A day of discovery to the “Knossos Palace” and the 4000 year old relics of a Minoan civilization redeemed almost to its former glory. You will be fascinated by the myths and legends from the era that gave us plumbing and air - conditioning long before, civilization as we know it, was even thought of.

The 2 hour journey to Heraklion follows the pretty coast line for most of the way. There is a stop near Rethymnon for breakfast. At approximately 10.00am we arrive at the fabulous Minoan palace of Knossos, once the residence of the legendary King Minos, stands loftily on a hill. In it’s heyday it must have been an impressive sight, with its splendid architecture, monumental staircases and beautiful coloured frescoes. Whilst leading you through the palace chambers, halls and courtyards, our professional guide will paint the picture in your mind, of 4000 years of mystery and history.

A short drive from Knossos takes us into the centre of Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Here you have free time to wander through the busy streets, to window shop, see the market, the famous Morosoni Fountain, and have lunch in one of the many tavernas, or in a café by the square. You can also choose to visit to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum which holds the majority of the ancient artifacts found over the years on Crete, including all the original pieces from Knossos including intricate gold jewellery, the original frescoes, and engraved linguistic tablets. 

In 2010 we did not include a guided tour of the museum in this excursion because museum has been under going renovation since 2006 and there is currently only a limited exhibition in a small area of the museum. It is therefore up to you if you would like to use some of your free time to go to the museum. This may change in 2011 if the museum re-opens in full.