The Greek island of Crete was once the heart of the Minoan civilization—one of the world’s earliest advanced societies. From around 3000 to 1100 BCE, the Minoans flourished, leaving behind an influential legacy of art and architecture.
Today, Minoan ruins are scattered across the island, with more than 50 archaeological sites you can visit. Among these, the most impressive and historically significant are the palaces—expansive and complex structures that were once the cultural and political epicentres of the island.
There are 5 confirmed ‘palatial centres’ across the island and several other sites which may have been palaces too, but the consensus is still out. With the exception of the famous Palace of Knossos, information on the palatial centres can be a little scarce, which is why I’ve created this guide.
I had the pleasure of visiting Crete in 2025 when I embarked on a Minoan-themed road trip around the island, and now I’m sharing everything I’ve learned to help you do the same.
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About the Minoan Palaces in Crete
Minoan Crete is one of the most historically significant ancient civilisations in the world. Even if you think you don’t know anything about it, you’ve probably heard something. If you’ve ever used the term ‘labyrinth’ or heard of the mythical Minotour, then you’ve just referenced the ancient Minoans.
Considered the first civilization in Europe, the Minoans originated on the island around 3000 BCE but it really began to thrive around 2000 BCE. It was around this time that large urban areas began to develop, and grand palaces along with it.
It existed around the same time as other great civilisations in the Middle East, with whom it traded with regularly. Around the same time the later pyramids were being built in Egypt, the Minoans were building their first palaces.
Little is known about the Minoans. In fact, historians still aren’t certain it was one unified nation, as opposed to a collection of separate city-states. Most of what is known about the Minoans come from artefacts dug up around the island, or stories about them from classic Greece (centuries later).
What we do know is that somewhere around 2000 BCE, an elite ruling class began to take form, and constructed elaborate palaces at the major settlements around the island.
The best way to describe these palaces is ‘labyrinthian’. While each was a little different, they all followed a similar design, comprising a complex conglomeration of relatively small rooms surrounding a central, open-air courtyard.
The interiors were adorned with vibrant frescoes, generally depicting various aspects of Minoan life, such as religious ceremonies and the popular sport of bull-leaping.
So far, 5 ‘palatial centres’ (a palace and the surrounding township) have been discovered, but the most important of them is undoubtedly the Palace of Knossos, which is believed to have been the political and cultural centre of the island. If there was a central Minoan government, it was based at Knossos.
For 500 years Minoan civilization thrived on Crete, but it came to a crashing halt around 1500 BCE. Like most of its history, no one is quite sure how it ended so suddenly, but it was likely due to the Thera volcanic eruption (one of the largest in recorded history – on the nearby island of Santorini), followed by a foreign Mycenaean invasion.
Getting around Crete
The Minoan palaces are scattered all over Crete. So what’s the best way to reach them?
Well, there are 3 main methods for getting around the island.
Bus
Crete doesn’t have any train lines, but it does have an extensive bus network. Unless you’re renting a car, buses are going to be your main mode of transport around the island and can take you almost anywhere you need to go.
The main bus service across Greece is called KTEL. Finding accurate timetables for KTEL buses can be tricky. Most printed timetables are long out of date, and don’t reflect the reduced schedule in the off-season.
However I find the most reliable place to find bus times in Crete is on this website.
You can purchase bus tickets online, at a main station, or often from the attendant on the bus.
It’s important to know before you visit Crete that the bus schedule is greatly reduced during the tourist off-season (November to March). During this time, buses that usually run twice a day might only run once a week, or not at all.
Book a tour
A bus will get you between most major towns on Crete, but probably won’t get you all the way to each Minoan palace. Thankfully, every palace on this list can be visited as part of a guided tour.
A guided tour can be the most practical way to see Minoan sites on the island, especially if you aren’t able to rent a car.
Some guided tours can be booked online on Get Your Guide, particularly those from Heraklion. As for the more isolated Minoan palaces, you may struggle to find guided tours online but I can tell you from experience that if you arrive in any nearby tourist hub (such as Matala), you’ll find local companies running tours to nearby sites.
It’s important to know that, similar to the buses, tour schedules are also greatly reduced during the tourist off-season (November to March). In fact, during this time of the year, you may struggle to find any tours operating at all, with the exception of some to the Palace of Knossos.
Rent a Car
A car is the best way to get around Crete. If you have the option of renting one, I highly recommend you do.
As mentioned above, buses may only get you between the major towns and, like the tours, largely shut down during the off-season. If you rent a car, however, you have the freedom of going wherever you want, whenever you want.
There are several major car rental companies in Crete. Most are based around Heraklion International Airport but you’ll also find a few others in Heraklion itself and in Chania (Crete’s 2nd largest city).
Generally when you rent a car in Crete there are 2 main requirements you need to meet:
- You need to be licensed to drive. Don’t worry, you may not need a Greek, or even an international driver’s license, depending on your home country. If you’re unsure about your license status in Greece, check with the car rental company for clarification. The insurance isn’t valid unless your license is, so they’ll know.
- The 2nd requirement to rent a car in Crete is a deposit. In my experience, the deposit can range between $1000 to $2000 USD and must be made on a credit card – and I mean a credit card. Not a debit. Not cash. But a credit card only.
Minoan Palaces in Crete - Map
Minoan Palaces in Crete
This list features the 5 known Minoan ‘palatial centres’ in Crete according to UNESCO.
There are several other sites across Crete (such as Galatas, Petras, and Monastiraki) which might also be palaces, but because of limited evidence the consensus is still open.
If you only have the time (or the interest) for 1 site, make sure its the Palace of Knossos.
1) Knossos
The Palace of Knossos is the premier Minoan site in Crete. If there’s any you’ve heard of, it’s probably this one.
As the largest of all the sites on this list, it was believed to have been the political and cultural epicentre of the island.
The Palace of Knossos is where the word ‘labyrinth’ comes from, and even though most of the palace is little more than rubble, it’s easy to see why. During its day this multi story complex had over 1000 rooms, courtyards and staircases all connected together in a maze-like (‘labyrinthian’) structure.
If you visit the Heraklion Archeological Museum you’ll find a model of what the palace is believed to have looked like.
When it was first excavated during the early 20th century, the lead archeologist made the controversial choice to rebuild portions of the palace. While on the one hand this seems great, allowing you to see the palace as it once was. But the controversy comes from the fact that we still know very little about what it looked like, so his recreation is merely one man’s educated guess of what it looked like, potentially rewriting history.
The Palace of Knossos is located just outside of Heraklion. It’s one of the easiests Minoan sites to reach, with buses running regularly between the palace and the city, and it being included in many local tours.
If you can only visit 1 Minoan site in Crete, make sure it’s the Palace of Knossos.
2) Phaistos
The Minoan palace of Phaistos is located down on the Messara Plain in southern Crete, about 60km south of Heraklion. It’s the 2nd largest of all the palaces in Crete, and during its time was the centre of one of the island’s largest cities (alongside Knossos and Malia).
The first palace at Phaistos was built around 1900 BCE, but was destroyed after about 250 years. Eventually the Minoans covered the old palace with a layer of clay and pebbles and built a slightly smaller new palace on top of it.
Most of the ruins you see there today are from the new palace, but some of the old palace still remains, such as the ‘theatre’.
Phaistos is a great alternative to Knossos, being similar in size but with fewer tourists and less closed off areas. The only difference is that, unlike Knossos, no portions of Phaistos have been rebuilt, so you’ll have to use a little more imagination to picture what the palace would have looked like.
Being located in between Heraklion and the popular tourist town of Matala, Phaistos is often included in tours from either location, and is located very close to other Minoan sites, such as Gortyn and Agia Triada.
3) Malia
About 35km east of Heraklion you will find another ancient Minoan palace at Malia.
Similar to other palaces, Malia was first built around 2000 BCE before being mysteriously destroyed and rebuilt. Most of the ruins there today are from the second palace, but some remains of the original can still be seen around the site.
Malia is one of the more expansive Minoan archeological sites on the island. What makes it special is that it not only contains the remains of the former palaces, but a sizable portion of the town that surrounded it, known as ‘Quartier Mu’, where thousands of people once lived.
In the Quartier Mu you can get a further glimpse into the day-to-day life of regular Minoan people, as you explore the remains of houses, workshops and public buildings.
Malia is relatively easy to reach from Heraklion, especially during the tourist high-season, when regular buses run between the site and the city.
4) Kydonia
Long before it was an idyllic coastal town popular among tourists, Chania was a Minoan trading port and home to another of Crete’s ancient palaces.
The palace was the heart of the Minoan city of Kydonia. Thanks to its location, it thrived as the main port for trade with the other Greek islands and mainland Europe.
Unlike many other Minoan settlements, Kydonia continued to thrive for thousands of years following the fall of Minoan civilization. It’s seen many other great civilizations come and go, including classical Greece, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Venetians and later the Ottomans.
The ruins of Kydonia remained buried beneath the town of Chania until around the 20th century, when the first excavations began. While much of the ancient city still remains covered, there are some key areas which have been dug up.
The centre of the ancient city was believed to have been Kastelli Hill, which overlooks the harbour, and it’s here that you’ll find the main archeological site at Agia Aikaterini Square.
Unlike most other Minoan sites on this list, the exact location and layout of the palace is unclear. Archeologists feel confident that there was one here, given all the palace-related artefacts they’ve dug up, but with much of the ruins still buried beneath the town it’s hard to say precisely where it is.
Instead, what you can see at Agia Aikaterini Square are the remains of about 4 or 5 different houses, which likely surrounded the old palace, where you can still make out things like the staircases, kitchens and workshops.
After exploring the ruins of Kydonia, be sure to stop by the Archeological Museum of Chania, which holds many of the artefacts dug up from the ancient city.
5) Zakros
While Kydonia was the most important port for trade with Europe and other Greek Islands, Zakros played a similar role for trade with the east.
Located on the far eastern edge of Crete, Zakros was considered the Minoan ‘gateway to the east’, on account of its location making it the first port of call for trade with Egypt and Mesopotamia. All kinds of foreign artefacts have been dug up here, including elephant tusks from Africa and pottery from the Levant.
Zakros Palace is nestled within a cove near the modern-day town of Zakros. It’s without a doubt the most isolated of the Minoan palaces, situated far from any major population centre or tourist hub. Reaching it requires a 20min drive from the main road, followed by a short hike from the parking lot to the actual ruins.
On the plus side, it’s isolation means little to no crowds. Depending on the time of year you visit you might have the entire site to yourself.
The palace at Zakros may not be as impressive as some of the others on this list, without any frescoes or reconstructed portions, but the surrounding town offers an insight into Minoan society.
The main feature of the town are its many clay furnaces and wine presses, which tell us that Zakros was likely one of the largest producers of wine and pottery in Crete at the time.
Heraklion Archeological Museum
A trip to Crete isn’t complete without a visit to the Heraklion Archeological Museum.
This museum is home to all the amazing artefacts that have been dug up at Minoan sites around the island, as well as some from the later Mycanean, Greek and Roman eras.
I’ve been to a lot of museums, and while this one is far from the biggest, I rank it as one of my favourites thanks to the amount of incredible artefacts on display, and the deep insight it offers into Minoan culture.
The Minoan sites featured on this list are fascinating, but many of them contain little more than the stone foundations. They almost give the impression that there isn’t much leftover from Minoan civilization and offer limited insight into Minoan culture.
But don’t be fooled. Minoan Crete was a thriving civilisation and left a lot of things behind. It’s just all been moved into this museum.
From frescoes, to jewellery, to weapons, to statues and coffins – there’s countless Minoan artefacts to see in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
