Explore the first European civilization, the Minoan! (Knossos - Archaeological Museum of Heraklion - Heraklion city)

The Driver will not accompany the group inside archaeological sites or other visiting places.

It is the site of the most important and better-known palace of Minoan civilization. According to Greek mythology, it was the seat of the legendary king Minos. The Palace is also connected with thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur, and the story of Daidalos and Icaros.

After Knossos we will continue to the New Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. It is one of the most important and richest of Greek museums and holds a significant place among the list of the greatest museums in the world. Its 20 rooms house a wealth of exhibits originating exclusively from Crete and related to the island’s past (from Neolithic to Roman times). Unique are the finds from excavation at Knossos, Phaestos, Agia Triada, Malia and other Minoan centers of central Crete. It is located in the center of Heraklion town.

Our last visit will be the city of Heraklion itself. It is built on the site of the small harbor which was the seaport of Knossos. This small harbor much later became an important fortified town under the Arabs, who held it for a period of over one hundred years (824-961 AD). During the period of Venetian rule (1204-1699) it was called Candia, a name which eventually came to cover the entire island. This was a period of prosperity for the town, which was fortified by its occupiers with another strong wall, was adorned with a great number of splendid buildings, fountains, squares, and churches, and a time during which the arts and literature also flourished. Then also 21 years of close siege, the town finally surrenders to its new conquerors that, this time, came from the East: Τhe Turks (1669).

In 1913, Heraklion was incorporated into the free Greek State, together with the rest of Crete. During the German occupation its inhabitants organized a brave resistance movement, together with the other Cretan patriots. Heraklion is now a modern city (the largest of the island) and is the administrative, commercial, industrial and agricultural center of Crete.