Crete, Greece is an opportunity to diversify a traditional beach holiday. To do this, you can visit local historical and natural attractions. Options are to organize a trip on your own or sign up for a tour. Regardless of the method, tourists and travelers are advised to visit the museums of Crete, where you can learn about the history of the island, the lifestyle of local residents, and see works of art.
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Organization of museum visits, tips
Before planning a trip, you need to study the museums of Crete – location, theme, opening hours. Separately, you need to find out about the possibility of ordering a Russian-speaking guide. This is usually done on group visits. In the building of each Cretan museum you can buy souvenirs, brochures or other informative and interesting materials.
Tips for visiting museum complexes for tourists and independent travelers:
- Travel route. To get to the place, you can choose a bus, order a taxi or rent a car. The latter is convenient if you plan to visit several places on the same day.
- Time. You can find out the approximate time for viewing the expositions on the official website of the museum.
- Inspection plan. Required for independent visits. On the map of the halls, you can make a route.
- Expenses. Entrance to most halls and expositions is paid. Usually it is 5-10 Euros for an adult. Children under 6 years old can enter for free.
To avoid unnecessary red tape, it is recommended to book an excursion to the island’s museum of interest. To do this, you can contact the tour agency. Usually their representative offices are located on the territory of the hotel. There you can find out the cost of the program, its duration.
Nautical
This Museum of Crete is located in the city of Chania, it is located at Akti Kountourioti, Chania 731 31. It is completely dedicated to the maritime history of the island. Date of creation – 1973. The place was chosen in the Old Town, at the entrance to the Venetian fortress. Most of the exhibits of the Maritime Museum of Crete are in the halls, there are several in the open air. Open from 9:00 to 14:00 in the low season, in summer – from 9:00 to 16:00. Entrance fee for adults – 2.5 Euros, reduced price – 1.5 Euros. For children under 6 years old, admission is free.
Description of the Maritime Museum in Crete, location of exhibitions and expositions:
- At the entrance you can see an exposition dedicated to the time of the Venetian Republic – accurate models of ships, a model of the ancient city of Chania.
- In the main halls of the Maritime Museum of Crete there are boats, sailing ships, models of combat and transport ships. There are also objects raised from the bottom of the sea – amphoras, remains of hulls, tools.
- Byzantine and Ottoman eras. A separate hall has been allocated for it, in which you can see ships, equipment, personal and ship weapons.
- The second floor is completely dedicated to the Second World War and the further development of maritime affairs in Crete.
All exhibits are original, correspond to the indicated era. Additionally, tourists and independent travelers can purchase themed souvenirs, brochures. Additional permission is required to take photos and videos.
Lychnostatis
You can find out the real life of the local inhabitants of the island in the ethnographic museum of Crete – Lychnostatis. It is located in the city of Hersonissos, located at Crete – Hellas. Additional information about the actual work schedule, planned events can be obtained by calling +3028 970-236 60. During the tourist season, it is open from 9:00 to 14:00. However, due to the specifics of the exposition, it may be closed during inclement weather. The price of an entrance ticket for an adult vacationer is 12 Euro. There is a reduced cost for students and children – 9 Euro.
It was founded by private individuals – a family with farming roots. This is a relatively small plot of land where you can place a shepherd’s hut, a traditional Cretan mill, an apiary. Separately, a place was allocated for workshops for the manufacture of fabrics, a winery. You can visit this museum of Crete on your own or sign up for a guided tour as part of a group.
About the Lychnostatis complex in Greece:
- The area is small, but before visiting, you need to study the map in order to make an inspection route.
- Located in the suburbs of Hersonissos. You can get there by bus or taxi. There is a small car park next to the main entrance.
- There is a cafe on site where you can taste dishes of national Cretan cuisine.
National ethnographic festivals are periodically held here, where you can get to know the culture of the island and its inhabitants better. You can find out about the program on the official website of the Museum of Crete, where there is also a detailed description of the activities. Pop reviews of tourists are recommended to sign up for a master class on cooking local wine and food.
Historical
Most of the exposition of the Historical Museum of Crete is dedicated to the finds found during excavations on the island. The central building is located in Heraklion, the address is House AM Kalokerinos, Leof. Sofokli Venizelou 27, Iraklio 712 02. For special objections or changes to exhibitions, please call +30 281 028 3219. The total area of the museum complex is 1500 m². most of the expositions are located in a historic building that belonged to Andreas Lysimachos Kalokerinos. In the second half of the 20th century, the exhibition area was expanded.
Interesting facts about the historical center of Crete, useful information for tourists:
- The main building was built in 1903. the facade depicts scenes from the Iliad, Odyssey, there are characters from Greek mythology.
- 25 expositions have been prepared for tourists and guests of the island. They cover 17 centuries of the island’s history.
- In addition to art objects (paintings, icons, statues), you can see jewelry, antique clothes.
- A separate part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Ottoman period.
The entrance fee for an adult is 3 Euro. Upon confirmation of preferential status, the ticket price will be 3 Euro. Children under the age of 12 can enter for free. Working hours from 9:00 to 17:00. You can pre-register for the tour by paying tickets on the website.
Important: some exhibitions may be closed for repairs or replenishment of expositions. Visitors are warned about this in advance.
Archaeological Museums of Crete
Most of the museum complexes of the island are devoted to archaeological finds. On the territory of Crete, ancient cities, settlements, historical buildings are being excavated. If the found items are difficult to transfer to the museums of Crete, they are left at the excavation site, making tourist routes for their inspection.
Heraklion
The archaeological museum in the capital Heraklion is the largest in this part of Greece. The building was built in 1940. The author of the project was the architect Karantino, address – Xanthoudidou Hatzidaki str., 712 02. Phones – 2810 279 000. Before that, this place was a Catholic monastery, which was destroyed during an earthquake in 1856. The ticket price in the high season is 10 euros. In autumn and winter it drops to 5 Euros. Works from 9:00 to 20:00.
Description of the archaeological museum in the city of Heraklion:
- Here is a large collection dedicated to the Minoan era of Greece.
- Tourists and guests can look at objects and finds of the Neolithic period.
- Part of the exposition is devoted to the times of Roman colonization.
- The famous statue of the goddess Aphrodite is located on the territory.
Of the exhibits in the reviews of tourists and in the photo, you can most often see wooden sarcophagi of the Minoan era, household items, and ancient ceramics. There are many sculptures in the halls. The description is duplicated in English and Greek.
Chania
The Archaeological Museum in Chania is located on Halidon Street, which is located in the central part of the year. Address – Chalidon 28. By phone +30 282 1090 334 you can find out information about work, special events. It is duplicated on the official website. This museum complex is entirely dedicated to archaeological finds found in western Crete and in the suburbs of Chania. The cost of the entrance ticket is 4 Euro. Reduced price – 2 Euro. The museum is open from 8:00 to 15:00.
What you can see in this archaeological museum:
- Amphora, on the surface of which linear writing is applied. This is a rare artifact for Crete.
- Sarcophagus from the Armenian necropolis. It has drawings depicting the hunting of the aristocrats of those times.
- Lots of mosaics from the Roman period of history.
- A large collection of coins has been collected.
The pride of this museum of Crete is a collection of statues from the Greek and Roman period. A separate exhibition is devoted to objects made of glass. They date back to Rome’s early conquest of Greece. part of the exposition is located in an open area.
Other museums on the island
There are museums in almost every resort town and region in Crete. Some of them have small collections, 30-40 minutes will be enough for a visit. But to see some of the expositions and museum complexes of Crete, you need up to several hours. For this, it is recommended to take a day. An alternative is to combine a morning beach holiday with an afternoon excursion program.
Which museums of Crete, according to tourists, are recommended to visit during a holiday on the island:
- El Greco. It is dedicated to a famous Cretan artist and is located in the village of Fodele. Here are the original maps, but photos can only be taken upon prior request.
- Battles and national confrontation. Located in Chania, it was opened recently, in 1994. It is entirely dedicated to the national liberation movement on the island.
- Printing houses. Created by one person, the founder of a local large newspaper. The exposition opened in 2005. Here are old printing presses, objects and tools. The exhibition occupies 4 large halls.
Inspection of all the museum complexes of the island can take several days. It is recommended to plan a visit to the most interesting museums of Crete in order to combine a relaxing and educational holiday in Greece.