Crete - Chania by Foot or Palace of Knossos?

[Traveler456]

Appreciate any opinions or reviews of the shore excursions in Crete, especially included Chania by Foot or optional Palace of Knossos

Thank you

[FetaCheese]

Thoroughly enjoyed Chania included tour. Went to "agora" (central market, but closed now, don't know if it relocated for 2 year project) among many other interesting places.

 

You can leave tour and go on your own at end, or anytime, as V has shuttle service to/from port, from downtown. (Let guide know)

 

 

Be sure to walk through "Leather Row" pedestrian street with many fine goods.  Was there in December 2021, off season, but a bustling city.  

 

Did not go to palace, so can't speak to that.

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by FetaCheese
Addl info

[Moonlion]

Historic Chania and the Old Port are very charming and definitely worth exploring, including on your own if you can after the included tour.  Lots of picturesque back alleys behind the harbor with cobblestone streets and charming Venetian buildings.  There are some very nice Greek tavernas at the Old Port and surrounding area which would make for a lovely lunch. 

 

The Palace of Knossos will involve a 2 hour bus ride to Heraklion from Chania.  If you are very interested in Minoan ruins, then the 4 hour round trip bus ride may be worth it to you, especially if it includes the Archeological Museum in Heraklion.  However, there is quite a bit of debate whether the restoration of the Palace by the British archaeologist Arthur Evans is all that accurate; see: https://www.livescience.com/27955-knossos-palace-of-the-minoans.html.  Heraklion itself is more of a modern, industrial city.

 

We've been to Crete many times.  If it were me, I would spend the limited time you have in Chania exploring the Old Port and historic areas of Chania.     

[Traveler456]

Thank you for the very helpful information.  The article about the Palace of Knossos is fascinating.

 

[PasadenaDave]

We found the Palace of Knossos fascinating.  We were there in May, I wouldn’t want to go in a hotter time of the year as there is no shade.

[Hobson1754]

I remember going to Knossos many years ago whilst on holiday in Crete - my overriding memories are of incredible heat (this was beginning of July) with no shade and the phrase ‘Original Reproductions’ kept cropping up during the tour guides spiel!  Personally wouldn’t do it again but, in cooler months it may be better.

[PasadenaDave]

7 minutes ago, Hobson1754 said:

I remember going to Knossos many years ago whilst on holiday in Crete - my overriding memories are of incredible heat (this was beginning of July) with no shade and the phrase ‘Original Reproductions’ kept cropping up during the tour guides spiel!  Personally wouldn’t do it again but, in cooler months it may be better.

We agree, but I go a step further in that we avoid that area of the world between June 1 and October 1, it is just too hot and we are not beach people 

[Hobson1754]

1 minute ago, PasadenaDave said:

We agree, but I go a step further in that we avoid that area of the world between June 1 and October 1, it is just too hot and we are not beach people 

Yes we do now - we were a lot younger then, saved up hard all year for 2 weeks in Greece/Spain but your preferences and happily circumstances change as you get older.

[shadowlover]

I loved the included tour!  Still have my little gifts from the shop.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I didn't go to Chania on Viking, but Oceania had a similar walking tour, and there was a shuttle from the port to Chania city market.  I just took the shuttle to the market, wandered around in the charming area around there, and made my way to the waterfront.  It was not hard.  But I had a map from maps.me which I had loaded at home on my phone in case I didn't have wifi in my wanderings.  But if you basically go from the shuttle point (pretty much across from the being-renovated market building) toward the main street, there is a large map in a plexiglass board there.  I went a little to the right and walked down to the waterfront, but you can go just to the right if you want shopping.  But it was a Sunday (early May) and the shops were closed.  I have pictures of my day here: www.pbase.com/roothy123 but you'll have to scroll to find the "gallery" on Chania.  While on my exploration walk, I ran into the Oceania tour group doing the walking tour!  They were passing the old city walls with me!  I'll post more later, but if you go to Chania, you could easily spend a lovely day or half day there.  I'd suggest walking out onto the breakwater to see the city, the old harbor of Chania, and the mountains with snow on it!  

 

I haven't been to Knossos, so can't compare it to Chania's delights.

[LindaS272]

If it were me, and I only had one day in Crete, I’d go to Knossos, or another archeological site. Sure, it’s been “reconstructed” in part, but the archeological history is the reason to visit Greece, IMO. I hope your tour would also include the museum in Heraklion because that’s where all the good artifacts are. 
 

In 2019 we spent a good two weeks on Crete and went to Malia, Phaistos, & the Dikteon Cave of Zeus. I haven’t been to Knossos since 1983, but was glad to make it to the Heraklion museum in 2019.