Exploring the Past in Crete!
As Crete’s most celebrated author, Nikos Kazantzakis (of Zorba the Greek fame), once wrote: “The mystery of Crete runs deep. Whoever sets foot on this island senses a mysterious force coursing warmly and beneficently through their veins, sensing their soul beginning to grow”.
KNOSSOS
A tour of Knossos Palace in Crete
Discover the splendour of Knossos Palace, near Heraklion, where the greatest civilisation of Minoan Crete ruled almost 4,000 years ago and where Theseus killed the legendary Minotaur in King Minos’ labyrinth.
You travel to the very depths of European history and mythology when you visit Knossos Palace, just outside Heraklion, the capital of Crete. This was not only the site of Minoan Crete’s grandest palace but also where the legendary King Minos is said to have built the labyrinth to contain the deadly Minotaur. That is until it was killed by the heroic Theseus who escaped back to Athens with King Minos’ daughter, Ariadne.
Walking around, you will be struck by the sophistication of a civilisation that reached its peak 4,000 years ago. The drainage system is intricate and some houses were so grand that they rose up to five storeys in height. Public and private spaces were adorned with ornate frescoes, pottery and wall paintings. In fact, some of the Minoan artwork is so iconic that it continues to inspire artists today.
Knossos Palace is big and sprawling (43,000m2), once containing 1,300 rooms connected with corridors around a main courtyard. So the best way of exploring it and understanding its secrets is with a licensed guide.
Phaistos
The Minoan Palace
The Palace of Phaistos is one of the most important centres of Minoan civilisation in Crete, second only in significance to Knossos, and one of the main cultural attractions of southern Heraklion.
The fascinating History of Crete
The setting is evocative and the ruins and recreations impressive, incorporating an immense palace, courtyards, private apartments, baths, lively frescoes and more.
SEE MOREAround 60km south of the city of Heraklion, close to Matala and other seaside resorts in southern Crete, the Palace of Phaistos is one of the most important remains of Europe’s oldest civilisation, the Minoans. But before you get complacent about taking a tour around yet another Greek ruin, just consider how old that makes it.
The first palace erected here was in around 2000 BC. Destroyed in an earthquake, it was replaced by a second palace in around 1700 BC which, despite also being destroyed in an earthquake shortly after, established Phaistos as the most powerful city in southern Crete, rivalling the Palace of Knossos in Heraklion for power.
It was mentioned by the historian Pausanias, immortalised as part of the tales of the Trojan War by Homer and, in mythology, was the seat of King Rhadamanthus, the son of Zeus and brother of Minos. It also gave us the Phaistos Disc, one of the earliest and most fascinating examples of writing, on display at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
Built on a hill overlooking the fertile plain of Massara and with views of Mt Psiloritis (Crete’s tallest mountain) as well as Mt Asterousia and the Lasithiotika mountains, the palace offers the perfect excuse to explore the wider region of Heraklion. Best of all, as soon as you’re done, the beaches and tavernas on Crete’s south coast beckon for the rest of the day. The Minoans clearly had a great eye for a location.
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