​Cultural Crete in 2025
              
​​Culture
            

Cretan culture

The island of Crete is a cultural melting pot with over 5000 years of history with every civilisation leaving its mark on the history of the island, from classical temples and Minoan palaces to Venetian and Turkish fortresses. Crete is said to be the birthplace of modern civilisation, as well being as the birthplace of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. As you would expect there are many museums to visit which house some of the best artifacts to be found. 

Why not combine a hotel break with a visit to one of these impressive museums, and take in the surroundings at your leisure, be it rural Rethymno, Heraklion back streets or Chania harbour: - Pure Crete can offer a hand selected choice of boutique hotels to stay at for a cultural break to this historical island. Here is a small selection of museums below: -

This newly built and relocated state of the art building on the outskirts of Chania town, not only houses over 3000 artifacts across 6,000 square meters of exhibition space but also has a panoramic view across the city, which you can admire with a refreshment from its museum café. The objects are exhibited in chronological order so you can learn about the history of Western Crete from pre-historic times to the Roman occupation.

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Explore the splendours of Crete’s most famous historical attraction, the Minoan palace of Knossos, Europe’s oldest city, just outside the capital Heraklion, a sophisticated civilisation from 4000 years ago and excavated in the 19th century by Arthur Evans. Crete’s grandest and largest palace, it once contained 1300 rooms, with public and private spaces and frescoes and pottery. Its best to have a guide show you around and explore this sprawling site which reveal the secrets of Minoan life.

To get the full experience of the Minoans you need to combine Knossos with a visit to the Heraklion Museum which most famously houses the artefacts found at Knossos Palace. Recently renovated and set over two floors, objects include the Snake Goddess figurines, the Bulls Head Rhyton and the Bull Leaping Fresco.

In a wonderful rural landscape, with views of Mount Ida, Crete’s highest mountain and according to myth the birthplace of Zeus lies Elutherna Archaeological Museum, near the ruins of the ancient city of Elutherna. This modern 1800 square metre museum houses artefacts unearthed at the site over the past 30 years in a beautifully curated exhibition across 3 rooms, with objects which date from 3000 BC to the fourteenth century AD including a bronze shield with lion’s head, ceramic vases, gold pendants and marble statues.