Explore · Crete

Archaeological sites

Archaeological sites across Crete — find the ones closest to you, with address, opening hours and a map link where available.

Heraklion Chania Rethymno Lasithi

Archaeological sitesAgia Triada, Messara (Minoan Villa)Just a few kilometres from Phaistos, on a hill overlooking the Gulf of Messara, Agia Triada…Archaeological sitesAmnissos & Cave of EileithyiaTo the east of Heraklion, Amnisos served as the harbour of Knossos during the Minoan period.…Archaeological sitesAncient ApteraAn important ancient city-state overlooking Souda Bay, with Roman cisterns, a theatre and a panoramic view.Archaeological sitesAncient Eleutherna & MuseumOn the western slopes of Psiloritis, ancient Eleutherna is one of Crete’s most important archaeological sites…Archaeological sitesAncient FalasarnaSituated next to the famous beach, ancient Falasarna was a major naval and trading centre in…Archaeological sitesAncient GortynGortyna was one of the most powerful cities in ancient Crete and, in Roman times, the…Archaeological sitesAncient LatoAbove the village of Kritsa, ancient Lato is one of the best-preserved Doric cities in Crete.…Archaeological sitesAncient PolyrrheniaSituated above the village of the same name, near Kissamos, ancient Polyrrhenia was the strongest and…Archaeological sitesAncient TylissosIn the village of Tylissos, west of Heraklion, three of the best-preserved Minoan villas in Crete…Archaeological sitesAnemospiliaAt the northern foothills of Mount Yuchta, a Minoan sanctuary destroyed by an earthquake around 1700…Archaeological sitesDiktynnaAt the tip of the wild, windswept Rodopou peninsula, Diktynna was one of the most important…Archaeological sitesDrerosTwo kilometres north-east of Neapolis, at a place called ‘Stavros’. The temple of Apollo Delphinius yielded…Archaeological sitesEtz Hayyim SynagogueThe only surviving synagogue in Crete, in the Jewish quarter of the old town. The ‘Tree…Archaeological sitesFirkas FortressThe Venetian fortress that guarded the entrance to the harbour of Chania from the mid-16th century.…Archaeological sitesFourni (Crete)A hill near Archanes, home to one of the largest Bronze Age cemeteries in Europe. It…Archaeological sitesFournou KoryfiAn Early Minoan settlement near Myrtos, Ierapetra, one of the most thoroughly excavated sites of the…Archaeological sitesGalatas Minoan PalaceA Minoan palace on a hilltop near Galatas in Pediada, which was only discovered in 1992.…Archaeological sitesGourniaIn the Gulf of Mirabello, near Pachia Ammos, Gournia is the most fully excavated Minoan settlement…Archaeological sitesHierapytnaThe ancient city beneath present-day Ierapetra, one of the most powerful in Hellenistic Crete. It destroyed…Archaeological sitesItzedin FortressAn Ottoman fortress dating from 1872 at the entrance to Souda Bay, built by Reouf Pasha.…Archaeological sitesKazarma FortressThe Venetian ‘Casa di arma’ above Sitia, the garrison barracks. Now restored, it hosts theatre performances…Archaeological sitesKommosIn the Gulf of Messara, between Kalamaki and Matala, Kommos was the harbour of the Minoan…Archaeological sitesKoules Venetian FortressAt the edge of the old Venetian harbour, Koules (Rocca a Mare) is the undisputed symbol…Archaeological sitesKydoniaThe ancient city-state upon which modern-day Chania was built. According to legend, it was founded by…Archaeological sitesLasaiaAn ancient town two and a half kilometres east of Kaloi Limenes. It is mentioned in…Archaeological sitesLate Minoan Cemetery of ArmeniOver two hundred carved chamber tombs dating from the 13th–12th centuries BC, ten kilometres south of…Archaeological sitesLyttosThe village was called Xidas until 1987, when it took the name of the ancient city…Archaeological sitesMinoan Palace of MaliaJust outside the modern tourist resort of Malia lies one of the three great Minoan palaces…Archaeological sitesMinoan Palace of ZakrosIn Kato Zakros, on the easternmost tip of Crete, lies the fourth-largest Minoan palace. Thanks to…Archaeological sitesMosque of the Janissaries (Giali Tzami)The Kyuchuk Hasan Mosque has stood overlooking the Venetian harbour of Chania since the 17th century…Archaeological sitesNeratze MosqueIt was built as the main church of an Augustinian monastery, became a mosque following the…Archaeological sitesNirou Chani Minoan VillaTwelve kilometres east of Heraklion, right by the sea. The hundreds of religious artefacts found here…Archaeological sitesPalace of KnossosThe largest Minoan palace and the heart of Minoan civilization, just minutes from Heraklion.Archaeological sitesPatellaA hill outside Prinias where the ancient city of Rizinia once stood. Italian excavations have unearthed…Archaeological sitesPetsofasA Minoan sanctuary on a hilltop above Palaikastro, excavated by Meyers in 1903. The clay figurines…Archaeological sitesPhaistos Archaeological SiteBuilt on a low hill overlooking the fertile plain of Messara, Phaistos was the second most…Archaeological sitesPiskokefaloA few kilometres from Sitia, in the fertile valley of the Pantelis River, Piskokefalo is a…Archaeological sitesPraisosThirteen kilometres south of Sitia lies the town of the Eteocretans — the ‘true Cretans’ who…Archaeological sitesPriniatikos PyrgosAn archaeological site on a small peninsula in Mirabello Bay, continuously inhabited from the Minoan to…Archaeological sitesPseira IslandIn the Gulf of Mirabello, opposite Mohlos, the small, uninhabited island of Psira is home to…Archaeological sitesRiziniaAn ancient city on Patella Hill, two kilometres from Prinias. Italian excavations have uncovered temples from…Archaeological sitesRousolakkosA Minoan settlement near Palaikastro, one of the largest on the island apart from the palaces.…Archaeological sitesSand Gate (Pyli tis Ammou)The only gate still standing of the three on the outer Venetian wall of Chania, completed…Archaeological sitesSklavokambos Minoan VillaA Minoan rural villa dating from the Late Minoan period, situated south-west of Tylissos. The walls…Archaeological sitesTemenos FortressThe ‘Castle of Nikiforos Fokas’, built on a sheer cliff after the reconquest of Crete in…Archaeological sitesThronos & Ancient SyvritosAt the entrance to the Amari Valley, the village of Thronos is built on the site…Archaeological sitesTraostalosA hilltop in the municipality of Sitia featuring a Minoan sanctuary. The figurines found here indicate…Archaeological sitesVasiliki (Minoan Settlement)Near Ierapetra, on the Isthmus of Ierapetra, the Minoan settlement of Vasiliki is an important Early…Archaeological sitesVathypetroNear Archanes, amongst vineyards overlooking the sacred Mount Yuchta, the Minoan villa of Vathypetro is a…Archaeological sitesVrokastroAn Early Iron Age settlement on a steep hilltop overlooking Mirabello Bay. It was built by…Archaeological sitesZominthosA plateau at the foot of Mount Psiloritis, on the ancient route from Knossos to the…