Exclusive Minivan Tour South Crete, Winery, Donkeys, Secret Beach

We will stop will be at a local award-winning winery where we will meet the people behind these amazing wines. We will take part in a tasting of five different labels based on local varieties.

A FAMILY RUN SANCTUARY It all began over 25 years ago when we were asked to rescue a small donkey that belonged to a local farmer in his nineties who was no longer able to look after it. We have a larger olive orchard next to our home, an ideal place for a donkey to feel safe. We called her Olive and built her a small stable. She was very affectionate and appreciative so Barbara, Fanis, and the family fell in love with donkeys.

The second stop is in a magical place. A Greek Orthodox Monastery was founded in the 14th century and related to the Kallergides family to which it belonged. It is considered one of the oldest monasteries in Crete since it is mentioned in a document of the Ducal Archive of Chandakas (Heraklion) in 1393. The monastery also includes a number of hermitages and chapels with remarkable frescoes.

It is situated in a secluded and enclosed bay, well hidden below the church and the cave of St. Paul. According to the scripts of Saint Paul, the Apostle lived inside this cave during his journey to Rome. Stena can be accessed via a downhill dirt road, 400m long from Kali Limenes. It is a beach that you will not find in any tourist guide of Crete, although it certainly deserves to be. What makes it stand out from the usual beaches is the huge rock, located amid the cove and surrounded by a narrow strip of water. The name Stena means Strait and is taken after the narrow passage created between the rock and the coast. A beautiful beach with fine pebbles is formed along the strip of water. Stena is not very well known and is totally unorganized. Even so, it is so small that it seems crowded with just a few people. If you come here, do not forget your mask, as the rocks are ideal for exploration!

If you exclude the repelling landscape of tanks, you will certainly be enchanted by the beautiful beaches of Kali Limenes, which are suitable for swimming all year round. As its name name suggests, sea in Kali Limenes (i.e. Fair Harbors) is almost always calm, except in winter. This was one of the reasons for the construction of the tanks here. If you visit the place on the weekend, all its beaches are crowded by thousands of people, despite the tiring route in Asterousia. Ideal for lunch as it is very popular for its fresh fish and daily catches from local fishermen