The Palace of Knossos, Heraklion, Crete

Advantages: the cradle of European civilisation
Disadvantages: too full in summer

...with me to Crete, to the Palace of Knossòs (stress on the second syllable) to be precise, and I'll tell you the myth and also some others which you may already have heard or read about but maybe don't associate with this Greek island. We're in the Bronze Age, in the third millenium BC , one day Zeus, the leader of the gods, who was born on Crete, fell in love with the Phoenician princess Europa (aha!), he transmogrified into a snow-white bull and ...
...and climbed on its back. The bull ran into the water and once safe at sea revealed its true identity, then swam west to the island of Crete [the Cretans were supposed to have come from Phoenician settlements in Asia Minor]. After reaching the coast Zeus changed back into his original shape, copulated with Europa and bigat triplets one of which was called Minos (later this name came to mean 'king', the period from 2600 BC - 1420 BC is known as the ... Read review

Advantages: Good Value For Money, Educational
Disadvantages: Very Little Shade

Think of the great Historical races that have shaped and influenced the world that we live in today and you will probably think about the Egyptians, the Aztecs and the Incas. Think a little harder and you may also think of others like the Phoenicians and the Minoans. This review is about the latter, the Minoans, or more precisely it is about one of their finest achievements - The Palace of Knossos on the Island of Crete. I visited this place a ...
...to share with you. THE BACKGROUND This site was continually occupied between 7,000BC and 3,000BC, but its most famous claim to fame is that it was once the seat of the legendary King Minos, although the Palace is also connected to other ancient Greek legends including the Labyrinth with the Minotaur, and the story of Daidalos and Icaros. Tales relating to the existence of this huge Palace had been passed down for generations but it was not until ... Read review

Advantages: CAN'T THINK OF ONE
Disadvantages: To busy, spoilt by renovations and reconstruction

...Oct.) and was excited by the prospect of visiting Knossos, the best known Palace of the Minoan civilization dating back to 19th century BC although the site was continually inhabited between 7000-3000 BC. I believe this is Crete's most visited tourist site. Boy was I disappointed. The site is indeed vast but the highlight of the day was a cold beer I had in a cafe nearby, so what does that tell you. First of all on arrival (by car) we were wondering ...
...we decided to drive through the village, not easy with coaches taking up the width of the road and tourists intent on attempting to leap onto the bonnet of the car. Any way we found a free car park which would take several hundred cars right by the side of the Palace. We walked to the entrance, skilfully dodging the restaurant staff trying to entice you into their establishement, nothing unusual in Crete. We duly paid our entrance fee which is reasonable ... Read review