Europe
Greece
Crete
Heraklion Prefecture
Knosos
Things to do in Knosos
The Palace of Knossos

The Palace of Knossos, Knosos: Hours, Address, The Palace of Knossos Reviews: 4/5

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The Palace of Knossos

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See all things to do
The Palace of Knossos
4
13,043
#1 of 11 things to do in Knosos
Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins
08:00 - 18:00
Monday
08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday
08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday
08:00 - 18:00
Thursday
08:00 - 18:00
Friday
08:00 - 18:00
Saturday
08:00 - 18:00
Sunday
08:00 - 18:00
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About
These labyrinthine ruins are said to have been home to the monstrous Minotaur, a half-man half-bull creature that devoured young virgins.
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Admission tickets
from €20.00
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
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The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
197 within 5 kms
Pasiphae Restaurant
330
0.2 km€€ - €€€ • Mediterranean • European • Greek
Minotavros
143
70 m€€ - €€€ • Mediterranean • Greek • Vegetarian Friendly
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30
0.2 km€€ - €€€ • Mediterranean • Greek
Russakis
87
81 m€€ - €€€ • Mediterranean • Greek
Picadillo Burger Nest
41
1.2 km€ • American • Fast food • Barbecue
Athina Restaurant Cafe
8
1 kmGreek
Sucre
2
1.2 km
Savoidakis Bakery & Patisserie
27
1.6 km€ • Bakeries • Cafe • Greek
Ta Piatakia Tou Scooby
13
1.5 km
Hugs
20
1.8 km€ • Cafe • Greek • Fusion
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Attractions
68 within 10 kms
Knossos Archaeological Site
3,888
11 mAncient Ruins
The Throne Room
7
0.1 kmHistoric Sites • Ancient Ruins
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2
0.1 kmHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Kotsanas Museum
138
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Heraklion Archaeological Museum
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Historical Museum of Crete
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72
4.5 kmTheatres
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463
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819
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Popular mentions
4.0
13,043 reviews
Excellent
5,127
Very good
4,099
Average
2,527
Poor
854
Terrible
436
tim brown
Chania Town, Greece45 contributions
Wow .. THE major Minoan City Palace on Crete .. a must-see ... but go to Phaestos and Malia , too .. !
Sep 2021
Every visitor to this magnificent island should visit at least ONE of the three major Minoan City Palaces ( Knossos , Phaestos / Festos and Malia ) , and as Knossos is the largest and most famous / accesible ( it's in the capital , Iraklion , and the Knossos bus leaves every 20 minutes or so from the next to the main bus station in the city centre - 1.50 euro fare , takes 10 minutes , about 3/4 km ) , it's the one most people visit ...
In high season , it can get crowded , as tour buses from all over the island arrive mid-morning , disgorging hundreds of tourists for this must-visit attraction ... but the site itself is large enough to cope with such an influx , and there's only one place ( the Queen's throne room ) that you have to join a Q to see , and this Q is fast-moving enough ... 5 or 6 minutes , even at peak times ..
It is a fascinating place , and Arthur Evans's 19th-century controversial re-constructions of how it MAY have looked , 4,000 years ago , are NOT , IMO , as terrible as 'experts' make out ... indeed , it is positive that now , there is a re-assesment of Evans's work , and he is seen in a more positive light ,,,
after all , it was HIS private income / family wealth that paid for all the decades of excavations back in the 1890s ... AND he was only doing - re the 'reconstructions' - what the acceptable culture of the time dictated ..
Personally , I much prefer the stunning locations of Phaestos ( 1 hour 15 mins on the bus from Iraklion ) and Malia ( 1 hour on the bus , towards Agios Nicolais ) , and the quietness of said sites - on one of my visits to Malia in September , 2021 , i was the ONLY visitor on the whole site from when it opened at 8am until 9.15am , when a pleasant German family arrived .. wonderful .. !
But Knossos is a MUST ... plenty to see , and you get a real feel of what this amazing place must have been like , as THE major Minoan HQ / Capital , 4,000 years ago , when the Monoans ruled the southern mediterranean ..
Allow AT LEAST 2 hours for a decent tour of the site / cafe , although you COULD rush around in an hour ... but what would be the point of that ...
To sum up , concisely ...
A must - see , but go to Phaestos and / or Malia as well / instead of ... !!!
Written 22 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hany G
Bakersfield, CA914 contributions
Must visit!
Sep 2021 • Couples
It is an iconic place in crete. It is mostly a ruin of big huge palace. Some people get a guide but i found the signs were enough for me.
There is kind od small parking by the museum and also cafteria inside where you can get fresh orange juice.
Written 7 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mari-Liis J
Tartu, Estonia25 contributions
A dissapointment
Oct 2021 • Family
We viited the Palace two years ago. We were amazed. Now we wisited again. The entrance ticket is 50% more, but huge area of the Palace are is closed to visitors and you can not go see or wander around there. We so wanted to see the dilphins again, but visitors were allowed basically to central courtyard only. I don't know if it is because of covid or something else, but if we had known it, we would not have revisited it this year.
Written 31 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Saffron B
2 contributions
Museum palace of Knossos
Oct 2021 • Family
Lovey museum and palace ruins fab history of Greece.
Family enjoyed palace of Knossos,
We went on an excursion trip paid £18 for the day visited here plus the town. Museum free due to a special day otherwise can be pricey for a family.
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Angie S
Southampton57 contributions
Back in time
Oct 2021 • Couples
Wonderful to go back in time. My son and I made our own way to Knossos from Heraklion. Quite straightforward but you really need a guide to get the full enjoyment.
It costs 15 euros each to go in but if you’re a senior it’s 8 euros. However be warned UK seniors will not get the cheaper entrance fee because the person selling the tickets advised as I was no longer an EU citizen I had to pay the full price.
Written 29 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
David M
3 contributions
Beautiful.
Oct 2021 • Family
Nice signing in the area. Not very expensive and super interesting. We had a long drive from platanias, which made it not so worth while, but if you are within an hour drive it is worth going for.
Written 22 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cazza
Torpoint, UK3 contributions
Stunning history spot on Crete
Oct 2021 • Couples
Absolutely brillant and Fascinating place of history, after visiting I did a little more research through web and found this place to be a big part of Crete ‘s history ..
It’s a must to visit
Written 21 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
George Ierapetritis
Greece3 contributions
Amazing Place!
Oct 2021 • Family
The palace of Knossos is a must see place if you visit Crete!! We really enjoyed the wonderful history about it!
Written 16 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Oleksandr V
Brovary, Ukraine151 contributions
Incredible
Oct 2021
Incredible place for those who interested in historical sites. The oldest town in Europe with palace ruins.I recommend to take excursion to have deep dive to the history of the palace. Nice place to spend 1-2 hours outdoors and feel the history..
Written 16 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
RM1985
4 contributions
Fantastic site if you are good on your feet
Oct 2021 • Friends
Lost a star as the site is not practical for anyone with mobility issues - poor knees ankles etc. One of my group uses a stick and can be poor on his feet, especially on uneven ground. There are lots of steps too. Whilst we knew there would be a bit of walking etc. the website did not detail how extreme the terrain was. On a whole a very nice place. We went to the museum first and gave a bit of an insight before getting the bus out to the site. I got a combined ticket which saves 10 Euro if visisting both. We had 2 over 65 (proven with EU passport) who got a reduced rate of 8 Euro from standard 15. Think this may be available for under 25s too. Over for someone who has a keen interest in archaeology history, well worth a visit.
Written 14 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Palace of Knossos
The Palace of Knossos is open:
  • Sun - Sat 08:00 - 18:00
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
The Palace of Knossos admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost €20.30, while a popular guided tour starts around €15.22 per person. See all 50 The Palace of Knossos tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
The Palace of Knossos can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 50 The Palace of Knossos tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
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