Another Road to Ruins
On Wednesday, the day after OHI Day, we took a group tour from Chania to see the archaeological site at Knossos (kuh-NOSS-oss). It was just outside of Heraklion, the capital city of Crete, about 90 miles east of Chania.
Knossos was the center of the Minoan civilization. Many believe the Minoans were the first civilization in Europe, and Knossos, inhabited since 7000 BCE, was the Europe’s first and oldest city.
The bus took us along the coastal highway of northern Crete, a drive of about two hours and fifteen minutes. We stopped along the way for a quick breakfast - coffee and tasty little pies made with filo and cheese. On our left was the deep blue Aegean Sea, and on our right were the majestic White Mountains (elevation 8,000 feet). Our guide, Stella, entertained us with stories about the mythical figures who had lived here: Zeus (king of the Olympian gods, born in the mountains of Crete), Daedalus (designer of the labyrinth) and Icarus (his fallen son), Ariadne (daughter of King Minos) and Theseus (slayer of the Minotaur), and more.
The star attraction in Knossos is the palace complex of the legendary King Minos, who imprisoned the minotaur in its famous labyrinth. The site was excavated and (controversially) restored in the 19th century. It was amazing to visit a place that been a hub of advanced culture one thousand years before Mycenae and two thousand years before Athens. You can read about our visit to the Palace of Minos in Knossos here.
After Knossos, we rode the bus to the center of Heraklion. There were very long lines at the archaeological museum, so we wandered through the streets of Old Town and had a leisurely lunch instead. It was a memorable meal that I’ll write about in another post.
Back on the bus, we had a quick driving tour on our way out of Heraklion. We saw the Venetian Harbor with its large 16th century fortress, the Natural History Museum of Crete (in an old power plant), and long, empty stretches of beach.
On the ride back to Chania, we enjoyed the beautiful northern coastline of Crete. White towns hugged the cliffs, herds of sheep grazed on the beach, and hills came into sharp relief as the sun set behind them.
