Crete on foot with a guide: sea, gorges and Minoan palaces

Your plane lands in Heraklion. Transfer to your hotel in the heart of the port city. Your guide welcomes you and presents the week's programme. The evening is free for a first stroll along the Venetian ramparts or dinner in the lively quarter around the Morosini fountain.

In the morning, transfer to Argyroupoli, in the hinterland of Rethymno. This mountain village holds wonderful surprises: Minoan, Greek and Roman remains, a well-preserved historic centre, and above all an enchanting setting. Springs gush between the rocks, waterfalls feed ancient mills, all wrapped in lush greenery, an unexpected landscape in Crete. A walk through the surrounding countryside reveals Byzantine chapels, shepherd's huts and authentic villages.

In the afternoon, transfer to Plakias, a charming seaside resort set in a crescent-shaped bay. If the mood takes you, a stroll along the coast towards the sea caves rounds off the day. Group dinner.

By boat, you reach the palm grove of Preveli, a striking natural site where date palms line a river that winds its way to the sea. The walk follows the shaded gorge upstream to the monastery of Piso Moni, whose history is intertwined with that of the Cretan resistance. On the return, the beach at Preveli offers a rare treat: a swim in fresh water in the river or in the sea, your choice, feet in the pale sand.

Transfer towards the White Mountains. Along the way, a stop to visit the village of Frangokastello, overlooked by its imposing Venetian fort facing the sea. Then a boat to Loutro, a hamlet of white houses nestled in a turquoise cove, accessible only by sea or on foot.

In the afternoon, a walk to the hilltop village of Livaniana, with magnificent views over the coast. Descent into the Aradena Gorge, narrow and lined with oleanders. The return passes the marble beach: large white slabs polished by the sea, water of absolute transparency. Dinner by the water.

By boat, you follow the coast to Agia Roumeli, at the entrance to the famous Samaria Gorge, in the heart of Crete's only national park. These gorges, the longest in Europe, shelter exceptional biodiversity: endemic plant and flower species, forests of cypress and pine. You walk upstream on an out-and-back route to Afentis Christos, picnic in this grand setting, then return by boat to Loutro. In the evening, dinner facing the sunset over the Libyan Sea.

A final morning in Loutro. A short coastal walk takes you to the beach of Glyka Nera (the "sweet waters"), one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, tucked beneath sheer cliffs. A swim, then a boat to Chora Sfakion.

In the afternoon, a visit to Arkadi Monastery, perched on a fertile plateau at the foot of Mount Ida. Its Renaissance facade is an architectural jewel; its history, a symbol of Cretan resistance, is deeply moving. Transfer to Heraklion at the end of the day.

A day devoted entirely to heritage. In the morning, visit the Palace of Knossos with an English-speaking cultural guide: the red columns, the dolphin frescoes, the Throne Room, the mythical labyrinth of the Minotaur. Then the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, home to the richest collection of Minoan art in the world: gold jewellery, painted vases, the Phaistos Disc.

The afternoon is free to wander through the historic centre: the Venetian fortress of Koules at the end of the harbour, the Byzantine church of Agios Titos, the covered market and its stalls of Cretan produce. A final evening to savour the Cretan art of living.