Knossos, located just a few kilometers
outside the Cretan capital Heraklion, is the most
important archaeological site on the island. Since its discovery at the end of
the 19th century, the palace of Knossos is world famous. The elaborate
excavations at the beginning of the 20th century were led by Sir Arthur Evans, a
native of England. With considerable financial resources, he began to rebuild
the huge palace. At 4000 years old, Knossos is one of the oldest large
structures in Europe.
Buy
Tickets for Knossos online 2024
The queues at the checkout at the palace of Knossos
are often very long. More and more tourists buy their
tickets in advance on the Internet. There are simple
online tickets with audio guide as well as good guided
tours through the palace of Knossos. We recommend buying
tickets at the well-known ticket website
Getyourguide.com:
1. Tickets with audio guide device:
click here
2. Tickets with guided tour through Knossos:
click here
3. Cheap combination ticket Knosses, Archaeological
Museum:
click here
|
For archaeology, however, this is a scientific
disaster, since Evans interpreted much about the ancient appearance of the
palace according to his own ideas (often wrongly) during the reconstruction.
However, today's lay visitor is pleased, he gets to see much more in Knossos
than in the other three excavated Minoan palaces on Crete (Phestos,
Malia and the palace Kato Zakros).
Knossos is one of the oldest sites in Europe. The palace dates back to about
2,000 B.C., but some finds date back to about 6,000 B.C. It is the enormous age
that makes Knossos so special! The Minoans were the first advanced civilization
in Europe and already knew things like heaters and toilet flushes. They lived
almost exclusively on Crete.
Knossos is the most visited excursion destination in Crete. The other two sights
very often visited by tourists are the island of
Spinalonga and the long hike through the Samaria
Gorge.
Our tip: Buy
tickets for the Archaeological Museum Iraklio and Knosses as combination tickets
with audio guide online in advance. 23 euros (individually on site together 27
euros without audio guide). The queues in Knossos without online ticket are
often very long:
click here
Directions Knossos
Car Knossos: Every day hundreds, often
thousands, of tourists come to Knossos by rental car. Getting to Knossos quite
easy, as it is well signposted throughout Heraklion. Already on the highway at
the exit. Knossos is a few kilometers outside of Heraklio,
behind (south of) the city from the sea. There are very large parking lots near
the entrance of the sight. Parking at Knossos costs only a few euros. Buy
tickets beforehand(see yellow box). After visiting Knossos you can still go to
the city and look at the capital of Crete Heraklio. The many souvenir stores and
taverns around Knossos are rather expensive and boring.
How to get to Knossos by bus: Knossos is easy to reach from the big bus
station of Heraklion. Take the city bus line 2 (3-5 times per hour in summer)
with Knossos as the final stop. Buy tickets at the ticket office. The regular
buses are inexpensive. A one-way trip costs about 1,50 Euro in the beginning of
2024. Tickets are also available from the bus driver on the way back, but they
cost about 50 cents more.
Excursion buses Knossos: From many resorts on Crete are offered day trips by
bus to Knossos. This has the advantage that one is picked up comfortably in the
morning at the hotel and is brought back after the bus tour.
Mehr
Infos hier
Entrance fee Knossos: Unfortunately, the entrance fee to the palace has
become much more expensive in recent years. The Greek state needs money. The
entrance fee is now (beginning of 2024) 15 euros. There is a ticket in
combination with the famous Archaeological Museum of Crete in Herkalion. Buy
tickets beforehand(see yellow box).
Our tip: Buy
tickets for the Archaeological Museum Iraklio and Knosses as combination tickets
with audio guide online in advance. 23 euros (individually on site together 27
euros without audio guide). The queues in Knossos without online ticket are
often very long:
click here
Opening hours Knossos
In summer, the palace complex of Knossos is open daily from 8
a.m. to 7 p.m.. This information refers to the year 2024. In winter, the palace
closes already at 5 p.m. (as of the beginning of 2024). Only on some holidays
like March 25, Easter, May 1, Christmas and New Year's Day Knossos is closed for
visitors. On some other holidays in Greece, such as Good Friday, the opening
hours are significantly reduced.
More info Knossos
The many tavernas and stores around Knossos Palace are quite expensive and of
mediocre quality at best. How long you should take to visit Knossos depends on
individual interest. Some spend only an hour in the Minoan palace, but other
visitors spend a whole day. The fenced-in area of Knossos is several hundred
meters in diameter. Much of it is in the blazing sun.
The famous labyrinth of Knossos is the model for many modern labyrinths,
including the one in the Labyrinth Park of Crete in Chersonissos.
There are good toilets in Knossos. It is often very hot. It is best to bring
plenty of water.
If you have not booked a guided tour, you can of course listen to other groups
for a while. There are many guided tours in Knossos, in all imaginable
languages.
Quite a few visitors are somewhat disappointed by Knossos. As a total layman in
archaeology, one sees mainly stones, ruins and collapsed walls. Knossos is
interesting if you inform yourself beforehand, if you have a good guide with you
or especially if you take a guided tour. In our opinion it is worth
Buy
Tickets for Knossos online
The queues at the checkout at the palace of Knossos
are often very long. More and more tourists in 2024 buy their
tickets in advance on the Internet. There are simple
online tickets with audio guide as well as good guided
tours through the palace of Knossos. We recommend buying
tickets at the well-known ticket website
Getyourguide.com:
1. Tickets with audio guide device:
click here
2. Tickets with guided tour through Knossos:
click here
3. Cheap combination ticket Knosses, Archaeological
Museum:
click here
|
The famous wall painting with the dolphins in Knossos
No hotel on Crete yet?
There are thousands
hotels and other accommodations on Crete. In
our opinion the best overview is at Booking.com.
You can sort accommodations by price or display only
accommodations in certain cities. The hotels can be booked
quickly and easily on Booking.com, there are also
many holiday
apartments.
|
Buy
Tickets for Knossos online
The queues at the checkout at the palace of Knossos
are often very long. More and more tourists buy their
tickets in advance on the Internet. There are simple
online tickets with audio guide as well as good guided
tours through the palace of Knossos. We recommend buying
tickets at the well-known ticket website
Getyourguide.com:
1. Tickets with audio guide device:
click here
2. Tickets with guided tour through Knossos:
click here
3. Cheap combination ticket Knosses, Archaeological
Museum:
click here
|
Information about the
Doges Palace Venice
Map Knossos
Crete
|