Samaria Gorge Tour from Heraklion

Those walking boots will get a good workout during this hike through the Samaria Gorge. This 16km-long ravine is the longest in Europe. So it's a serious – but spectacular – five to six-hour trek that's not for the unfit or faint-hearted.

You'll start by driving through the White Mountains to your starting point – the Xyloskalo staircase, which zigzags some 200 meters down into the gorge. You'll pass tiny chapels, walk between the high ravine walls and maybe spot some of Crete's wild ‘kri-kri' goats. The highlight though, is the ‘Iron Gates' – the narrowest section of the gorge where the 300-metre-high walls stand just 3 meters apart.

At the end, you'll reach the seaside village of Agia Roumeli, where if you've made good time, you can take a swim or relax in a taverna. Then, when everyone's ready, you'll catch a boat along the coast to where your coach awaits. Great for outdoor types.