/2.5 miles - 1.5 hours

Postcard-pretty Chania owes much of its visual charm to a combination of Venetian, Turkish and Ottoman architecture. Today, we’ll explore Crete’s second-largest city and discover narrow streets filled with tavernas, cafés and shops.

After our guided walking tour, you’ll have plenty of free time to wander through the atmospheric streets of the Old Town. (B,D)

DAY 3 SIRIKARI GORGE - POLIRINIA

Walk 9 km/5.5 miles - 3 hours

Green valleys, glistening streams and an abundance of wildflowers greet us on our guided walk of Sirikari Gorge. This unspoilt region of western Crete is remote and peaceful, where Griffon vultures circle overhead. You’ll need your sturdy walking shoes today, as we hike the gorge and take in breathtaking views when we reach the archaeological site of Polirinia. (B,D)

DAY 4 WHITE MOUNTAINS

8 DAYS FROM £2099

WALKING

16 INCLUDED MEALS

MAX GROUP SIZE 30

Your Hotel

SANTA MARINA BEACH ★★★★

This comfortable hotel is primely located along the Blue Flag beach of Agia Marina village, just 8 km from Chania centre and is an ideal base to explore. All rooms are well appointed with modern touches of decor, refreshing colours and comfortable furnishings. In-room facilities include air conditioning, satellite TV and a hair dryer.

Please note: There will be plenty of rest stops and time to enjoy the local scenery. Most walks take place on paths and tracks. Some will be slightly more strenuous and may involve moderate slopes, tracks, hills, stiles and foot bridges which may be rough underfoot at times. Sturdy walking shoes are essential.

We’ll take a scenic drive in the orange-growing region to Crete’s magical Botanical Park, before our trip into the White Mountains today. The park is thriving with almost 20 hectares of fruit trees, herbs, medicinal plants, vineyards and wildlife. Nothing goes better with food than spectacular views, so lunch today takes place at the historic plateau of Omalos. It’s the gateway to the Samariá Gorge, and we’ll visit here after a delicious lunch.

(B,L,D)

DAY 5 CHANIA - DAY AT LEISURE

Today is yours to do as you please. Alternatively, join us for an optional tour that starts with a walk through the interesting history at the Gonia Monastery. Get ready for a taste of Crete’s ‘liquid gold’ next, at the award-winning Anoskeli oil mill. The olivebased fun doesn’t stop there though, as we’ll have a delicious lunch next to the Monumental Olive Tree of Vouves, which is one of the oldest in the world. (B,D)

DAY 6 APTERA - ARGYROUPOLI

Walk 5 km/3 miles - 2.5 hours

Spread over the hills above sparkling Souda Bay, the ancient city of Aptera was the most powerful city of Western Crete during the Minoan era. We’ll see magnificent ruins of Roman cisterns, a Turkish fortress and a unique amphitheatre on our visit today. After this, we’ll drive to the traditional village of Argyroupoli. It rests on the site of Ancient Lappa which was destroyed by earthquakes and invasion. Then we’ll stop for lunch at an authentic Taverna, before learning about local traditions at the Church of the Five Holy Virgins, which is both an ancient cemetery and a shrine. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 RETHYMNO - KOURNAS LAKE

Romantic Rethymno is a fairytale combination of Venetian arches, majestic mansions and captivating cobbled pathways. Leisure time gives you the freedom to find the perfect Greek lunch in a range of tavernas, explore the long, sandy seaside or search for treasures in winding lanes.

Next , ever-changing shades of blue dazzle the eyes at Kournas Lake, Crete’s only freshwater lake. Back in Chania, we’ll celebrate our fabulous trip over a farewell dinner together. (B,D)

DAY 8 CRETE - UK

Today we’ll transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. (B)

FLIGHTS AND HOTELS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND WILL BE CONFIRMED WITHIN YOUR FINAL DOCUMENTATION

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES

2023 Return flights from LONDON Holiday ref: SEGWA