Crete with his amazing nature and a centuries-old story is so rich in various attractions that everyone will need a fairly large amount of time for the inspection and even for several trips to rest, everyone will not succeed. Therefore, I will tell you about some of them, which can be viewed or visiting, combining these excursions with rest on the island.
The first one, probably, they are trying to watch the tourists who came to Crete, this is the Knos Palace, with which many different myths and legends are connected, the most famous of which is the myth of Minotaur, who lives in the labyrinths of the palace and devouring boys and girls who were sent here in the form of donations . As a result, the Teshe managed to defeat the Minotaur and the ball of thread, which he gave him Ariadne, get out of the labyrinth. The history of the palace has more than four thousand years, during which he was subjected to destruction from earthquakes and was upgraded. There is a Knos Palace near the capital or rather the administrative center of Crete, the city of Heraklion, named so in honor of the hero of the Greek mythology of Hercules. You can get to it on your own by bus, which is sent from the kiosk located next to the car station with the inscription "Knos Palace". It runs the bus quite often and the fare in both ends is about four euros. You can also get to a rented car, the problems with searching should not occur, since there are pointers everywhere, according to which it is quite easy to navigate. It is better to visit the palace, accompanied by a guide, as the main interest is the stories related to the Knos Palace. On the territory of the complex there are plates for which you can focus in the fact that one or another section of the palace is, as well as the direction of further follows for inspection. The Knos Palace is open to visit from 8.00 to 19.00 in the summer and from 8.00 to 15.00 in winter. The cost of the entrance ticket is six euros.
Immediately in Heraklion immediately rushes into the coastal fortress koun. It was built in the 14th century, but the fact that we are seeing now this is the construction of a later period, restored after the earthquake already in the 16th century. It acquired his present name after Turkish rule, and the initial name was Rocca Al Mare. The lower floors served as the housing of the defenders of the fortress, warehouse rooms and even a prison. The walk through the territory and the inner premises of the fortress will seem rather interesting and exciting. The citadel is open to visiting tourists from 8.30 to 15.00 every day except Monday. The cost of entry is two euros.
On the east coast of the island, you can visit the settlement of the settlement, with an approximate age of about four thousand years and which relates to the Mina Civilization, named so in honor of Minos, who was the mythical king of Crete. The closet on the territory of the ancient Crete was one of the administrative centers and is currently the most well-preserved. During the excavations, the ruins of the palace and about a dozen of various buildings were found here, which served as masterfully, storage rooms, a bathroom, a swimming pool and an archive. In addition, many different items were found, among which there were signs with a linear letter, a glass crystal dishes, and in one of the amphors were discovered perfectly survived olives, the age of which is about three thousand years. For a self-trip, you need to get to the settlement of Kato Zakros, near which this open-air museum is located. Do not forget to capture the supply of drinking water, especially if your travel time falls for July or August months, when it is especially hot in Crete. The entrance to the territory of the complex is three euros, working hours from 9.00 to 15.00 daily, except Monday.
One of the most visited places in Crete is the Dictea cave, which is located in the Dictic mountains on the southern part of the island near the village of Psycho. It is also called the cave of Zeus, since according to the legend, the goddess can, hiding from her husband, gave birth to Zeus in this cave, where he grew up. The cave with its bizarre forms decorate the stalactites and stalagmites, during the excavations there were tables for offering and altar. In the depths of the cave itself there is a small mountain lake in which Zeus was bought. You can buy an excursion with a visit to the dictate cave in any travel agency Crete. For a more convenient journey, I advise you to wear comfortable shoes, because from the bus stop to the cave itself to go eight hundred meters, and in the mountain, since the cave itself is located at a height of more than a thousand meters above sea level, and the road is quite complicated. Also, do not forget to take something from warm clothes with you, because inside is pretty cool and damp, where you can get comfortable shoes again, so as not to slip into the wet stones. The entrance to the cave is paid and is four euros, when buying an excursion, they are usually included in the price.
For lovers of ecotourism, a tour of the Samaria gorge may be very interesting, which is considered the largest not only in the territory of Crete, but also all of Europe. For many years, it served housing and shelter for the inhabitants of the island, first from the Turks during the Ottoman invasion, which could not be able to take possession of the gorge. In the last century, the rebels were hidden, dissatisfied with the dictatorial regime and fighters of resistance fighting against the German troops. Sex a century ago, the gorge received the status of the National Park and the population of living on its territory was resettled. Every year, this gorge is visited more than two hundred thousand tourists from different countries. In addition to surprising and unique nature, you can see the preserved buildings living at different times of local residents, and the creation of a reserve on the territory of the gorge involves preserving interesting types of animals and fauna, as well as the nature of the white mountains. Immediately I want to warn tourists going through the gorge, that this is a rather complicated excursion, it is not worthwhile to take children, but it's not worth talking about the reserves of drinking water and convenient equipment, it is not necessary to do without it. It is best to choose not a hot period, then the journey will be more comfortable. The cost of the entrance ticket is five euros.
Here are some of the largest sights of Crete, not to mention the numerous museums and entertainment establishments, such as water parks, aquariums and other places, interesting for visiting.