Knossos V.I.P. Tour

During this tour you will have the opportunity to experience the Minoan culture in its entirety, by visiting the palace of Knossos, the archaeological museum of Heraklion, a traditional winery all under the shadow of mount Giouhtas, which, for the ancient Minoans  was a sacred mountain, mainly because of its shape: from the northwest, the mountain looks like a human face looking at the sky. According to the legend, Zeus is buried there. After all, the mountain got its name from him, since Giouhtas comes from the Latin Jupiter, which is Zeus.

After getting acquainted with your guide and a short briefing, the excursion will begin. Our first stop is the archaeological site of Knossos. Discovered by Arthur Evans and David George Hogard, Knossos is the largest Bronze age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest civilization. There you can walk within the ruins of the palace and learn about its historic importance as much as the myths and legends surrounding it (Specialised guides are located on the site and can be hired for a tour at some extra charge). After our visit to the archaeological site of Knossos, we will head towards a local winery, where you will have the opportunity to experience a special wine tasting at the Fabrika Wine Experience, tracing step by step the process of winemaking, maturation, and bottling of wine, while also getting acquainted with traditional winemaking processes and tools such as the great cement tanks that hold the must during the fermentation period.

After your wine-tasting experience, you will board the car and head towards a local tavern where you will enjoy the excellent Cretan cuisine.

Once you finish your meal and have a complimentary drink of raki, you will once again board the car and drive towards our last destination for the day, the Heraklion archaeological museum. Your return to Heraklion will be through the old road of Archanes - Heraklion, between beautiful vineyards and olive groves, which passes next to the Venetian aqueduct built in 1628 by Morozini where we will have a short stop for some pictures and for you to observe the structure in all its beauty. The archaeological museum is one of the largest and most important museums in Europe because it houses representative artifacts that span of a period of 5500 years from the Neolithic Period to Roman times with an emphasis on Minoan art, with artifacts that are considered true masterpieces. As the day goes on and we depart from Heraklion’s archaeological museum, we will head back to the hotel, where the excursion will conclude.

Highlights

•  The drive through vineyards and olive groves in Syllamos.
•  The food.
•  The visit to the archaeological museum of Heraklion
•  The visit to the palace of Knossos