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Suggestions for a short visit to Crete

We are planning on going to Crete in the Spring of 2019. Will first take part in the RS Greece tour. After the tour we want to spend two or three nights on Crete. Primarily to visit Knossos as well as the Minoan museum in Heraklion. Thinking to get there day one, then see Knossos day two, and the museum day three. At the end of day three we would fly/ferry to Santorini for a few days. And finally thinking about Mykonos for a couple of days, mostly to visit the island of Delos. After that we will go to Athens and return to the US. My question is if anyone has a recommendation for a guide at Knossos, a guide for Akrotiri on Santorini, and a guide for Delos. Also hotels on Crete. The RS Greece guidebook I have does not cover Crete. I should mention that we are not beach people but interested in museums and history. Much appreciate your thoughts, Tom Berry

Posted by
6713 posts

This guide did a superb job showing us Knossos and the museum. He showed us the museum first, which I think he felt was a better way to experience both places. You should have time for that on your arrival day, if you fly from Athens to Crete after the tour ends that morning. It doesn't take a whole day to see either Knossos or the museum, though I'm not sure I'd try to do both in one day. There are other interesting sights in Heraklion, and of course much else to see on Crete if you have time.

Try Lonely Planet for places to stay in Crete. Or one of the other more comprehensive guidebooks, or Trip Advisor or Booking.com. We stayed in a high-end hotel as part of a tour, which was quite comfortable but could have been anywhere.

Posted by
28062 posts

That's a lot of island-hopping, and island transportation is subject to the vagaries of the weather gods. Be careful to schedule yourself back in Athens at least one day before you will be flying back home.

Crete a rather large island and pretty far to go for just 2 or 3 nights. I wouldn't do it.

Posted by
1419 posts

In Heraklion I like the Lato Boutique Hotel. Nothing special but it’s comfortable and close to both the museum and the bus station to get to Knossos.

Alan