CRETE TRAVEL GUIDE

Crete Travel Guide
the island before tourism, television and the mobile
phone. Fascinating exhibits include a windmill and an old
stone cottage.
➤ Map L4 • Chersonisos • 28970 22021 • 9:30am–3pm
Mon–Sat • Adm
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Historical and Folk Art Museum, Rethymno
A small museum housed in a Venetian mansion
displays relics of a vanished way of life, including
colourful woven artifacts, lace, silver jewellery and
ceramics.
➤ Map F3 • Vernardou 30 • 28310 23398 • 9am–1pm,
6–8pm Mon–Sat • Adm
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Siteia Folklore Museum
This fascinating small museum opens a window
onto eastern Crete’s past with its collection of
picturesque local costumes, beautifully woven and
embroidered textiles, silver jewellery and antique cottage
furniture, all of which was worn or used within living
memory.
➤ Map Q4 • 26 Kapetan Sifi, Siteia • 28430 23917 •
9:30am–2:30pm Tue–Sun, 6–8pm Tue and Thu evenings
• Adm
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Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Vori
Excellent collection which gives real insight into the
hard life of Cretan villagers in years gone by. For example,
there are displays on how wild foods – from dandelions
to snails – featured in their diet!
➤ Map H5 • Vori • 28290 91392 • 10am–6pm daily •
Adm
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Museum of Rural Life, Piskopiana
Wooden farming tools, an old olive press and a
copper raki still are among the exhibits.
➤ Map L3 • Outskirts of Limin Chersonisos • 28970
23303 • 10am–7pm daily • Adm
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Agios Nikolaos Folklore Museum
Overlooking Agios Nikolaos’s lagoon-like inner
harbour, the museum houses colourful textiles and
costumes, farming and fishing equipment, and household
goods.
➤ Map N4 • Kondilaki 2 • 28410 25093 • 10am–4pm
daily • Adm
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Arolithos Museum of Agricultural History and
Popular Art
This museum is linked with a holiday village which tries
to give its guests a taste of traditional Cretan life, with
craft workers who use traditional methods, a restaurant
and bakery with wood-burning ovens, and live music and
dancing in the evening.
➤ Arolithos village, 8 km west of Irakleio on old highway
• Map J4 • 9am–noon, 2–5pm • Adm
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Cretan House Folklore Museum
Traditional looms and spinning wheels, richly
coloured rugs, wall hangings and embroidery can be
found at this delightful place.
➤ Map D2 • 46B Chalidon • 28210 90816 • 9am–3pm
6–9pm Mon–Sat • Adm
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Azogyre Historical and Folklore Museum
Deep in the mountains of the Selinos region of
Crete’s far west, this tiny one-room museum in an old
village house is crammed with mementoes of Crete
under Turkish rule, from hookah-style tobacco pipes to
daggers and costumes. Be warned: opening hours can
be eccentric.
➤ Map B4 • Azogyre • 28230 42209 • 9am–2pm
weekends • Adm
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Historical and Folklore
Museum of
Gavalochori
This excellent small museum
is housed in an old
Venetian-Turkish mansion
and depicts the history and
culture of the village.
Highlights include local skills such as silk spinning,
masonry and carpentry.
➤ Map E3 • Gavalochori village • 28250 23222 •
9am–7pm Mon–Sat, 10am–1:30pm, 5–8pm Sun • Adm
Churches and Monasteries
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Moni Arkadiou
Though founded in the 5th century, most of the
monastic buildings here date from the 16th century. Moni
Arkadiou has a special significance for Cretans. During
the great revolt of 1866, the monastery – crowded with
refugees as well as Cretan freedom fighters – was
besieged by the Turks. Rather than surrender, the rebel
defenders blew up their gunpowder stores, killing
themselves and many of their enemies.
➤ Map G4 • 28310 83076 • 8am–8pm daily • Adm
Panagia Kera
The most important
Byzantine-era church in
Crete, Panagia Kera, was
built in the 13th and 14th
centuries. The church is
dedicated to the Virgin and
to saints Anthony and Anna,
and is adorned with expressive murals depicting the two
saints, as well as 14 scenes portraying the secret life of
the Virgin Mary after Christ’s Crucifixion and
Resurrection.
➤ Map N5 • 28410 51525 • 8:30am–3pm daily • Adm
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3
Moni Toplou
The Toplou monastery’s
forbidding exterior is
deceptive, for like many
Greek monasteries it was
fortified against bandits
during the Middle Ages.
Inside, however, is a
different world of serene,
flower-filled courtyards and
cloisters, and a church that
houses one of the greatest
Cretan works of religious art,
the icon Lord, Thou Art Great
by Ioannis Kornaros.
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Things to See