The province of Iraklion is the largest of the four provinces of
Crete and has been the centre of Minoan research for many years.
8 km south of the city are the excavations of the Minoan Palace
of Knossos and about 6 kilometres further is Archanes,
centre of wine production. In Archanes itself and the surrounding areas there
are various excavation sites, such as the Necropolis of Fourni,
the temple of Anemospilia and Vathypetro,
a Minoan mansion. Also worth a visit is the small archaeological museum in
Archanes and the Nikos Kazantzakis museum in nearby Mirtia.
To the south are other very important excavation sites such as
the Minoan Palace of Phaestos,
Agia Triada, ancientGortyna
with the Basilica of Titus and the Odeon. Many monasteries are also in this
area.
But Iraklion is not just full of excavations and monasteries.
There are other places of interest to visit such as Zaros
with its lake and trout farms and the nearby Rouvas
Gorge; Fodele,
birthplace of El Greco; the Kamares
Cave, where delicate pottery was found and which overlooks the fertile Messara
Plain; Thrapsano,
where pottery resembling that used by the Minoans is made still using age-old
methods and the Ideon Cave
where, according to mythology, Zeus spent his youth.
On the south coast lies Matala,
where hippies used to live in the caves during the 60's, with the long sandy
beaches of Kommos and
Kamilari nearby as well as the small resort of Lentas
with its clear water and its own historical past.
Discover for yourself the places in Iraklion, which are too
numerous to mention.
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