Chania, Lake Kournas and Rethymno day trip review
My verdict: this is the most booked tour on the site and the lowest rated, and the two facts are connected. It is a ten to thirteen hour coach day covering 340 kilometres, with pickup from 49 points around the Heraklion resorts, a breakfast stop, Chania, an hour and a half at Lake Kournas, and Rethymno at the end. Rethymno gets 75 minutes. That is not enough time to go inside the Fortezza, and I would rather say so now than have you find out at the gate. As a cheap way to see three places in one day it works. As a Fortezza tour it does not exist.
The day, hour by hour
- Pickup between 07:00 and 09:30 from the Heraklion-side resorts, including Hersonissos, Malia, Stalis, Gouves, Bali, Agia Pelagia, Ammoudara and Analipsi.
- 09:50 — breakfast stop at Skaleta, 15 minutes.
- 10:05 to 11:30 — Chania. About an hour and a half in the largest and most photographed old town in western Crete.
- 13:45 — Lake Kournas, an hour and a half for swimming and lunch.
- Late afternoon — Rethymno, about 75 minutes, with the coach leaving around 16:45.
- Then the road back east to your resort.
Add it up and the coach is the main activity. Chania and Lake Kournas get roughly three hours between them, Rethymno gets an hour and a quarter, and the remaining six to nine hours are pickups, transfers and the return leg along the north-coast road.
Why 75 minutes rules out the Fortezza
The fortress is on Paleokastro hill above the old town, about a ten-minute climb from the Venetian harbour. A fast loop inside — in, past the Mosque of Sultan Ibrahim, out again — takes about 45 minutes, and that skips the storage rooms, the bastions with the sea views and every quiet corner. Add the walk up, the walk down, the ticket at the gate and the risk of being late back to the coach, and 75 minutes is gone with nothing to show for it. Spend the time in the old town instead: the Rimondi Fountain, the Guora Gate and the harbour are all within a few streets. The old town page has them in walking order.
What 429 reviewers say
4.4 is the lowest average on this site, and the reason is in the reviews rather than in the organisation. People praise the guides by name and complain about the same structural thing:
“The tour was perfectly planned from pick-up to drop-off. Our guide Rania was great, speaks perfect German and English.”
Stephan, Germany — July 2026
“Trip was amazing. Only downside is you spend a lot of time on coach.”
Keith, United Kingdom — October 2025
“It was good, but a bit too fast. Not much time to see everything. Olga was really great as a guide.”
Nathalie, Canada — September 2025
“The old town in Chania was the highlight for me. I will certainly come back to the city.”
Paula, United Kingdom — October 2025
“Lake Kournas — oh, paradise on earth.”
Liene, Latvia — May 2026
“This trip was brilliant, our guide was so informative.”
Amy, United Kingdom — August 2025
Read Keith and Nathalie together and you have the whole story. The driving is the product. Paula’s line is the other half of it: Chania is the part people remember, and she says she will come back to that city, which is what an hour and a half does to you. If the Chania question is what brought you here, I answer it straight on its own page.
What works
- €40 for a ten to thirteen hour day with a guide is genuine value
- Pickup from 49 points, so most Heraklion-side resorts are covered
- Live commentary in English, German, French and Polish
- Lake Kournas is the stop reviewers rate highest, with time to swim
Worth knowing
- 340 km of coach. Reviewers say so repeatedly and they are right
- 75 minutes in Rethymno, which rules out the Fortezza interior
- The lowest rating of the six tours on this site
- Not suitable for wheelchair users, and food and drinks are not included
Usually included
- Air-conditioned bus and experienced driver
- Live guide in English, German, French and Polish
- Hotel pickup from 49 points
- Liability insurance
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Fortezza admission
- Gratuities
- Wheelchair access
If you are already staying in Rethymno, do not book this. It is designed to bring people to your town from two hours away, and you would spend the day driving to places you can reach on a KTEL bus for under €10 each way.
Who should book it, and who should not
Book it if you are based in Hersonissos, Malia or another Heraklion-side resort, you have one free day, and you want to see the western half of the island cheaply with someone explaining it. Do not book it if the Fortezza is your reason for coming. In that case take the bus to Rethymno, pay at the gate, and give the hill the 1.5 to 2 hours it needs; the transport page has the KTEL times and fares. If you want a coach day that treats Rethymno as more than a comfort stop, the Preveli and Damnoni trip gives the town more than two hours.
Other tours to consider
Beach & townDay Trip to Preveli & Damnoni Beach & Rethymno City Tour
Inside the wallsFortezza ticket includedFortezza: Explore the Fortress of Rethymno with a Certified Guide
Highest ratedRethymno: Old Town Segway Tour
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour spend in Rethymno?
About 75 minutes, at the end of the day, with the coach leaving around 16:45. That is enough for the harbour and a few old town streets and not enough for the fortress, which needs 1.5 to 2 hours — see how long you need.
Why is this tour rated lower than the others?
Because it covers 340 kilometres in one day and reviewers feel it. Keith from the United Kingdom put it plainly: the only downside is the time on the coach. The organisation and the guides get consistent praise.
Does the tour go inside the Fortezza of Rethymno?
No. Fortezza admission is not included and there is no time for it. Going inside costs about €5 at the gate, which is covered on the entrance fee page.
Is it good value at the price?
Yes, on a cost-per-hour basis it is the cheapest thing on this site, and the guide, the insurance and the pickup are all included. Judge it as a cheap island overview rather than a Rethymno tour, which is where it sits against the other five.