If that sounds too much like hard effort under the Mediterranean sun, Inntravel (01653 617 001; inntravel.co.uk) looks to the opposite end of the island, and at a far slower pace, with “Crete’s South-West Coast” – a seven-night self-guided getaway which wanders the hillsides above Paleochora, taking in the Lissos Gorge and the ancient ruins of the same name. Prices start at £865 per person, excluding flights.
Alternatively, if great holes in the rock are a personal love, The Natural Adventure (020 3962 1455; naturaladventure.com) targets two of them – the Imbros Gorge and the Aradena Gorge – on its “Crete North to South Coast Trek”. Less demanding than it sounds (though still strenuous), this unescorted odyssey covers 50 miles over eight days, wandering between the northerly village of Vamos, and the bottom of the island at Loutro. From £540 a head, flights extra.
If you would prefer to avoid exercise of any kind, Art Safari (01394 382 235; artsafari.co.uk) has a week-long holiday of painting and tuition, based in Chania, planned for September 17-24. From £2,295 per person, including all meals and accommodation (flights extra).
If you are more invested in archaeology than art, the “Wonders of Ancient Crete” group tour run by Cox & Kings (0333 060 2995; coxandkings.co.uk) peers at the island’s past in detail, visiting not just Knossos, but sites including the Minoan palace at Phaistos, and the 16th-century monastery at Arkadi (a building which occupies an Alamo-type sacred space in local folklore, having been one of the bloody focal points of an island revolt against Ottoman rule in 1866). Five departures are in the diary for 2024, the first in May, the last at the end of October. From £1,895 per person (including flights).
On a budget
Holidaymakers with children should certainly aim for Labyrinth Park (labyrinthpark.gr), 15 miles east of Heraklion in Hersonissos. Not only does it have a superbly challenging maze (complete with a Minotaur statue) included in the reasonable entry price (visitors over 11 €10; 4-11s €6; under-fours free); each other element of the theme park (including a Trojan Horse laser course, miniature golf and horse-riding) is priced separately (usually €3), meaning you can add on as much or as little as you wish.
While Knossos, as an A-list slice of history, costs €15 per adult, Crete has a wealth of archaeological sites, and many are far cheaper. For example, entry to the ruins of Gounia – an ancient port at the south end of Mirabello Bay – is a mere €2.