Crete

The Venetian Koules Fortress, also known as Castello a Mare (which means "fort on the sea"), is one of Heraklion's main landmarks and is located on the old harbour. This big, square-shaped structure was built in the 16th century to protect the city and was subsequently armed with cannons. The rooftop offers scenic views over the sea and Heraklion city.

Founded in 1953, the Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion hosts a permanent collection showcasing the history of Crete from the third century AD to the end of the Second World War. Artefacts, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and other objects of interest are displayed in chronological order, with visual materials, multimedia and audio guides available during your visit to help you learn more about Crete's fascinating past. A section of the museum is dedicated to the famous writer Nikos Kazantzakis. Another highlight of the exhibition are two paintings by the Greek artist El Greco: The Baptism of Christ and View of Mt. Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.

The ruins of the Palace of Knossos, the largest and most brilliant centre of the Minoan civilization, are located 5 kilometres south of the historical centre of Heraklion. Twisting corridors and stairwells, which used to connect as many as five storeys, create a truly labyrinthine complex which rivals the mythological Minoan "Labyrinth".

This museum is located in the center of Heraklion and is one of the most important archaeological museums in the world, thanks to its unrivalled collection of artefacts from the Bronze-age Minoan culture. The exhibits cover a period of ten millennia, from the Neolithic era until late Roman times. The introductory texts in each room explain the key features of each period, and so the evolution of culture.

The fortification works of Heraklion are rightfully counted among the most important in the Eastern Mediterranean. Built in the First Byzantine period (330-840 AD), these fortifications were supplemented by the Arabs (840-961), the Byzantines (961-1204), and the Venetians (after 1211). Under threat of invasion by the Turks, a three-kilometre long wall with four gates and seven bastions was added on in 1462, and is still visible today.

This museum is dedicated to the famous Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis, who wrote "Zorba the Greek" and "The Last Temptation of Christ". Among the exhibits are his personal correspondence and diaries, souvenirs from his travels, photographs, models of theatrical sets and costumes from performances of his plays, rare audio-visual material, and works of art inspired by his books.

At an altitude of 850 metres, the Lasithi Plateau is the largest mountain plain in Crete. Nowadays, it has been transformed into a giant garden. There are numerous settlements at the plain where you can try local delicacies and the traditional raki drink. Lasithi plateau and its surroundings are also ideal for trekking walks or even cycling and mountain biking. A major attraction is the Dikteon cave above Psychro village, where — according to legend — the god Zeus was born and raised.

Panagia Akrotiriani (Our Lady of the Cape) Monastery, colloquially known as Toplou Monastery, is one of Crete’s most impressive historic sights. It is a true bastion and a living museum of the island’s monastic history. There is a small but solemn and stirring two-aisled church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to Saint John the Theologian, decorated with murals that still survive and featuring a chancel screen with noteworthy 18th century icons. The Ecclesiastic Art Museum houses some of Crete’s most significant icons, including Megas ei Kyrie' (Great Art Thou, Lord), a 1770 icon by Ioannis Kornaros. The icon is made up of four main sections, further separated into 57 smaller areas, and includes hundreds of faces which come together magnificently to depict the Great Blessing of Waters. The organic vineyards on the monastery’s grounds produce organic wine of excellent quality and it is also possible to visit the winery.

In addition to the famous Samaria gorge, there are several other beautiful gorges where you can go trekking in Crete. The gorge of Agios Nikolaos is 4 km long and is flanked by the peaks of Ambelakia and Samari. It is considered to be the most important gorge of Psiloritis and Central Crete, and was named after the Byzantine chapel of Agios Nikolaos which is located at its southern entrance. Zakros gorge in Eastern Crete is also called the “valley of the dead” because of the Minoan cave burials that were found there. The trekking route is 2,5 km long and begins south-east of the village of Zakros, passing through the gorge and ending next to the Minoan palace at Kato Zakros. The gorge of Aradena is an impressive 7-kilometre long gorge. Its entrance is located at the deserted village of Aradena, at the western end of the plateau of Anopoli of Sfakia, below the imposing, high peaks of the White Mountains (Lefka Ori). Near the entrance to the gorge there is an iron Bailey bridge, which connects Anopoli with Aradena and the small settlement of Agios Ioannis to the west. It is the tallest bridge in Greece and the second tallest in Europe, therefore ideal for bungee jumping. Rikhtis gorge is a beautiful small gorge of about 3 kilometres, located in Eastern Crete and featuring a marked route. It follows a stream that flows all year round and creates a splendid waterfall. The gorge begins a little outside the village of Exo Mouliana and ends at the beach of Rikhtis, east of Kalavros village (15 km west of Siteia).