Day trips from Kolymbari take you to some of the most beautiful places in Crete. The village sits at the start of the Rodopou peninsula, on the Gulf of Chania, and the far west of the island, with its lagoons, sandy beaches and gorges, is close by.
Kolymbari is our home: our family taxi business has been based here since 1979. If you are staying for a week, this is one way to plan it, with a mix of long days and slow ones. Swap the days around to suit the weather and your energy, and use the indicative taxi prices from our price table to plan your budget.
Day 1: settle in, Kolymbari style
Spend the first day in the village, before the day trips from Kolymbari begin. Walk along the harbour, have lunch at one of the fish tavernas by the sea and, in the late afternoon, walk to the Gonia Monastery, about a kilometre from the village, overlooking the Gulf of Chania. Our Monasteries of Chania tour adds the old monasteries of the Akrotiri peninsula on another day.
Day 2: Chania old town
The old Venetian harbour of Chania, with its lighthouse, narrow lanes and waterfront tavernas, is less than an hour from Kolymbari. Finish at the Venizelos Graves on the hill above the city, for the best view over Chania at sunset.
Indicative price from Kolymbari to Chania: €38 by taxi, €60 by mini bus.
Day 3: Balos and Gramvousa
The turquoise lagoon of Balos, at the northwestern tip of Crete, is one of the most photographed places on the island. You can reach it by road to Kaliviani and the dirt track to the car park, then walk down to the lagoon, or take the boat from Kissamos port, which also stops at the island of Imeri Gramvousa with its Venetian fortress.
From Kolymbari, the port of Kissamos is close: the indicative price is €30 by taxi and €50 by mini bus. We can drop you at the boat in the morning and pick you up when it returns. See our Balos and Gramvousa tour.
Day 4: a slow day close to home
After a long day at sea, keep it short. Not all day trips from Kolymbari need a whole day. Visit the German War Cemetery on Hill 107 above Maleme, where the Battle of Crete was decided, and stop at a local winery on the way back.
Indicative prices: Kolymbari to Maleme €12 by taxi, Kolymbari to Karavitakis Winery €13 by taxi, and to Pnevmatikakis Winery €20.
Day 5: Elafonisi
Elafonisi, one of the longest day trips from Kolymbari, is at the southwestern tip of Crete and famous for its pink-tinted sand and warm, shallow water. The road crosses the hills of western Crete, and the last part runs down to the coast past the Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa, worth a short stop. In July and August leave early, and bring shade, water and sun cream.
Indicative price from Kolymbari to Elafonisi: €90 by taxi, €140 by mini bus. See our Elafonisi tour.
Day 6: the Samaria Gorge, or the Botanical Park
The hike through the Samaria Gorge starts at Xyloskalo on the Omalos plateau and ends on the south coast at Agia Roumeli, where a ferry takes walkers along the coast. We drive you up to the start early in the morning and collect you at the port, for example in Hora Sfakion, at the end of the day. Check that the gorge is open on your date, and bring good shoes, water, snacks and a hat. Indicative price from Kolymbari to Omalos: €70 by taxi, €110 by mini bus. See our Samaria Gorge transfers.
Not a hiker? Spend the day at the Botanical Park near Fournes instead, at the foot of the White Mountains, among fruit trees, herbs, flowers and ponds. Indicative price from Kolymbari: €45 by taxi, €75 by mini bus. See our Botanical Park tour.
Day 7: Falasarna at sunset
End the week on the west coast. Falasarna has long sandy beaches and some of the best sunsets in Crete, and it is one of the shortest day trips from Kolymbari, so you can leave after lunch, swim, have dinner and watch the sun go down. Bring shade, as the beaches are wide and open.
Indicative price from Kolymbari to Falasarna: €50 by taxi, €80 by mini bus. See our Falasarna tour.
The week at a glance
Your week of day trips from Kolymbari on one page, with indicative one-way taxi prices:
- Day 1, Kolymbari and the Gonia Monastery: on foot
- Day 2, Chania old town: €38 by taxi
- Day 3, Kissamos port for Balos and Gramvousa: €30 by taxi
- Day 4, Maleme and a local winery: from €12 by taxi
- Day 5, Elafonisi: €90 by taxi
- Day 6, Omalos for the Samaria Gorge: €70 by taxi, or the Botanical Park: €45
- Day 7, Falasarna: €50 by taxi
Transfer or private tour?
For day trips from Kolymbari, the prices above are indicative one-way transfer prices from our price table, per vehicle, for a taxi with 1 to 4 passengers or a mini bus with 5 to 8. If you want the driver to wait for you and bring you back, or to visit more than one place in a day, book a private tour: tell us your plan and we confirm the price. All our tours start with pickup from your hotel.
Questions about day trips from Kolymbari
What are the best day trips from Kolymbari?
The classic day trips from Kolymbari go west and south: Balos and Gramvousa, Falasarna, Elafonisi and the Samaria Gorge. Closer to home, Chania old town, the Botanical Park and the Gonia Monastery make easy half days.
How much is a taxi for day trips from Kolymbari?
One-way transfer prices start at €12 by taxi to Maleme, €50 to Falasarna and €90 to Elafonisi (indicative, per vehicle). For a private tour where the driver waits for you, tell us your plan and we confirm the price.
Can we visit two places in one day?
Yes, with a private tour. Good pairs are Falasarna with the town of Kissamos, Elafonisi with the Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa, or Chania with the Venizelos Graves.
When should we leave in the morning?
For Elafonisi, Balos and the Samaria Gorge, leave early, especially in July and August. Falasarna is close, so it also works as an afternoon trip with the sunset.
Plan your day trips from Kolymbari
Tell us where you want to go with our booking form, call us on +30 28240 84575 or email info@taxi-kolymbari.gr. Still on your way? Read how to get from Chania Airport to Kolymbari, and see every route on our price table.
