Hello,

I need help on the following ports as to whether I should book a tour with the cruise line, or make the trips our own by hiring transportation and/or a guide. We are two adults and a 2 1/2 year old child. We have not done too many group tours.

IRAKLION: Cruise option is to go to Knossos and then explore Arolithos for a total of 4 hours. How far is Knossos from Iraklion and is it best to book the tour or take a taxi and hire a guide, with more leisure?

KATAKOLON: Again, best to join one of the tours which go to the Olympia Museum and the ruins, or to the ruins and the town of Olympia......or hire a guide and see the ruins, museum, and the town of Olympia on our own??

Thanks for any help on this!!

Because you have a young child, I would hire a taxi and have the driver as a guide, or take a guidebook. I did the tour at Olympia and enjoyed it but I'm not sure if a young child would manage it. If you hire a taxi, you will be able to move on somewhere else when you have had enough of the sites.

Knossos is very near Heraklion

google the local train schedule in greece. you will be able to get to the ruins/museum at your own pace. my wife and i did the cruise tour thing. we got to see the ruins, but not the museum. we really enjoyed the input from the tour guide, but wished we had more time (they only scheduled appox. 2 hours) for the tour so we could see the museum. hope this helps.

www.olympia-greece.org/katakolon-train-bus.html