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Things to do in Knossos Palace
Seeping in history, mystery, and with a strong connection to Greek mythology, the ancient Knossos Palace is an enigmatic archaeological site located about 20 minutes south of modern-day Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete. Knossos Palace dates back to 1900 BC and is believed to have been the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization. Knossos is also considered by some to have been the first city in Europe.
Knossos Palace is heavily associated with the Greek myth of the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature imprisoned in a labyrinth commissioned by King Minos and built by famed architect Daedalus. The palace is also connected to the story of Daedalus and Icarus.
Evidence suggests the area surrounding Knossos Palace was first settled by humans in the Neolithic period around 7000 BC. The palace itself was constructed in 1900 BC and mysteriously destroyed around 1380-1100 BC. The ruins were left abandoned until being discovered, excavated, and restored in the early 20th century by a team led by British archaeologist Arthur Evans.
Our recommendations in Knossos Palace
E-tickets and audio tours for Minoan gems of Heraklion
Enjoy a visit to the the Palace of Knossos and to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum with a combo e-ticket and 2 audio tours on your phone
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Tour of Knossos Palace and Heraklion museum from Chania
Enjoy a tour of the Knossos Palace and Heraklion museum from Chania onboard of a premium-class vehicle and relax during a traditional Cretan wine tasting.
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Knossos Palace e-ticket with audio tour on your phone
Book your Knossos Palace e-ticket with audio tour and discover the most iconic attraction of Crete.
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Self-guided virtual tour of the Palace of Knossos
Discover Knossos from home with a virtual tour.
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E-tickets and audio tours for Minoan gems of Heraklion
Enjoy a visit to the the Palace of Knossos and to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum with a combo e-ticket and 2 audio tours on your phone
en, it, fr, es, de
Tour of Knossos Palace and Heraklion museum from Chania
Enjoy a tour of the Knossos Palace and Heraklion museum from Chania onboard of a premium-class vehicle and relax during a traditional Cretan wine tasting.
en, fr, de, ru, nl
Knossos Palace e-ticket with audio tour on your phone
Book your Knossos Palace e-ticket with audio tour and discover the most iconic attraction of Crete.
en, it, fr, es, de
Self-guided virtual tour of the Palace of Knossos
Discover Knossos from home with a virtual tour.
en
Tour of Knossos Palace and Museum with wine routes tour of Heraklion
Discover Knossos Palace and Heraklion museum from Heraklion onboard of a premium-class vehicle and enjoy a traditional Cretan wine tasting.
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VIP Zeus Cave and Knossos Palace Private Tour from Heraklion and Elounda
Discover Knossos Palace and the Cave of Zeus from Heraklion and Elounda during this tailored-made private tour.
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Private tour of Knossos Palace and Cretan villages from Chania
Discover Knossos Palace and the Cretan villages privately during this VIP tour with pick-up from Chania.
Knossos Palace and Heraklion foodie tour with transportation
Set off on your very own Cretan adventure with a guided tour around the marvelous Knossos Palace and a delicious food tasting experience.
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Private tour of Knossos Palace and Cretan villages from Heraklion
Discover Knossos Palace and the Cretan villages thanks to this private tour with guide and skip-the-line accesses to the archaeological areas.
How to get there
Knossos Palace
Heraklion
Greece
Reviews Knossos Palace
“We spent a very short time at Knossos the main reason for the excudion. So much if the oakace we didn't see. Our guidewas knowledgeable but rushed us round. 3 hours in Heraklion was about 1.5 hours too long. Add time at Knossos.”
“Knossos Palace was interesting, but crowded and expectations should be set around how much there actually is to see. Entrance fee is only 15 Euros. The "tour" of Heraklion was more here is a fountain see you back here in a couple of hours. Description of trip also mentioned a market but this didn't really materialise. So trip did feel a bit expensive for what it was.”
“The tour guide was great but unfortunately the microphone/ear piece system did not work very well at all and we all gave up on using them so found it hard to hear what the guide was saying. On the whole I was underwhelmed by Knossos Palace anyway. The trip into Heraklion was much more enjoyable and the port castle/fortification was much more interesting.”
“Interesting archeology but too busy,”
