Minoan Palace of Phaistos

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The Minoan Palace of Phaistos is the second most important Cretan archeological site after Knossos and a model example of the Minoan civilization. Phaistos, a city-state that existed from 6000 BC to the 1st century BC, was the religious and spiritual center of southern Crete. Most of the buildings located on the site today belong to the Neopalatial period (1700 - 1450 BC), in part because the area was destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt several times. Some of the site’s most important structures are the monumental entrance to the palace, the Treater Court, and the Tripartite Shrine. Fun fact: one of the items uncovered during excavations in the site’s northern part was the Faistos Disc, an important artifact from the Minoan Bronze Age (now on display in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum). The disc is famous for the symbols it is covered with, which have baffled archaeologists for decades. The site also includes a bookshop with thematic literature and a canteen. The opening hours depend on the season, and entrance fees range from 4 to 8 EUR. A note for visitors with limited mobility: touring the site might be challenging due to stairs and hilly geography.