The Herakleion Archaeological Museum is one of the largest and most important museums in Greece, and among the most important museums in Europe. It houses representative artefacts from all the periods of Cretan prehistory and history, covering a chronological span of over 5,500 years from the Neolithic period to Roman times.

The singularly important Minoan collection contains unique examples of Minoan art, many of them true masterpieces. The Herakleion Museum is rightly considered as the museum of Minoan culture par excellence worldwide.

The museum, located in the town centre, was built between 1937 and 1940 by architect Patroklos Karantinos on a site previously occupied by the Roman Catholic monastery of Saint-Francis which was destroyed by earthquake in 1856. The museum's antiseismic building is an important example of modernist architecture and was awarded a Bauhaus commendation. Karantinos applied the principles of modern architecture to the specific needs of a museum by providing good lighting from the skylights above and along the top of the walls, and facilitating the easy flow of large groups of people. He also anticipated future extensions to the museum.

The colours and construction materials, such as the veined polychrome marbles, recall certain Minoan wall-paintings which imitate marble revetment. The two-storeyed building has large exhibition spaces, laboratories, a drawing room, a library, offices and a special department, the so-called Scientific Collection, where numerous finds are stored and studied. The museum shop, run by the Archaeological Receipts Fund, sells museum copies, books, postcards and slides. There is also a cafe.

Le palais minoen de Phaistos surveillait la plaine fertile de Messara et était le centre économique, admintratif et religieux de l’ époque. Phaistos controlait les ports de Matala et de Kommos. Phaistos est de nos jours un site archéologique d’ une importance majeure.

C’est une magnifique plage de sable à l’ abri de falaises des grottes, tombes troglodyte, taillées dans la roche, traditions de l’ âge de la pierre. C’ est à cette époque que les habitans sculptaient la roche de la région pour en faire leur habitation. Plus récemment les hippies ont habité ces grottes qui donc sont devenues fameuses dans le monde entier pour leur ambiance unique et decalée. La plage est organisée avec des parasols et des transats. Dans la localité on trouvera des magasins touristiques, des restaurants, des cafés et des bars avec une vie nocture animée.

Nommée par les archéologues qui l’ ont decouverte à l aube du dernier siècle “villa royale” ou “petit palais minoen royal d’ Agia Triada”. Construit en 1.600 a.c sur une colline près de Phaistos, Agia Triada est un monument important de l’ architecture minoenne et des trouvailles considérables ont été mises au jour.

In Agia Galini is also the cave of Daedalus, where according to myth, Daedalus hid himself whilst being pursued by king Minos and together with his son Icarus, managed to fly to freedom using his self-built wings glued with wax

The rock that Daedalus and Icarus used as a base for their flight is located on the right side of the port facing the sea, still seeing them off on their doomed journey.

At this spot there are two statues, these of Daedalus and Icarus as they get prepared for their journey, which are easily accessible to the visitor.

Depuis 1977, les clients de notre taverne savourent les plats Crétois traditionnels et jouissent de la vue spectaculaire de la mer de Lybie.

Si vous avez envie de déguster nos plats de poissons frais , homards vivants et les plats Crétois classiques, en se sentant à bord d'un bateau de croisière, vous n’avez qu'à nous visiter.

Notre taverne est en pleine conformité avec les normes les plus strictes en matière de sécurité alimentaire HACCP et ISO.