Rethymno - Knossos Spinalonga
1 Day Tour from Rethymno Area to Knossos - Spinalonga
Departure from Rethymno Area Daily. Pick up from your Hotel-Book Now
1 Day Tour from Rethymno Area to Knossos - Spinalonga
Departure from Rethymno Area Daily. Pick up from your Hotel-Book Now
Driving east, along the north coast and enjoying a lovely view of the dark blue waters of the Cretan sea, we reach the city of Heraklion. Our first stop is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world- the famous Minoan palace of Knossos. This is where European civilization began, an era ruled by powerful King Minos, a place full of myths and legends, (think Theseus, the Minotaur and the Labyrinth). The layout of the palace was so complicated, the courtiers needed a plan to move through it. Flourishing between 3,000BC and 1400BC, it strangely disappeared, only to be discovered again by the English archeologist Sir Arthur Evans at the turn of the century. Now partly reconstructed, blood red columns and gigantic double-headed axes are a vivid reminder of this forgotten and disappeared race.
The next highlight of this trip is the little island of Spinalonga. Our boat departs from the picturesque fishing village of Elounda. A short cruise through azure blue waters to this now deserted island. It's a place not to be missed by historians and the curious alike. A guided tour will fascinate you with Spinalonga's long and intriguing history, firstly a stronghold of the Venetians, then inhabited by the Turks, and, as mentioned, finally Europe's last leper colony, up to 1957. A chance for you to see the small houses, in which the lepers once lived their isolated lives, in perfect condition.
After this short cruise in Spinalonga we make a final stop in the vivid town of Agios Nikolaos , where you have free time for a walk or coffee / lunch time in a variety of shops that surround the beautiful lake of Voulismeni .
Experience this fun-filled boat trip to an island that is truly one of a kind.
Entrance / Boat fees : Local Payment to the guide , the day of the tour: Please keep your passport or ID card as they are ticket exemptions/discounts
Knossos Palace entrance ticket : 15 € per person ( Whispers audio guide 2 € per person )
Spinalonga Island entrance ticket : 8 € per person
Spinalonga island Boat transfer ( roundtrip itinenary ) : 10 € per person