The second largest Minoan palace in Crete is located 62km South of Heraklion, on top of a hill overlooking the plains of Messara. 

Like its brothers (Knossos, Malia and Zakros) it is located pretty far from the shore, around 6km. The Minoans were aware of the dangers of the sea, not only the force of nature – storms, medicanes, high tides or tsunamis (remember that under Santorini lies a dormant volcano that destroyed the civilization and the area has a high seismic risk) but also the human factor (piracy, invaders, etc). Also, the main cities have been built in fertile lands, mostly plains sheltered from the wind gusts, as they relied on agriculture.

Phaistos (or Festos) was inhabited more than 5000 years ago, the hills were terraced and buildings were constructed on them. The city was built three times after two major destructions, most probably strong earthquakes – remember that they were exceptional architects, but their buildings were not as resistant as ours are today.

From the central courtyard there was an entrance to the royal apartments, very luxurious for their time, as they were made from alabaster (you can still see today the king and queen’s chambers).

The palace was destroyed around 1400BC and has never been rebuilt – approx. 200 years after the Minoan Eruption of Santorini. It was then reinhabited in the 8th Century BC and ceased to exist after its destruction by the Gortynians in the 3rd century BC – Gortyna is only a few kms away, with an archaeological site of its own.

Phaistos became famous after it started to be excavated in the 19th century AD and the disk (now on display at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum) was found here. The disk is famous because of its unique writing system (symbols) that hasn’t been deciphered to this day. 

Today the site is open to the public and you can walk on and touch 5000 years of history. There are informational displays at every important point. 6 mins drive or 45 mins walk there is the site of Agia Triada (on my list for next time), where rulers of Phaistos have been buried.

How to get there:

1. By car – only 50 mins drive from Heraklion, there is a parking lot next to the site, the road is in very good conditions

2. By bus – a little complicated. Meaning that there is no direct bus from Heraklion to Phaistos. You will have to take the bus in the direction Matala, at specific times! And you will have to change in Moires. Always check on ktelherlas.gr for the updated timetable and look for the *Through Festos Palace mark. The table below is for the winter period, in the summer there are more buses/day, especially Saturday and Sunday. Example:

a. Take the 7:30 bus from Heraklion to Matala. Arrive at 9 in Moires, change the bus there and arrive around 9:30 to Phaistos. Explore the site. To get back to Heraklion, wait for the 11:45 bus departing from Matala to Moires. It takes around 15 mins from Matala to Phaistos, so it should arrive at Phaistos around 12:00. Better wait at the bus stop at 11:45 than miss it. Make sure you don’t wait for the last bus. If it’s full from Matala, it won’t stop at Phaistos and there is NO other way to get back – unless you want to pay 90+ euros on a taxi.

b. Take any bus from Heraklion to Tympaki/Agia Galini, these are more frequent. Ask the driver to stop at the bus stop on the road and walk from there (first red mark on the map). It’s a 30 mins walk, approx. 100m elevation, through olive groves and fields

3. By organized day trip – can be booked via Getyourguide or from local agencies.

Good to know before you go:

· Open daily – schedule may vary according to season (summer/winter). Entrance fee is 8E – not sure about the card payment. Free entry in the following days: 6thof March, 18th of April, 18th of May, last weekend of September, 28th of October, every first Sunday of the month from 1stof November to 31st of March (we got free entry – first Sunday in December). Closed on 1st of January, 25th of March, 1stof May, Easter Sunday, 25 and 26th of December

· There is a cafeteria at the entrance and a souvenir shop

· Expect crowds in the summer months, especially buses

· Wear hat, comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Bring water, no shops after the ticket point

· High heels are not allowed, smoking is prohibited

· Be careful as the site is not delimited by fence in some places. Not recommended to leave children unsupervised

· Do not disturb the cats 😊