This is not just a bus trip to the beach. This tour is like two (or three?) in one: bus and boat trip, sandy beaches and swimming in the morning and a strolling through the old Venetian city in the evening! An easy and enjoyable full day excursion from Anissaras that includes both a visit to two beautiful beaches on the Libyan Sea coast and a stroll through one of the island’s most beautiful town of Rethymno.
On this tour, you will visit the following sights and attractions:
This trip starts in the northeastern part of Crete, where the tour bus will head south to Damnoni beach, famous for its gray sand, turquoise waters and the old fishing village of the same name. This is the coast line of the Libyan Sea. Here a boat will be waiting for our group – the rest of the trip will be by sea. After half an hour on board, everyone will head straight to the palm-fringed Preveli Beach, which is located in one of the neighboring bays.
Nestled on the southern shores of Crete, Preveli Beach marks the end of the Preveli Gorge, where the Great River (Megalopotamos) meets the Libyan Sea. The lush palm forest lining the riverbanks imparts a tropical ambiance to the area. Preveli Beach is a great place to relax, swim in the Libyan Sea and walk through the palm forest. There you will have about an hour and a half of free time: enough for the jungle, the sea and the beach.
Please note that during our tour we offer direct boat access to the beach, providing a convenient way to reach this idyllic spot. Another way to get to (and return from) the beach is to climb a stone path of several hundred steps on the high cliffs (about 15 minutes down and 25 minutes up) if you come there with a bus.
After swimming at Preveli Beach in the middle of the day, you will take a boat trip to Damnoni Bay. There, you can either continue your beach getaway or enjoy a delicious meal at a taverna before moving on to the next attraction. Ready to leave the southern coasts and their sandy beaches? Let’s go to the mountains!
The transfer to Rethymno will take you through the gorge of Kourtalioko. There will be a short stop where you can walk around and take plenty of photos of this picturesque place with its unique natural beauty, diverse vegetation and small waterfalls, after which the bus will head northwest towards Rethymno city.
Rethymno is now the third largest city in Crete, but the old town is quite small. Our bus will take you directly to the old town of Rethymno, so you only need to walk a few minutes to be in the heart of this beautiful place and you will have about an hour of free time to explore it. Our advice? Wander the charming streets full of Venetian landmarks, minarets and quaint shops. Admire the many remnants of the Venetian and Ottoman periods scattered throughout the city, such as the Loggia, Piazza Rimondi and the Lighthouse. Or, speaking of the lighthouse, have lunch in one of the many taverns in the old harbor in front of it with a beautiful view of the sea!
During the season we can take you on an organized bus tour from Anissaras to the palm beach of Preveli and the old town of Rethymno. Bus tour, boat trip, walking around – this excursion takes most of the day, bus will definitely get you back to the hotel in time for dinner with very good impressions!
If you want to take an organized bus tour from Anissaras to Preveli beach in the morning and spend some time in the old town of Rethymno in the afternoon, the price of the trip in 2025 is:
This tour is sometimes included in special promotions and sold cheaper for our followers – keep an eye out for discounts on Instagram!
Are you traveling as a big family or a group? Contact us in advance or visit our offices and we will try to make you the best offer.
You are welcome! We will run this personalised tour in a suitable car or minivan for you on any day. No large groups, long pick-ups or waiting – just you, your family or friends and the guide! You can ask us in advance – and we will organise everything for you.
You can book an excursion to the palm beach of Preveli and the city of Rethymno from Anissaras online (see “How to book excursions in Crete”).
In 2025 the excursion to the palm beach of Preveli and the old city of Rethymno from Anissaras takes place from 01/05 to 31/10. Available tour days – Tuesday and Saturday.
Please note that trip schedules are subject to change, including cancellation. This is extremely rare and may be due to weather conditions. For example, heavy rains at the beginning (April and May) or end of the season (September and October) and other force majeure situations. If there are any changes, we will try to let you know as soon as possible.
Please make sure that you have correctly identified your vacation area in Crete and read the cancellation and refund policy.
If there is less than 24 hours before the trip, please contact the manager to check availability before you make a booking!
Firstly, you can come to one of our offices where booking for all services is available and payment can be made either by cash or card.
Secondly, in case of online booking you can choose cash payment (which is available for some areas only) or you can pay online by card. In the case of cash, we will arrange a meeting with our courier in advance, who will bring the prepared documents to your hotel or villa and collect the cash. Please note that this option is only available for bookings made well in advance (days or weeks before the trip!). In case of online payment, you will receive the tickets by e-mail or WhatsApp – as you prefer.
Please keep all documents and tickets until the end of your trip!
It depends on the location of your hotel or villa. In some cases a tour bus will literally stop at the front door of the hotel and you just have to be there, in others it may be a short walk to the nearest pick-up point. This is usually a large central street, bus stop, square, car park, etc. – somewhere where there is no risk of the tour bus getting stuck on a narrow one-way street or stuck in traffic.
You will receive full details of the time and place of the pick-up with your travel documents when you make your booking. Please read it carefully before the trip.
No, just short distances to the viewpoints.
In the middle of the day, traditional taverns are open along the coast, for example at Damnoni Beach. Lunch costs 10-15 euro per person. You can also have lunch on Preveli beach, where there are small kiosks, or leave it until you arrive in Rethymno – if you like. We recommend having lunch at Damnoni bay.
Anything to protect you from the sun and swimwear for a beach time. Some cash, e.g. for food and drinks.
Yes. You will have a guide with you. Your guide will tell you about the places you will visit and help you with any questions you may have.
This is more of a sightseeing and beach trip for swimming, sunbathing, easy walking around the old town of Rethymno and relaxing than a highly informative tour with history lessons. Come to have a look around, take some photos and relax!
Languages: English, German, French on any available day. On some days we can also organize excursions with Italian, Polish, Romanian and Russian speaking guides, so check the booking calendar or send us a request.
Please note that this is an approximate tour schedule. Times may vary depending on traffic and pick-up and drop-off locations. Exact times will be sent to you along with other information when you make your reservation and specify your hotel.
| Schedule of the excursion program | |
|---|---|
| 7:00 - 9:00 | Departure from the hotel |
| 10:30 | Arrival on the south coast of Crete at Damnoni Bay |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Boat trip to Preveli Palm Beach |
| 11:00 - 12:30 | Arrival at Preveli beach and free time |
| 12:30 - 13:00 | Boat trip to Damnoni Beach |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Arrival at Damnoni beach and free time |
| 14:30 - 14:50 | Transfer by bus to the gorge of Kurtalioko |
| 16:00 - 17:00 | Transfer by bus to Rethymno, free time to visit the old town |
| 18:30 - 20:00 | Return to the hotels |
| Duration and travel time | |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 hours | From hotels by bus to Damnoni bay |
| about 30 minutes | Traveling by sea to Preveli Palm Beach |
| 1,5 hours | At the Preveli beach |
| 1 hour | At the Damnoni beach |
| 1 hour | In Rethymno old city |
| up to 2 hours | Transfer by bus to the hotels |