Heraklion Activities: Palace, Museums, Fortress

Visitors to Heraklion spend most of their time with Minoan archaeology, Venetian stonework and a few museums, then escape to a beach or a village outside town. This page sets out the main options in order of priority, with ticket prices in EUR and opening patterns. Carry a little cash for kiosks and small tavernas, although state sites take cards.

Priority one: the Archaeological Museum

Where: Xanthoudidou 2, beside Eleftherias Square. Why go: it holds the Phaistos Disc, the Snake Goddess figurines and the Bull-Leaping fresco. Ticket: a single price that changes with the season, EUR 20 between 1 April and 31 October and EUR 12 between 1 November and 31 March. Hours: 08:00 to 20:00 in the warm months and 08:30 to 15:30 in the cold ones, except Wednesdays. On Wednesdays the doors open at 13:00 in summer and at 10:00 in winter, and close at 20:00 and 17:00 respectively. Admission stops 20 minutes before closing.

Priority two: Knossos

The palace sits about 5 km south of the city. It forms part of the Minoan Palatial Centres, which UNESCO inscribed in July 2025. Tickets cost EUR 20 full or EUR 10 reduced at any time of year, with no winter discount, and they are sold separately from the museum. The gate closes at 20:00 until the end of August, then a little earlier each fortnight, and at 17:00 from 1 November. Arrive early to beat the heat, wear shoes with grip and bring a hat.

Priority three: Koules Fortress

This sea fort guards the old harbour. A ticket is EUR 10 or EUR 5 reduced. Tuesday is the weekly closing day. Rooms inside show exhibitions, cannons are on display and the roof terrace overlooks the port.

Waterfront museums

  • Historical Museum of Crete (Sofokli Venizelou 27): two paintings by El Greco, daily 09:00 to 17:00 in summer, and shut on Sundays from November. A ticket costs a few euros.
  • Natural History Museum of Crete (Sofokli Venizelou Avenue): the Enceladus earthquake simulator, with tickets at about EUR 8 to 12.

Free entry

The state sites open their doors free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, 28 October and the last weekend in September. From November to March some Sundays are free as well, at least the first of the month, so confirm the day before you go.

Time at the beach

The old port is for ships, not swimmers. Ammoudara, 5 km west, is an organised beach with facilities. Karteros, about 7 km east, lies beneath the aircraft approach to the airport. Agia Pelagia, about 23 km north-west, has a sheltered cove.

During April to October wildfire danger is high across Crete, so watch for local alerts and closures.

Read more: Heraklion sightseeing for the city landmarks.

Opening details are on the Hellenic Heritage Koules page and the Natural History Museum page . Tours can be browsed on Viator .