BillJ

We will be in Crete for just one day in Sept, our cruise ship docks at Agios Nikolaos. My inclination is to rent a car and drive around, of course including Knossos. We have from 8 to 6.

Question: I have read that having a guided tour of Knossos is worth it, and that there are guides hanging around the entrance charging about 10 Euro. Can someone confirm that guides are available at the entrance? Any discussion of the quality of the guides is likewise appreciated.

Assuming finish at Knossos in early afternoon or so, any ideas for the rest of the afternoon before returning to the ship?

chepar

There are guides at the entrance of Knossos, but their availability depends on how crowded it is at the time you arrive.

We arrived at Knossos in the late morning (we weren't on a cruise) and it was quite crowded when we got there. I casually looked around for a guide, but didn't find any available at the time. We toured Knossos on our own, armed with our guide books and I do think that a guide would have been a definite plus at the site.

Several days later while visiting the Acropolis, we got there at opening and was approached by a woman offering to give a guided tour. For the 4 of us it was 50 Euro, and we tipped an additional amount.

Our tour was about 1.5 hours and was very good. I believe I read somewhere that the guides have to be licensed through some government agency to give tours at these sites, but I'm not positive.

dina4

hoping, too, for more replies.
i have the same question!

BillJ

Thanks Chepar. Exactly the info I was seeking.
In addition to seeing Knossos, we also want to see the archeological museum in Heraklion. Continuing my research, I have begun to get a little concerned about driving to the museum in Heraklion; that the streets and routes can be confusing, congested, etc. I have no trouble with crowded city driving, (I've been harried and lost in some of the greatest cities in the world, hehe). I am just trying to get a handle on the time to allow to find the museum, parking, etc.
My alternative is to hire a private guide for the day, and leave the driving to him, but that is quite a bit more expensive.
(The ship's tours are full, so that's out.)
Anyone have any info on driving times? I understand from Agios Nikolaos (where we dock) to Heraklion is about 1 hour.
So its looking like:
Dock 8am
In car and moving about 9 am
Heraklion 10 am
Total time in Heraklion including driving and museum ?????
Say 2 hours total at Knossos
one hour lunch slipped in there somewhere
one hour back to ship. Sailing time 6 pm.

Anymore info would be very helpful. Thanks.

thursdaysd

I used a guide at Knossos (something I don't often do). It was 10 euro per person, but I had to wait around while the guide rounded up enough people. The guide was quite good, but I'm not sure a really good guidebook (Cadogan, perhaps) wouldn't have been better. I spent quite some time wandering around on my own after the tour finished, so 2 hours wouldn't have been enough for me.

I took a bus out from Heraklion, but I was staying in town. I believe the museum is being renovated, and is only partially open right now - suggest checking on the Europe board.

BillJ

Thank you thursdaysd.
I am beginning to wonder if I should spend any time at all in Heraklion. Maybe instead, spend more time on the road returning to Ag Nikolaos, seeing more of the countryside.
Uhmmm???

thursdaysd

There are some other ruins besides Knossos, which I believe were less restored, that you might could visit. (E.g. Phaestos and (Roman) Gortys) I wouldn't plan to make good time on any of the roads in Crete, though. I stayed in the west (Hania, Rethymnon) but I read that the northeast was overrun with hotels and tourist stuff (that's why I was in the west, lol). The most scenic area is probably the southwest coast, but you don't have time for that as well as Knossos, and parts are not accessible by road.

socal

I've been looking for any update on the renovations of the Heraklion museum. the last post I've read was back in May. does anyone know what the current situation is as it relates to the renovations. we will be ther in mid October and I'm trying to find out more about their hours and admission fees. Any info gratefully appreciated...Thanks