The Palace of Knossos: between myth and reality
Piero: we simply can't begin our visit anywhere else but the Palace of Knossos. We are standing before the most famous archaeological site in all of Crete and, quite possibly, the most evocative in the entire eastern Mediterranean.
Angela: as soon as you step inside, you realise this is no ordinary palace. It is a living organism, a maze of corridors, staircases, columns, chambers, storerooms, and frescoes. A place that, even after thousands of years, still has the power to bewilder... and to enchant.
Piero: did you know that, according to legend, this palace was ruled by King Minos?
Angela: of course! The son of Zeus, who became king of Crete and guardian of law and order. A ruler who was both feared and respected, renowned as a wise and powerful judge. His story is the thread that weaves together myth and history here at Knossos.
Piero: the palace was first discovered in 1878, thanks to the Cretan archaeologist Minos Kalokairinos. But it was the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans who, in 1900, began the extensive excavations and brought the magnificence of this extraordinary complex back to the world's attention.
Angela: and it also sparked a great deal of controversy. Because Evans didn't just excavate the site—he reconstructed it, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. He used concrete, repainted walls, and recreated missing sections according to his own interpretation. So, what we see today is, at least in part, an idealised reconstruction.
Piero: and that, in my very humble opinion, takes away a little of this place's magic. It leaves less room for the imagination, which has always been an essential part of the experience whenever we visit an archaeological site. The palace once covered an area of more than 14,000 square metres. It contained over 1,000 rooms, spread across several levels and connected by staircases and courtyards. It wasn't just a royal residence—it was the political, religious, and administrative centre of the Minoan world.
Angela: here you'll find storerooms for grain and olive oil, ceremonial chambers, workshops, and ingenious light wells. And then there are the frescoes... everywhere. The most famous is the Bull-Leaping Fresco, showing a young acrobat grasping a bull by the horns and soaring gracefully over its back in what looks almost like a dance.
Piero: and then there's the Prince of the Lilies, striding forward with unmistakable confidence. The Procession Fresco, with its flowing robes. The women with bare bodices and carefully lined eyes. It is a world full of colour, movement, and refinement. It doesn't feel ancient... it feels as if it's still alive.
Angela: and the colour isn't confined to the walls. Just look at the columns: painted red and black, slender, and the exact opposite of Greek columns. They are wider at the top and narrower at the base — a unique feature of Minoan architecture.
Piero: one of the palace's most famous rooms is the Throne Room. Here you'll find the alabaster throne, set against the wall and flanked by stone benches. The walls are decorated with frescoes depicting griffins—mythical creatures with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. This room, too, has been heavily reconstructed. If you want to visit it, be prepared for long queues under the Cretan sun.
Angela: we don't actually know whether that throne belonged to a king. It may have been used by a high priest, or perhaps even by a queen. Many clues suggest that women held central roles in Minoan society, particularly in religious life.
Piero: walking through these halls, it's impossible not to think of the myths: King Minos, the Minotaur, Ariadne's thread, and the Labyrinth built by Daedalus. Reality may have been different, but these stories were born here. Knossos inspired them... and still keeps them alive today.
Angela: and even if we set mythology aside, the impact is very real. You're walking through rooms that are thousands of years old, yet remarkably modern in their design. There are natural ventilation systems, drainage channels, and light wells. The Minoans didn't just build—they planned.
Piero: and then there's its location. Knossos is not by the sea, but in a fertile area near the Kairatos River. A strategic position that allowed it to control the surrounding valley while remaining protected from the threat of attacks arriving by sea.
Angela: by the end of the visit, one thing becomes clear: Knossos was far more than just a palace. It was an entire world—a symbolic, spiritual, urban, and administrative microcosm. The beating heart of a civilization that has left an everlasting legacy.
Piero: and every time you cross its thresholds, it feels as though you're standing somewhere between history and myth. Knossos is the place where the past stubbornly refuses to fade away. Relive the entire experience in this video:
Angela: one piece of advice: visit Knossos early in the morning. Not only does it get extremely hot, but it also becomes very crowded. Remember, it's the most famous archaeological site in Crete, so it's very common to encounter large groups of visitors arriving from cruise ships.
Piero: it's always worth buying your tickets online in advance to avoid the long queues. And although it comes at an extra cost, we highly recommend hiring a local guide — you'll usually find several available at the entrance.
