Knossos Guided Tour
Join a Knossos guided tour with a licensed guide who turns stones and columns into the story of Europe’s first great civilisation.
Knossos makes sense with the right storyteller
Knossos has very few information panels, several building phases on top of each other and modern reconstructions mixed with original walls. Without context it is easy to walk past the most interesting details.
A licensed guide shows you how the palace worked: where goods were stored, how light and water moved through the building, what the frescoes tell us about Minoan life and where history ends and legend begins with Minos, Daedalus and the Minotaur.
A Knossos guided tour works with a regular entry ticket, so you do not need anything extra. See Knossos tickets for prices and free entry, and the opening hours to choose the best start time.
What a Knossos guided tour includes
- A licensed archaeological site guide (official Greek guide licence)
- Walking tour of about 1.5 to 2 hours along the main route
- Help arranging your entry tickets and time slot
- Tours in English, with other languages on request
- Small-group or private options
Private tour
Ideal for families, couples and groups who want to set their own pace and ask plenty of questions. Pick your start time and language.
What you will explore on a Knossos guided tour
West Court & Storerooms
Start where visitors arrived in Minoan times, beside the long magazines lined with giant pithoi.
Throne Room
The ceremonial heart of the palace, with its stone throne and painted griffins.
Queen's Megaron
Private apartments decorated with the famous dolphin fresco and an early bathroom.
Grand Staircase
A masterpiece of Bronze Age engineering that once linked several floors around a light well.
North Entrance
The bull relief fresco and the theatral area, possibly used for ceremonies.
Royal Road
One of the oldest paved roads in Europe, leading out towards the ancient town.
Combine with the Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Most of the original frescoes, the Snake Goddess figurines and the treasures found at Knossos are displayed at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in central Heraklion, about 5 km away. Seeing both on the same day or on consecutive days gives you the complete picture. Ask us and we will help you plan the timing.