Agios Nikolaos Shore Excursion

This Agios Nikolaos shore trip visits the famous Palace at Konosos followed by a typical Cretan Village where you learn about life on the island from a bygone era.

Your privately guided tour will take you through the fantastic ruins of the ancient palace complex, which served as the administrative and religious centers for the whole region. It has been restored by Sir Arthur Evans and these restorations, though criticized by some for their modernity, help the tourist to both visualize the palace as it was and understand its complexity. The living quarters of the king, queen and members of the royal court, rooms for state occasions, theater area, store rooms and potter's workshops are all within the palace complex.

For centuries the history of the Minoan culture had passed into the realm of legend and remained a distant memory in Greek tradition and mythology. It was not until the beginning of the last century that the history of Minoan Crete was actually pieced together to reveal that the civilization was not one of myth, rather it was one of the most advanced and important in prehistoric times. The amazing archaeological site of Knossos, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Minos, provides the basis of our knowledge about this civilization named after the king of Crete.

The frescoes unearthed show the refinement of their art and use of color and embody the soul of the peace loving, light-hearted, but also powerful Minoans. The original palace of Knossos was raised around 1900 BC. About two-hundred years later it was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt on a grander scale. The final catastrophe occurred around 1450 BC with the eruption of the volcano in Santorini. Despite this blow, people continued to live here until a fire swept through the city around 1400 BC.

This afternoon your journey continues to the traditional village of Arolithos. Several decades ago modernization took over most of Crete and small village life became a thing of the past. At that time the village of Arolithos was built in the typical architectural style of an old Cretan village to help preserve the identity of the island, including its culture, arts and cuisine.

As you enter the village you walk along its cobblestone streets you visit the shops where artisans produce crafts such as ceramics, weaving, wood carving and even bread baking, using the typical methods of a bygone era. In the village's small main square you'll find an authentic Greek coffee shop, where you can enjoy a welcome drink from Crete known as raki. You also see the village's beautiful old church which supported the cultural, political and entertainment center of its inhabitants.

While you are in the village you have free time to enjoy lunch (meal not included) in the village restaurant which serves typical food from the island of Crete.

After your visit of Arolithos you return to Agios Nikolaos.

Mobility: NO wheelchairs