**Our Review of the Excursion**
Overall, this tour was a pleasant experience, mainly thanks to our Guide Gaëtan, who was exceptional throughout the day. His sympathy, professionalism and ability to handle explanations in two languages really made a difference. He was able to make each step more enjoyable and interesting, although some practical aspects could have been improved.
**Visit to the olive oil factory**
The first stop of the day was a visit to a family olive oil factory. Unfortunately, this part of the tour did not bring us much. It was more of a showcase for product storage and packaging, with only three tanks, a few dosing machines and a labeler to see. It wasn’t really a tour of olive oil production from A to Z, but rather a cursory presentation. The Impression was that the goal was to quickly take us to the adjoining souvenir shop, which, although attractive, seemed to be the focal point of this stage. It was disappointing because we were hoping to learn more about the production process, but we had a very commercial experience.
**Crossing to Spinalonga Island**
Then we took a private boat towards the island of Spinalonga quite fast less than 5 minutes.Although we knew that tickets for entry were not included, it would be more convenient if they were to avoid queuing. However, we regretted the absence of our Guide Gaëtan to explain the history of the island. We found ourselves walking around without really knowing the historical details or the richness of the place. A guided tour would have greatly enriched the experience. The view of Spinalonga from the sea is beautiful and worth a visit, but the lack of historical explanations was an unfortunate lack.
**Restaurant meals**
After visiting the island, we went to the restaurant for a delicious meal, which was a real highlight of the day. Gaëtan was able to make this moment convivial thanks to his anecdotes and his good humor, which reinforced the positive experience.
**Visit the caves**
The last leg of the excursion consisted of a 10-minute walk to the caves. Gaëtan told fascinating stories about the events that took place there, and this part of the tour was one of the most enriching for the story more than the cave itself which has no real interest except the drama that there was.
**Guide role and a disrupted experience**
Gaëtan was really a highlight of this excursion. His professionalism, command of both languages and positive attitude were essential to the smooth running of the day. However, a negative point was the presence of a person sent by the company to observe the visit in order to offer it to foreign customers. The problem is that she only spoke English, although we had chosen a French excursion, and it was very disturbing. On top of that, on the way back, we were integrated into an English-speaking group with a Guide who did not speak French, which made this part even more frustrating. This kind of situation should not have happened, and it really hampered our experience. It is mainly for this reason that we put a Rating of 3 stars instead of 5 and the other points to improve, because these moments greatly altered our satisfaction.
**Conclusion**
In summary, although this tour offers beautiful scenery, especially the view of Spinalonga, the Award does not fully match the quality of the experience. The route is more of a car ride than a real rewarding discovery. The visit to the olive oil factory is disappointing and could be rethought or replaced by a more interesting activity. In addition, the visit to Spinalonga would have been much more captivating with a Guide to explore its fascinating history. Gaëtan’s professionalism and sympathy were the positives of the day, and we strongly recommend asking Gaëtan if you are taking this tour. This review reflects our personal feelings, and we would have liked a more fluid and rewarding experience, but we still have a good memory of the day