Crete - Palace of Knossos & Traditional Village of Arolithos

Updated on 2014-01-29

Daily Program

Crete’s fertile soil and towering peaks witnessed the development of one of the earliest recorded civilizations on earth, the Minoan.

Knossos was the court of the legendary King Minos, whose wife Pasiphae gave birth to the Minotaur, half-bull and half-man. The excavations on the site were begun by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans and his team in 1893 and lasted 35 years.

Entering the Great Palace through the West Court, one can easily understand why the legend of the labyrinth emerged here. It takes about one hour and a half to walk around the site and explore all parts of the Palace. Walking through the superb Royal Quarters, you will admire the Throne room with an Antechamber and main throne and the Queen’s Quarters whose wall above the entrance door is decorated with a copy of the famous dolphin frescos. Apart from the Royal Palace, there are also other buildings included in the site such as the Small Palace, the House of the High Priest and the Caravanserai.

Continue your tour with the very interesting and traditional settlement of Arolithos. In this village, you will have the opportunity to see how people used to live in the past, especially through a visit to the village museum, which exhibits the equipments used for numerous daily tasks. Walking through the colorful narrow alleys, you will reach the main square of the village where you will taste various Greek snacks and the local spirit under the shade of a plane tree. You may then stroll around the streets of Arolithos and get acquainted with the typical life of a Cretan village.

Notes

Our rate includes pre-booked deluxe air-conditioned taxi/minivan depending on number of travelers, a professional English-speaking guide, refreshments and snacks in Arolithos, site admissions and parking fees.

 

Additional Details/Reminders:

Tour Departure Time: 9.30 am

This tour involves extensive walking; comfortable non-slip walking shoes are recommended.

There is a supplement of USD 225.- per guide for tours operated on Sundays/holidays. Please click here if you would like to book this tour on a Sunday/holiday.

 

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