Best 55 Art & Museums activities on Crete Island

This private guided tour takes place in Rethymno, and lets you discover the history of Rethymno Region. Unknown historical information and various points of great significance ought to be discovered in this full-day tour. We start this tour by doing various sightseeing stops, to see the valleys and villages of Mainland Rethymno, a prefecture east of Chania Region. After a lovely drive through one of Rethymno’s most beautiful gorges, we finally reach the Monastery of Arkadi with huge historical & Archaeological significance. Free time is given to explore the artefacts of the monastery, pray and meditate, as well as gather in the gunpowder room and learn about the history of self- committed suicide of monks, women and warriors during the Ottoman Rule of the island. We continue our full-day guided tour to visit the Museum of Eleftherna, which hosts many historic artefacts from the recent excavations of the old town and necropolis that dates back to the Homer years. Time is being given free to explore the museum, and interact with the experienced museum staff. As we continue onwards, we may stop for lunch at a lovely tavern that serves traditional and organic Cretan food, or we continue straight to the Arts and Crafts village of Margarites. This Village is famous worldwide for the many art workshops and handmade crafts artists that reside in the village, owning their own shops and producing souvenirs of the highest quality. After a stroll in the village, having bought some unique handmade souvenirs at a bargain price, we continue to visit a unique underground cave with huge historical significance. This underground cave is unique in Crete, and a Must see! Needless to say, this will be the highlight of your excursion to Rethymno, as we stand in awe admiring the numerous stalactites and stalagmites and learning about the history of the Cave, on the Foothills of Mount Ida (Psiloritis Mountain).

Join a guided tour of Knossos, a complex of more than 1500 interlocking rooms, once an astonishing palace built for a mighty king of the Bronze Age. Knossos is considered Europe’s oldest city. As you wander through the labyrinthine ruins, get the chance to see the original throne of ‘’Minos”, the mystifying sanctuaries, the luxurious domestic quarters of the royal family, Crete’s treasures pantries, and the water-management systems. The first palace of Knossos was erected soon after 2000 BC. In 1700 BC, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed the Palace. A new palace was built immediately, the most monumental of all, and for over 300 years it represented the pre-eminent center of power in Bronze Age Crete. The new palace was an imposing complex with important architectural innovations, splendid frescoes adorning the walls, hundreds of rooms distributed in four storeys, impressive storage areas, specialized workshops, and spacious courts hosting ceremonies and feasts. Learn how during the last decades of the 14th century BC, a series of earthquakes led to the final destruction of the palace.

Take the hassle out of visiting Crete’s capital and the Palace of Knossos with transport arranged for you. Relax on a day tour including hotel pickup, a transfer to the palace, then Heraklion, and drop-off back at your hotel in Rethymno. Take your time exploring the attractions at your own pace. After hotel pickup, head straight to the first stop, the Palace of Knossos. Marvel at the ruins of the neolithic settlement and explore the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization. Discover where thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Minotaur and labyrinth, were born. Next, stop at Heraklion, where you will have 3 hours of free time to spend as you wish. Explore the city and visit the archeological museum. Buy some souvenirs. Grab a coffee, or tuck into a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Then, climb back on the bus to be returned to your hotel in Rethymno.

Explore the Labyrinth and Palace of Knossos. Skip the long ticket line upon arrival and you meet your own exclusive guide. This site is home to: the Minotaur, the oldest throne in Europe, elegant wall paintings that inspired art Nuevo works centuries later, huge clay earns, advanced draining systems, and quarters sunk into the earth. Together you will see the oldest civilization unfold before your eyes and you will be able to get the best out of your visit to this magnificent structure. Knossos, a complex of more than 1500 interlocking rooms, was an astonishing palace, built for a mighty king of the Bronze Age. As you wander through the labyrinthine ruins, you will have the chance to see the original throne of Minos, the mystifying sanctuaries, the luxurious domestic quarters of the royal family, that were, once upon a time, bursting with Crete’s treasures. Knossos is considered Europe’s oldest city. The first palace of Knossos was erected soon after 2000 BC. In 1700 BC, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed the Palace. A new palace was then immediately built and for more than 300 years it represented the pre-eminent center of power in Bronze Age Crete. The new palace was an imposing complex with important architectural innovations, splendid frescoes adorning the walls, hundreds of rooms distributed across four storeys, impressive storage areas, specialized workshops, and spacious courts hosting ceremonies and feasts.

Don’t miss out on the Archeological Museum of Heraklion, one of the most important museums in Europe in its field. This museum provides a unique opportunity for the visitor to marvel at the remnants of the first of civilization in Europe, the Minoans. This tour will guide you through a period of time that extends over a 5000 years, from the Neolithic to the Roman era. Find out how Cretan people used to live, their occupation, religion, architecture, travel, arts and more. This singularly important Minoan collection contains unique examples of Minoan art, many of them true masterpieces. The Heraklion Museum is rightly considered as the museum of Minoan culture par excellence worldwide. The museum, located in the town center, was built between 1937 and 1940 by architect Patroklos Karantinos on a site previously occupied by the Roman Catholic monastery of Saint Francis which was destroyed by earthquake in 1856. The museum’s antiseismic building is an important example of modernist architecture and was awarded a Bauhaus commendation. The colours and construction materials, such as the veined polychrome marbles, recall certain Minoan wall paintings which imitate marble revetment. The two-story building has 27 galleries, a gallery for audio-visual displays, extensive modern laboratories, a cloakroom, a cafeteria and a museum shop that sells museum copies, books, postcards and slides.

Enjoy a tour of the mythological Labyrinth with your own licensed guide who will take you through Knossos, focusing on the highlights of the area and its most prominent features. Afterward, the driver will take your group to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion where your private tour will continue. Discover Knossos, the capital of Minoan Crete, considered Europe’s oldest city. Hear about the islands long history from your guide and learn about the peak of the Minoan culture in 2000 B.C. Later visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion where you can marvel at the findings of the first civilization of Europe, the Minoans. The tour will guide you through the ages, in a period of time that extends over a 5.000 years, from the neolithic to the roman era.

Explore the Palace of Knossos and learn the traditional craft of pottery on this tour of Cretan culture and heritage. After pickup at your hotel, start your day at the Palace of Knossos, one of the birthplaces of the modern world. Visit the palaces, the villas and other excavated buildings. Continue to a traditional pottery village in the mountains, driving on pretty roads lined with olive trees. See how Cretans have produced their wonderful pottery for thousands of years. Enjoy the fantastic opportunity to try your hand at this ancient craft, with the guidance of a master potter.  During the tour, enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant with wine or water included. At the end of a wonderful day, start the drive back to your hotel, where you’ll be dropped off.

See the very best of Heraklion in just half a day on this small group tour with an expert guide. The tour begins with a visit to the mysterious Knossos Palace, where you can enjoy skip-the-line entry meaning more time to explore. Learn about the history of King Minos who lived at the palace, and the legend of the Minotaur that lived in the palace’s labyrinth. Next, take a stroll in the city center of Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Wander through the city’s ancient streets and marvel at the picturesque architecture from the Venetia, Byzantine and Ottoman eras. Learn about the city’s history and how it was the birthplace of El Greco and Nikos Kazantzakis. Walk along the busy streets and marvel at the local’s going about their daily life. Finally, visit Heraklion’s Archaeological Museum, one of the most popular Bronze Age museums in Europe. Enjoy an hour and a half guided tour of the museum and admire its vast collection of fine art and jewelry. At the end of the tour, you can continue exploring the museum and the city at your own leisure.

Your day will start with a visit to Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and home of the powerful and mythical King Minos. Wondering around its labyrinthine passages, you will time travel to an era 4,000 years ago and feel what life in the city was like in those days. Admire the monumental architecture, wall paintings, storage rooms, and workshops at the birthplace of European civilization. Next, walk on the Fortifications of Heraklion, the best-preserved city walls in the Mediterranean, in order to have a panoramic view of the Tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek. Visit the Cathedral of St. Minas, the imposing church adorned with Byzantine wall paintings and the essence of incense. Reaching the Old Town, meander its alleys and pedestrianized city center allowing you to stroll around undisturbed and explore the blending of traditional and modern lifestyles. In the heart of the Old Town, see the Morosini Lions Fountain, constructed during the Venetian era and the typical meeting point for locals. Surrounded by various shops ready to serve coffee, ice cream, and local delicacies, this is a place awake around the clock. Right across is St. Mark’s Basilica, host to the Municipal Art Gallery open to the public almost all day every day. On your way to the Old Venetian Harbour, you will see the Venetian Loggia, the city’s town hall and a masterpiece of architecture. The best-known feature of Heraklion not to missed is the famous Koules Fortress which defended the city from its enemies in the 16th century.

Niki Lyroni will welcome you to Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village. Niki started her artistic activity many years ago. Niki is a very pleasant person- a friend of my family who will give all her attention to you and she will help you learn about her art even if you are not familiar with it. After a short tour of the Museum of the Village and a quick treatment at our Taverna Delfys, you will finish by visiting her workshop. The workshop of Niki is full of pieces of art from small to very big decorative objects. She will treat you to Greek coffee & water as we use to do with any friend. She will initiate you to several techniques and she will explain to you in detail the differences between each one. Mosaic is a very ancient art used for the purpose of artists to decorate public monuments or their own houses. Then you will use her own tools to cut the little stones. At this point, you have to be very careful not to cut your fingers or your nails as the process demands a bit of force from you. The little pieces you create you will put them carefully with her own instructions. Step by step, you will see your own mosaic to be created. You do not have to be skillful. Then you have to wait for half an hour for the object to dry and finally, you will keep it as a souvenir. In your own free time at Arolithos village, you may have lunch and relax after such a creative experience in the tavern and the swimming pool.