Knossos Palace
Knossos Palace
Leave Aghios Nikolaos behind to travel west by motorcoach across the rugged island of Crete to Knossos, the ancient capital of the great King Minos. The Palace of Knossos and labyrinth were supposedly built to confine the mythological Minotaur, a monster born out of the unnatural union between King Minos' queen and a bull. The king is said to have fed his enemies to the Minotaur. It was also in the labyrinth of Knossos that Daedalus and Icarus were confined, the later of whom flew too close to the sun in his attempt to escape. Originally constructed around 1900 BC, the palace was destroyed by an earthquake 200 years later, and was then reconstructed on a grander scale. A final catastrophe occurred around 1500-1450 BC with the eruption of the volcano in Santorini. Despite this blow, habitation continued for another 50 years until a fire swept throughout the city.
Upon reaching the outskirts of Heraklion, visit the renowned archaeological site of Knossos. The guided tour takes includes the fantastic ruins of the ancient palace complex, once the administrative and religious center of the entire region. The Palace of Knossos was excavated and partially reconstructed earlier in the last century by the great archaeologist, Sir Arthur Evans. The restoration work is controversial - it has been criticized for its modernity, yet its nearly complete state allows the visitor to better understand the complexity of the original labyrinth. Visit the living quarters and reception rooms of the king and queen, the store rooms, potters workshops, and the theater. After the visit, board again the coach for the return drive to the pier.
Notes: A minimum participation is required to operate all Yachting Land Adventures and some have limited capacity. All adventures in the SeaDream Yachting Land Adventures program are subject to change. Final departures times will be announced on board.
Hats, sunscreen and good walking shoes recommended.
Port: Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Duration: 4 hours
Current Price: 169 USD
Voyages where this land adventure may be found: