Palace of Knossos · 2 hours 10 minutes
Guided visit with licensed archaeologist, skip-the-line entry. Throne Room, Grand Staircase, bull-leaping frescoes.
Lunch, Heraklion Old Town · 90 minutes
Sit-down meal at a Cretan farm-to-table kitchen.
Heraklion Archaeological Museum · 90 minutes
Highlights walk: Phaistos Disc, Snake Goddess, Bull-Leaping Fresco, Prince of the Lilies.
Of note: Legend placed the Minotaur's labyrinth beneath this palace; archaeology revealed a 1,300-room complex with running water, multi-storey architecture, and saffron-gatherer frescoes. The throne inside is the oldest in Europe still in its original position.
Knossos & the Heraklion Archaeological Museum