SUGGESTED CAR EXCURSIONS
Iraklion-Knossos-Archanes-Vathypetro
(20 kms)
The fabled
Palace of Knossos, without question one of the most magnificent archaeological
sites, is located at Knossos, just five kilometers from Iraklion. Perhaps the
single greatest attraction on the island, Knossos is the logical first step
on your visit to Crete. Plan on at least a couple of hours to wander through
the extensive ruins, for these hallowed stones are the legacy of Europe's first
civilization.
Another10kms to the south lies the fine old hillside village of Archanes, the
centre of a celebrated grape growing region. But the echoes of remote antiquity
haven't been left behind at Knossos, as recent excavations at Archanes have
revealed. A megaron has been unearthed beneath the village itself, and Minoan
and Myceanean tombs dot the surrounding hills.
Leaving
the asphalt road at this point, you can venture along a dirt road for another
four kilometers to the ruined Minoan villa of Vathypetro, discovered in 1949.
Also from Archanes. you can follow the dirt extension of the main road up to
the summit of Mount Youchtas, where a panoramic view awaits.