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Heraklion

Culture of Heraklion. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Simply no description of the sights of Heraklion is possible without mentioning the famous palace of Knossos, which is considered a true diamond of not only the capital, but also the whole island. This is a beautiful and complex architectural structure with numerous living premises, patios and spacious rooms. The total area of the old building is 22,000 square meters. At a glance the plan of the building looks like an intricate maze. The walls of the palace are decorated with frescoes, which depict mythological scenes and pictures from life of ordinary citizens. This world-famous landmark attracts hundreds of thousands of curious travellers, who come there to walk through the endless maze of buildings. An excursion to the palace will certainly leave a lot of impressions.

Cuisine of Heraklion for gourmet with top restaurants and cafe

For many years Ippokambos Ouzeri has remained a confident leader among the restaurants of Heraklion. This beautiful dining facility offers the most popular dishes from the local cuisine. …

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Your excursion program should necessarily include a visit to Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, which was opened in 1983. The museum, which is housed in a beautiful building with spacious and bright rooms, is dedicated to works of the famous writer. Among the exhibits of the museum visitors will see books and diaries of Nikos Kazantzakis, and a large collection of photographs and souvenirs. During his life the writer loved to travel and visited a lot of countries, bringing souvenirs from every country he had travelled to.

Archaeological Museum is a great place to see the priceless finds of Minoan civilization. All 20 halls of the museum are open to publics. Here visitors will find expositions with ancient frescoes, bronze statues, coins and household items, as well as pottery and jewelry. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Authentic traditions, festivals and lifestyle of Heraklion inhabitants

Heraklion is known for its numerous tourist attractions and natural beauty. However, besides its rich historical heritage this picturesque old city is home to several national symbols. The …

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Morosini Fountain is one more important historical landmark. The opening of the fountain took place in 1628. The composition is decorated with the statues of huge lions. The best and most skilled masters of that time worked on the creation of the fountain. Guests of the city will be interested in visiting the local City Hall. The first building on the site of the modern city hall appeared many centuries ago. During its long history the building has been destroyed three times and then completely rebuilt. The building, which can be seen today, was constructed in the era of Morosini. During its latest renovation the architectural complex was supplemented with the Arsenal.

Venetian Castle is an equally impressive architectural. The construction of the palace took place in the first half of the 16th century. The powerful fortification has protected the city from invaders many times. Now vacationers have an opportunity to walk through the halls of the castle and appreciate the beauty of the building. Among other interesting cultural objects of the city we should mention Historical Museum with its rich collection of exhibits of the early Middle Ages, and Museum of Nature.

In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Heraklion and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Heraklion and surroundings

This guide to cultural sights Heraklion is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.

Heraklion - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Reference information

Map of all art museums

Art galleries in Heraklion and around
♥ Art museum 'Heraklion Archaeological Museum' Heraklion, 0.7 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Iconic cultural sights of Greece

Athens Acropolis is one of the main monuments of the ancient Greek civilization. It is located on a 150-meter high rocky hill. That’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are more than 20 buildings created before our era. The Parthenon, the statue of Athena Parthenos, the theater of Dionysus, the temple of Nicky Ateros, and Hecatompedon are among them. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was built long before the onset of our era. According to a legend, it was founded on the site of the sanctuary of Deucalion, the forefather of the Greek people. The temple is located near the Acropolis. This place has the great value for the culture of the country. The Panathinaikos Stadium in Athens was built in the 4th century BC. The stadium constructed of white marble was the main arena for the Panathenaic Games. The stadium accommodated about 50 thousand people. The first Olympic Games of the modern era were held there. … Open

Culture of Heraklion. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

City tours, excursions and tickets in Heraklion and surroundings

Iconic cultural sights of Greece

Photogallery of cultural heritage of Heraklion

Landmarks of culture on Heraklion map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Heraklion