Most first time visitors will want to visit the Palace of Knossos and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. The restoration of Knossos is something of a divisive issue, as it was ‘rebuilt’ in the early 1900s under the guidance of the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans.
However, there are many other ancient ruins, especially to the south of Crete, such as Faistos, Gortyna, Malia and Zakros, some of which have been extremely well preserved and not ‘restored’
In addition, Crete island also boasts some of Greece’s most impressive Venetian castles, remains of which you can see in the biggest towns but also in other areas, such as Spinalonga, Gramvousa, Fortezza and Kazarma.
Some of the top destinations and things to see in Crete include:
- Knossos
- Heraklion Archaeological Museum
- Elafonisi Beach (Pink sand!)
- Samaria Gorge
- Phaistos Minoan Palace
- Spinalonga Island
- Rethymno Old Town.
- Balos Lagoon
- Chania’s Venetian Harbour
- Arkadi Monastery
- Chrissi Island
- Lassithi Plateau
Source: Dave’s Travel Pages