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If you see just one ruin on Crete, see Knossos (in Greek it’s Κνωσός, stress is on the second syllable). The site is fairly compact, and much of it is accessible with restricted mobility. But 30 minutes will do it. It is one of six Minoan Palatial Centres to be listed as a world heritage site.
Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre. The site was occupied from the Neolithic period into the first millennium AD and became the largest and best-known centre of the Minoan civilisation.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The Fortifications of Heraklion are among the most impressive Venetian defensive works in the Mediterranean, encircling the old city of Heraklion. Built between the 15th and 17th centuries, their massive walls and bastions helped the city withstand a 21-year Ottoman siege—the longest in history—before falling in 1669. Much of the circuit survives today and can be walked, offering sweeping views and access to key monuments like the harbour fortress.
Houses the most important and representative finds from Minoan civilisation and excavations across the island of Crete. Highlights include statues of the Snake Goddess, the Bull-Leaping Fresco, the Phaistos Disk, and Minoan seals and jewellery. Also includes a number of finds from Classical Greek and Roman periods.
Agios Minas Cathedral
(Greek: Άγιος Μηνάς)
(Greek: Βασιλική Αγίου Μάρκου).
(Greek: Αγία Αικατερίνη Σιναϊτών).
Lions Square; Greek: Λιοντάρια