A fascinating insight into the Minoan civilization that is considered the very first advanced civilization of Europe
Visits to the four great Minoan Palaces; Knossos, Phaestos, Malia and Zakros
The exceptional Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which houses the greatest collection of Minoan exhibits in the world
The Minoan town of Gournia, the only excavated Minoan town found on Crete
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and its historical significance is very impressive, stretching from Stone Age seafarers and Neolithic farmers to the enigmatic Bronze Age civilisation of the Minoans. The Minoans are known for their labyrinthine ‘palaces’ – the greatest of which is Knossos. As a strategic gateway to the eastern Mediterranean, Crete has been ruled by many great powers - Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman. This tour explores Crete’s cultural highlights, including its four Minoan palaces. If you have never visited Crete, this expert-led tour is the perfect way to explore this wonderful island; if you have been before, you will see it from a different perspective.
Your Lecturer - Dr Rita Roussos Phd
Rita studied ancient Greek and Latin at the University of Califonia, Berkeley, and completed her Phd in History of Art at the Courtauld Institude of Art, University of London. She has excavated in Greece and taught at the American University of Athens.
Available Departures |
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| 21 - April - 2025 | £ 1875.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
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Provisional Timings London Gatwick Departing: 21st April 2025 at 16:45 Returning: 28th April 2025 at 13:55 |
Day 1: Fly from London Gatwick to Heraklion and transfer to the Atrion Hotel for a three-night stay.
Day 2: Knossos Palace, Archaeological Museum and Vathypetro.
Today we visit the first of the four “palaces” on the tour, the “Palace” of Knossos, which is the centre of Europe’s first civilization and the largest Bronze Age site in the country. The intricate, multi-storeyed layout of the palace has led to its connection with numerous myths and legends, including that of Theseus, the Minotaur and the labyrinth. Knossos was controversially excavated in the early 20th century by the English archaeologist Arthur Evans. The day includes a visit to the Archaeological Museum where we will see one of the world’s most important exhibits of prehistoric art and artefacts, a magnificent showcase of the Minoan culture, fully re-opened in 2014 following an eight-year refurbishment. The last visit of the day is to the Minoan manor house and outbuildings of Vathypetro, the surviving remnants of a settlement that stretched across three hills, including a wonderfully preserved wine press – one of the oldest in the world. Group dinner this evening.
Day 3: Gortyn, Phaestos Palace and Agia Triada.
We drive to the south of the island to visit three important sites. First is the Greco-Roman site of Gortyn in the lush Messara Valley, thought to have been populated by over 300,000 people. The site is best-known for its lengthy wall inscription of 5th century BC law codes of the city, the oldest and most complete example of coded ancient Greek laws ever found. We continue to the magnificent Minoan “palace” of Phaestos, whose most famous find, the Phaestos Disc, was found in its archives and whose script remains undeciphered. We leave Phaestos to visit Agia Triada, a grand but ruinous Bronze Age villa that has yielded more examples of Linear A tablets than any other site of its kind.
Day 4: Malia Palace and Spinalonga.
Founded over 4,000 years ago, the “Palace” of Malia, is a huge Minoan complex just north of the Lasithi Mountains, noteworthy for its size, which includes a unique craftmen’s settlement. The distinctive storage rooms, granaries, and kernos are impressive. Today includes a short boat trip to the haunting and evocative island of Spinalonga, the location of a former leper colony, which was in use from 1903 until 1962 and the setting for Victoria Hislop’s novel The Island. The island was occupied by the Venetians in the 16th century in order to strengthen their defences. Similarly, the Ottomans also used it for defensive purposes. Check-in to the Miramare Hotel, Agios Nikolaos for a four-night stay.
Day 5: Full day free at leisure.
Day 6: Gournia and Mochlos.
We visit the well-preserved late Minoan town of Gournia. The remains of Gournia cluster around cobbled streets on the side of a hill and are crowned by workers’ houses and a “palace”. Traces of some 50 houses are in evidence here, as well as three cemeteries and a port beyond. It is the best example of a Minoan town in the prehistoric Aegean and it is still being excavated. We take a boat trip to Mochlos, one of the largest and most significant of the surviving Early Minoan cemeteries in Crete.
Day 7: Zakros Palace.
The “palace” of Zakros is the last of the four Minoan “palaces” and the smallest. Its rich finds have provided much information on Minoan trade. Evidence of its links with the East is provided by the discovery of four elephant tusks and six bronze ingots, imported on the same overseas journey. Zakros is located at the southeast end of the Lassithi plain on a natural bay. In 1961 N. Platon began the archaeological excavation of the site, bringing to light a “palace” with impressive finds, as it had remained unlooted after its destruction. The palace of Zakros preserved today was founded in the Neopalatial period (c. 1600 BC). The town was densely populated.
Day 8: Transfer to Heraklion Airport for return flight to London Gatwick.
NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Excellent quality hotels are used throughout this tour, all offering a high standard of service, facilities and comfort in ideal locations to explore the sites visited.
Atrion Hotel, Heraklion
Modern four-star hotel located right in the heart of Heraklion within a short walk of a host of restaurants, cafés and bars. Facilities here include bar, restaurant, patio and comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities.
Atrion Hotel website
Miramare Hotel, Agios Nikolaos
An attractive hotel complex situated in the peaceful location of Gargadoros, on the outskirts of Agios Nikolaos. The hotels position, on a low hill and raised from the sea front, ensures spectacular views across the town of Agios Nikolaos and the beautiful Mirabello Bay. The comfortable rooms all offer sea views. All facilities of Agios Nikolaos, including shops, cafes and tavernas are all within easy reach of the hotel.
Miramare Hotel website
Your Lecturer - Dr Rita Roussos Phd
Rita studied ancient Greek and Latin at the University of Califonia, Berkeley, and completed her Phd in History of Art at the Courtauld Institude of Art, University of London. She has excavated in Greece and taught at the American University of Athens.
The holiday gave a wonderful overview of the Minoan civilisation, as well as visiting Spinalonga. The two expert archeologists, Rita and Miranda, formed a good team. Several of the days incuded a lunch at a taverna which added to the Cretan experience. The hotel in Heraklion was well positioned and equipped. We enjoyed finding our own restaurants in the evening. The hotel in Agios Nicolias was specactuarly positioned and had good swimming pools and beach access. However, the buffet dinners were a bit bland compared with the mezze we had been experiencing. The hotel staff and coach drivers were all very friendly and helpful.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2023
Delighted with this tour.! The depth of knowledge of both Rita and Miranda was impressive, the sites visited were all most interesting. Miranda was organised and enthusaiatic about her beloved Crete. Rita's level of scholarship and her ability to share her knoowledge was very welcome. I particularly appreciated the use of the "whispers" headphones which made visitng the sites so much easier. I hope these will be used on other Travel Edition tours! The only very minor complaint is that the coach used for the second part of the tour, from Agios Nicolaos, was less satisfactory than uaual - there was a terrible noise all the time, some of the seat belts didn't work and the windows were not particulary clean, meaning the views out were slightly impeded.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2023
Highly enjoyable and interesting tour, a key feature being the evident enthusiasm fort he subject of both tour manager and lecturer. The latter's lecture delivery could, perhaps, have been a little more fluent (text was read). We understand the difficulties, but do wonder whether Agios Nikolaos is the best base for the second half of the tour. if AG has to be chosen, is an out-of-town resort hotel like the Miramare also the best choice in the area?
Review by Babbs who travelled 16-April-2023
The week in Crete was excellent. Our only unfavourable comment would be about the MiraMare Hotel in Agios Nikolaos. Its geography was complicated: each couple had to be led to their room. This was time-consuming. The WiFi service in that hotel was poor. Otherwise it was great - lovely location and very good meals.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2023
A thoroughhly professional tour on what would be considered a "niche market" subject ably assisted by the tour guide, who shared her experience as a native of Crete, with her archieologist colleague willingly.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2023
Excellent throughout and exceeded all expectations. Miranda was the perfect tour manager — enthusiastic, knowledgeable across a wide range of subjects, funny, and attentive to every detail. I was particularly impressed with her re-arrangement of the final two days so that we didn't have a very long visit on our final day. Rita matched her perfectly and her guided tour round the Heraklion Museum was outstanding; it's a huge collection but she gave the right level of guidance to enable us to return to the collection on our own and consolidate what we'd seen. Both hotels were very good and although I wouldn't normally want to say in a resort hotel the Miramare worked well, especially the dinner arrangements. To be able to chose our own meal times, and to eat as much or as little as we needed, was a bonus (I find the long dinners on most tours exhausting and noisy). I'd happily go on this tour again! The terrain is very uneven, though, and you might like to ensure that you warn clients of this. We are used to walking on rough ground so it was no problem but some of the group were hesitant and more cautious.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2023
Not quite as good as my previous tour with you. The first real complaint was that a few of us had to drag our suitcases up a hill to the Castro Hotel. The driver refused to deliver us, they said the roads were too narrow! There was no pavement, the road surface was terrible and we had to avoid the traffic. On arrival at the hotel there was a flight of stairs, no help from porters or anyone. I strained my arm pulling my case up the stairs. One of the reasons I booked with you again was because on the Milan tour everything was taken care of. Secondly, on the first evening there was a lecture at 1830. We had all been awake since 0400 because of the early flight from Gatwick, consequently half of the group actually closed their eyes and the rest yawned and fought hard to stay awake. I felt so sorry for Rita the lecturer! Lastly, you give this tour four footsteps as an indication of the difficulty of walking. Some of the sites are uphill, some of the terrain on the sites is very uneven, a few of the group, including myself were not able to access all of the sites, Please review some of the admin for this tour. Apart from all that I did enjoy the tour, I loved Crete and Rita and Miranda the tour leaders did a fantastic job.
Review by De Jong who travelled 22-September-2019
Review by Anonymous who travelled 22-September-2019
Review by Anonymous who travelled 22-September-2019
Most informative viewing of the four major Minoan sites and the Herakleon Museum. Expert input from archaeologist and classicist Dr Rita Roussos
Review by Barratt who travelled 22-September-2019
The modest mark for admin was because we didn't receive the pre-tour information that some others got. But overall;ll it was an excellent tour, involving high quality sites and lovely locations. The Guide Miranda and the lecturer/guide Rita were efficient and knew their Crete and Minoans well. At our suggestion they arranged for a second visit to the Heraklion Museum, which we suggest should be an option for future tours.
Review by Goulden who travelled 22-September-2019
