Crete is the largest island in Greece and one of the most popular holiday destinations. But rest here is possible not only on the beach. These are ancient places: here was the center of the Cretan-Minoan civilization, then Greek cities were built, then Venetian fortresses and Orthodox churches, then mosques and Ottoman fortifications.
Crete has ancient ruins, modern museums, Orthodox shrines, Greek villages, natural attractions and entertainment centers - everyone will find entertainment to their liking.
Top 10 attractions of Crete
Knossos palace
Of course, this is the main attraction of Crete and it is impossible to miss it. Crete was once the center of a great civilization that was the forerunner of the ancient Greek civilization, and which is considered by many to be the prototype of the legendary Atlantis.
Not far from modern Heraklion are the grandiose remains of a palace that was built about 3, 5 thousand years ago. It was this structure that served as the basis for the Greek legend of the labyrinth and the Minotaur: here, bulls were considered to be really sacred animals and they were worshiped. Murals on the walls, the remains of the throne room, baths, plumbing have survived: the level of engineering was very high here, much higher than that of subsequent civilizations that existed in Crete.
The palace was first destroyed by a grandiose wave that rose after the eruption of the volcano Thira (now on the site of this volcano is the island of Santorini). However, this did not completely destroy civilization - several centuries after that, the palaces of Crete burned down in a grand fire, the reasons for which can only be anyone's guess.
The remains of the Knossos Palace were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, until the 50s it was studied and restored. Now part of the territory is open excavations, and part of it has been restored to its intended original appearance.
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
A huge archaeological museum, which is primarily dedicated to the Cretan-Minoan civilization and its history. In his collection there are a lot of items found during excavations of the Palace of Knossos and other palaces of Crete belonging to this period: ceramics, gold jewelry, terracotta figurines, weapons, funeral ritual utensils. And not only objects: frescoes that once adorned the walls of the palace were transferred here for preservation and restoration, for example, "Parisienne" - an amazing fresco depicting a girl who aroused French associations among the first researchers.
In addition, it is in this museum that one of the most mysterious historical artifacts is kept - the famous Phaistos disc. It is covered with writings, most likely related to the Cretan-Minoan civilization, but this writing has not yet been deciphered and no analogues have been found.
In total, the collection of the museum occupies 20 rooms. The earliest exhibits date back to the Neolithic period, the latest - to the Roman period and the 4th century. AD
Water City Water Park
Crete's largest water park is located 16 km from Heraklion in the village of Anapolis. The water park occupies a large green area, decorated in an "antique" style: with statues of gods, copies of the famous caryatids and columns around the pools.
There are 13 large roller coasters designed for adults, and an extensive children's area with two shallow pools and several small slides. For those who did not have enough of the sea, there is a pool with real waves, and in addition to water attractions, you can have fun on the bungee.
Everything is arranged here as usual - a bracelet is put on the visitors' hands, on which all expenses are recorded. They are paid at the exit.
The water park is located quite high above the coast: on the one hand, it can be quite windy even in warm weather, and on the other, it offers beautiful views of the mountains.
Samaria - the largest gorge in Europe
Samaria is a national park in the southwest of Crete. The name itself did not come from the region of Samaria, but from the village, which was named after the church of St. Mary of Egypt. The church itself has survived, and you can also see it, but there are many churches in Crete, and such a huge gorge is one.
People have lived here since ancient times, and from the VI century BC. NS. there was even a large city that minted its own coin. Subsequently, for centuries, numerous partisans hid here: Greeks who fought the Turks for independence, communists, Resistance fighters, etc.
Since the middle of the 20th century, the territory has been turned into a national park. Now it is 12 kilometers of the gorge, between the picturesque sheer cliffs. It is both a natural and ethnographic museum: there are endemic Cretan plants and wild goats "kri-kri" grazing here, in addition there are several churches with preserved frescoes of the 18th century, and village houses turned into museums.
Football Museum in Chania
The most unusual, fun and interesting museum in Crete is the Greek National Football Museum in Chania. A private collection of football paraphernalia, mainly related to the Greek football teams, of course, but not only. It houses the European Football Cup taken by the Greek team in 2004. And also T-shirts with autographs of many football players, including Russian ones (for example, Oleg Blokhin), videos of almost all matches and much more.
Here you can take pictures, try on these T-shirts and have a hearty talk with the owner - a football fan. The entrance to the football museum is free, but you can set aside your donation for the development of the exhibition. For those who are passionate about football - a must visit!
Lychnostatis Ethnographic Museum
The ethnographic open-air museum near the town of Hersonissos is dedicated to the life and life of the Greek village: there are workshops for a potter, a blacksmith and a shoemaker; horticultural enthusiasts can explore a typical Greek garden with several different grape varieties.
All expositions are open, the exhibits can be touched and viewed, you can take an excursion, you can do without it. There is an apiary, there is a loom and a stand telling about the technology of dyeing fabrics using natural dyes, an oil press and much more.
In summer, themed holidays are regularly held here, in particular, the winemaking festival. Homemade wine and rakia are produced in every Greek village, during the season you can watch the entire production process and treat yourself to its products.
Oceanarium in Gouves
Of course, every coastal country should have its own Oceanarium dedicated to marine life. This one is also located in an interesting building - this is a former naval base on a deserted coast.
The Cretan Oceanarium tells primarily about those fish and animals that can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, so there are no colorful coral reefs here, but there is a detailed story about the local marine fauna. And if there are no corals and anemones, then there are real sharks, as well as huge sea turtles.
The signs at the aquariums and information stands have been translated into Russian, there are several educational exhibits for the little ones - in general, this place is just aimed at visiting with children who have fun and do not have time to get tired.
Olive farm near Agios Nikolaos
Olive is one of the most ancient symbols of Greece, and olive oil has been the basis of the local economy since ancient times. In Crete, you can see whole forests of old olives, buy Greek olive oil, and also visit one of the places of its production.
This is a small farm-museum, despite the fact that it is designed for tourists, here you can see the entire production cycle, look at the inventory, get acquainted with a short film about the production of oil, and also taste several of its varieties: different degrees of extraction and purification. and from different varieties of olives. It also sells honey and cosmetics made with olive oil. Children will be interested in a small zoo: goats, sheep and donkeys.
Chania Maritime Museum
Crete is a place whose life is inextricably linked with the sea, and this is what the Maritime Museum is dedicated to. Already four thousand years ago, they not only fished here, but built full-fledged sea ships that sailed along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and later sailed much further. In the Middle Ages, Crete was a colony of the Venetian Republic, which carried on maritime trade throughout the then known world.
Today's Heraklion - when it was called Candia - was a huge seaside fortress and a well-fortified and vast harbor. The Maritime Museum has models of ships of all times, from the Cretan-Minoan civilization to submarines and torpedo boats of the Second World War, a model of the fortress of Candia, many beautiful shells, Greek amphorae dredged from the seabed, paintings, photographs, audio and video recordings and much more.
Agia Triada monastery on the Akrotiri peninsula
Agia Triada (Trinity) Monastery is the most famous monastery in Crete. Its foundation dates back to the times of Venetian rule. The main architectural complex was built in the 16th century by the Italian architect Sebastian Serlio. Like many Orthodox Greek monasteries, the monastery was in decline under the Turks, and was again revived and restored after the liberation.
Now it is a functioning large monastery. It stands on the side of a mountain, and therefore its territory is represented by rising ledges. There are outbuildings under the slope: for example, a huge underground reservoir for collecting rainwater and an oil press, and a staircase leads up the hill to the monastery itself.
The main architectural dominant of the church is the Trinity Cathedral, the foundation of which was built in the 16th century, and was completed in the 19th century. All of its interior decoration belongs to this time. In addition, the monastery has a small museum dedicated to the history of the monastery.
