Elounda
Tiny Spinalonga Island became a leper colony in 1903 and catapulted into pop-cultural consciousness thanks to Victoria Hislop's 2005 bestselling novel The…
Must-see attractions in Crete
Iraklio
If you’re wondering what Crete’s been up to for the past, say, 1700 years, a spin around this engagingly curated museum is in order. Exhibits hopscotch…
Hania
The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Iraklio
This state-of-the-art museum is one of the largest and most important in Greece. The two-storey revamped 1930s Bauhaus building makes a gleaming showcase…
Hania
There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings…
Iraklio
After six years of restoration, Iraklio’s symbol, the 16th-century fortress called Rocca al Mare by the Venetians, reopened in August 2016 with a brand…
Archaeological Museum of Rethymno
Rethymno
Set inside the atmospheric Venetian-built Church of St Francis, this well-curated museum features a stunning collection of well-preserved relics unearthed…
Rethymno
Looming over Rethymno, the star-shaped Venetian fortress cuts an imposing figure with its massive walls and bastions but was nevertheless unable to stave…
Iraklio
This majestic church dominates the eponymous, palm-studded square. It had Byzantine origins in AD 961, was converted to a Catholic church by the Venetians…
Rethymno
Rethymno’s compact historic harbour is chock-a-block with tourist-geared fish tavernas and cafes. For a more atmospheric perspective, walk along the…
Hania
One of the prettiest and most dominant vestiges of the Turkish era is this dusky-pink multidomed former mosque on the eastern side of the Venetian Harbour…
Byzantine & Post-Byzantine Collection
Hania
In the impressively restored Venetian Church of San Salvatore, this small but fascinating collection of artefacts, icons, jewellery and coins spans the…
Hania
The Historical Museum & Archives of Hania, about a 1.5km walk southeast of the old harbour, traces Crete’s war-torn history with a series of exhibits…
Iraklio
A simple tomb in the well-preserved Martinengo Bastion south of the city centre honours Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957), Crete’s most acclaimed 20th-century…
Monastery of St Peter & St Paul
Iraklio
One of Iraklio's most striking ruins, this 13th-century Dominican monastery has been rebuilt and repackaged (mosque, movie theatre) numerous times…
Hania
One of Hania’s most intriguing buildings is this Venetian-era church with both a bell tower and a double-balconied minaret – the latter replaced a second…
Rethymno
Built right into the cliff beneath the Venetian fortress, tiny Agios Spyridon has enough atmosphere to fill a cathedral. This Byzantine chapel is filled…
Iraklio
Housed in a 13th-century monastery that was later a mosque, this tiny but fascinating museum features well-displayed historic religious artworks from…
Rethymno
The highlight of this dusty old museum are the displays of fossilised tusks and bones from the dwarf Cretan elephant and pygmy hippopotamus. Both were…
Hania
Part of the hulking Venetian-built Firkas Fortress at the western port entrance, this museum celebrates Crete’s nautical tradition with model ships, naval…
Hania
The discovery of clay tablets with Linear B script during ongoing excavations on Kastelli Hill to the east of the Venetian Harbour has led archaeologists…
Iraklio
In an imaginatively recycled power station, a 10-minute walk west from 25 Avgoustou along the waterfront, this museum uses huge dioramas and a terrarium…
Hania
The Firkas Fortress at the western tip of the harbour heads the best-preserved section of the massive fortifications that were built by the Venetians to…
Hania
Part of a defensive system begun in 1538 by Michele Sanmichele, who also designed Iraklio’s defences, Hania’s massive fortifications remain impressive…
Iraklio
One of Greece’s largest cathedrals, with space for 8000 worshippers, Agios Minas was constructed (with interruptions) between 1862 and 1895 and dedicated…
Elounda
On the eastern shore of Spinalonga Island, Kolokytha is a small but lovely sandy cove with a view over to Kolokytha Island. Tour boats drop their…
Agios Nikolaos
The myth of the Phoenician princess Europa being abducted by Zeus in the guise of a bull finds expression in a monumental statue at the end of a ho-hum…
Iraklio
The attractively reconstructed 17th-century loggia by Francesco Morosini was the Venetian version of a gentlemen’s club, where the male aristocracy…
Iraklio
Iraklio burst out of its walls long ago, but these massive fortifications, with seven bastions and four gates, are still very conspicuous, dwarfing the…
Hania
The lighthouse at the mouth of the Venetian Harbour is one of Hania's landmarks, sparkling at sunset and then illuminated after dark. The stone tower…
Rethymno
The cornerstone of the permanent collection of this well-curated modern-art museum, founded in 1992, is the oils, drawings and watercolours of local lad…
Hania
Crete’s only remaining synagogue (dating from the 15th century) was badly damaged in WWII and reopened only in 1999. It sports a mikveh (ritual bath),…
Rethymno
This nicely restored 16th-century landmark originally served as a meeting house for Venetian nobility to discuss politics and money, and morphed into a…
Iraklio
Iraklio's first fountain was cobbled together in the 1550s from antique materials, including Venetian coats of arms and a statue of a Roman official found…
Greek National Football Museum
Hania
This tiny museum might look like a shop, but it's actually crammed with more than 2000 items of soccer memorabilia. Run by Nikos, the passionate president…
Iraklio
Located opposite Morosini Fountain and dedicated to St Mark, the patron saint of Venice, Agios Markos Basilica was built at the beginning of Venetian rule…
Hania
Impressively restored from a roofless ruin, the 16th-century Venetian arsenal was the last of the 17 shipyard buildings in Hania's Venetian Harbour. After…
Agios Nikolaos
Walking along the waterfront on Akti Koundourou, keep an eye out for a superb perspective mural depicting the Minotaur on a zigzagging staircase (next to…
Iraklio
Four water-spouting lions make up this charming fountain, the town's most beloved Venetian vestige. Built in 1628 by Francesco Morosini, it once supplied…
Rethymno
Another vestige of Venetian rule is this small fountain where water spouts from three lions’ heads into three basins flanked by Corinthian columns. Above…
