Places to visit in Heraklion Crete, Greece: Dilos Holiday World

Places to visit in Iraklion

Agia Triada
West of Phaestos 3 kms, the ruins of a royal villa, perhaps one more summer retreat. Many remarcable items from this site are exposed in the Iraklion Archaeological Museum including the unique sarcophagus made of the Agia Triada stone

Archanes
Inside the village, 15 kms south of Iraklion a major minoan palace has been found, estimated to have three storeys and serving as a summer retreat.
Also visit the domed tombes at Fourni hill a minoan era cemetery (ca 2500 - 1250 BC)
Nearby, at the foothill of Giouhta another Minoan worship temple has been excavated, believed to belong both to Knossos and Archanes

Gortys
The roman capital of Crete and Cyrinaea, 46 kms south of Iraklion, on the plane of Messara.
From the Minoan era (ca 1600 BC) to the Roman times (ca 200 AC)

Iraklion Archaeological Museum
Home to the complete collection of items found on Crete concerning the Minoan era. One of the most important museums in the world, containing the frescoes from the palaces and the villas, jewellery, ceramics, sarcofaghi, statues.

Iraklion Historical Museum
An interesting exhibition of Byzantine, Venetian, Turkish and contemporary items from Crete

Natural History Museum
A continuous exhibition of the natural environment of Crete and the Aegean Archipelago, one of the most important natural laboratories.

Knossos, The Palace
The residence and headquarters of the Minoan Kings, office-bearers and priests. Administrative, economic and religious center during the second millenium BC

Mallia
At the popular holiday resort, a palace similar to other Minoan Palaces, devastated at around 1450 BC by a mysterious catastophe. Many items from this site are to be found at the Iraklion Archaeological Museum

Matala
West of Mires, by the coast, enclosed by sandstone cliffs riddled with ancient tombs, and a nice and popular beach by the Lybian sea.

Phaestos, The Palace
Home of Prince Rathamanthus, on a hill overlooking the plain of Messara, and Mount Ida, inhabited from the Neolithic era, is one of the oldest cities in Crete