2 Days Tour Experience Crete! Archaeological Museum, Knossos Palace & Archaeological and Natural Beauties of South Central Crete | Departure from Heraklion city center

Meet with your guide across from the entrance of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, in front of Hari’s Creperie at 08.30 and drive directly to Knossos Palace, the largest Minoan palace, built between 1700 and 1400 BC. The palace features advanced architectural techniques, with sections up to five stories high. Settlements in Knossos date back to the Neolithic period, around 7000 BC. Explore 1,300 rooms, corridors, storerooms, and a theater, and discover the ancient Minoan civilization. The site was discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos, with excavations starting in 1900 by Sir Arthur Evans, continuing for 35 years.

At approximately 11:30, return to Heraklion to visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, the second largest in Greece after the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. The tour includes the oldest findings of Crete from 6000 BC, the highlights of the Minoan palaces of Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros, and artifacts from cemeteries, shrines, and houses, concluding with the famous Minoan frescoes of Knossos. After the museum visit, we return to the hotel at 13:30. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Heraklion.

After breakfast at the hotel, at approximately 08.30, we drive to Gortyna, the Roman capital of Crete and Cyrenaica and was first inhabited around 3200 BC.

After the visit of Gortyna, we drive through valley of Mesara to visit the archaeological site of Phaistos and its palace, the most important center of the Minoan civilization, and the most wealthy and powerful city in southern Crete.

After our visit to Phaistos, we drive to Matala where you will enjoy some free time to swim in the crystal clear waters and optional lunch.

Finally we arrive to Zaros, attractive, refreshingly unspoiled village famous for its spring water, which is now bottled and sold all over Greece, and an ideal base for walkers to explore the beautiful nature. Zaros also has some fine Byzantine monasteries, and delicious farm-raised trout served up in tavernas around town and on emerald-green Lake Votomos which will be visited. Late in the afternoon at 17:00, we return at Heraklion.