Knossos & Historical Heraklion City Tour with Old Market
About This Experience
Knossos and Heraklion belong together: the palace is the site, the city is where its contents ended up. This day tour treats them as one visit — a guided walk through the archaeological site in the morning, then the Cretan capital in the afternoon, with enough free time to make your own choices there.
After morning pickup you travel by air-conditioned coach to Knossos, where a professional guide takes you through the palace complex and the myths attached to it, followed by free time to photograph the site. The tour then moves into Heraklion for a guided walk through the centre, taking in the Venetian core and the Old Market street, before releasing you for around two and a half hours on your own.
That free block is the point of the tour. You can spend it in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which holds the original Knossos frescoes and the Minoan collection, or on the market, in a café, or shopping. Note that entrance fees are not included — €20 for Knossos and €20 for the museum — and neither is food.
Highlights
- Explore the legendary Knossos Palace with a licensed guide
- Learn the myths and history of Minoan civilization
- Discover Heraklion city highlights and the Old Market
- Enjoy free time to shop, relax, or visit the Archaeological Museum
- Travel comfortably with pickup and air-conditioned transport
What's Included
- ✓ Pickup and drop-off
- ✓ Transportation in air-conditioned bus
- ✓ Professional driver
- ✓ Guided tour in Knossos Palace
- ✓ Walking tour in the city
- ✓ Liability insurance coverage
Not Included
- Knossos Palace Ticket: 20€
- Archaeological Museum Ticket: 20€
- Food/Drinks
What to Bring
- Comfortable shoes
- Hat
Meeting Point
Hotel pickup — your pickup point and time are confirmed with the booking.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.5/5 by 492 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
Very nice and interesting trip! Christine was a great guide. Would have been nice to have more time to explore Knossos on our own, at the end it felt too hurried and we had too much time on our own in Heraklion downtown.
— Diego, July 25
We really enjoyed our day trip to Knossos and the old town of Heraklion. Our guide, Christina, was very knowledgeable and even gave us a great restaurant recommendation where we had the most amazing dinner (andipodas / antipodas). We can only recommend this trip to everyone who is interested in visiting one or the other historical site while in Crete.
— Pascal, July 19
The trip was informative and the guide was excellent. One does have to pay a 20 EUR entrance (unless under a certain age - dependent on nationality).
— Robert, July 15
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Knossos entrance fee included?
No. Knossos is €20 and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a further €20 if you choose to visit it during the free time. Both are paid on the day.
Is there a guide inside Knossos?
Yes. A professional guide leads the tour through the archaeological site, which is the part of the day where a guide makes the biggest difference. The Heraklion city portion is also guided; the free time afterwards is unguided.
How much free time do I get in Heraklion?
About two and a half hours after the guided city walk — enough for the Archaeological Museum, or for the Old Market and lunch, but tight for both.
How long is the whole day?
Between 7 and 8.5 hours depending on where you are collected. Transfer time from your accommodation to the first stop ranges from roughly 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Should I visit the Archaeological Museum?
If you have any interest in what Knossos actually produced, yes. Nearly all the original finds — the frescoes, the snake goddess figurines, the Phaistos Disc — are in the museum, not at the site.
