PELA MARE HOTEL
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
History & Culture
Based on our hotel excursion, the possibilities for excursions to important sights are innumerable. In collaboration with specialized travel agencies, we can offer you organized tours to the most remarkable archaeological treasures and tours of historic cities and picturesque villages, accompanied by experienced guides.
The tour of the wider area starts from Heraklion, where you can visit the Archaeological Museum, the Medieval Fortress, the Venetian Lions Fountain [Morosini Fountain], the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Cretan History and Tradition, and the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, at the highest point of the city, on the Venetian walls. Next is the palace complex in Knossos, the most important center of Minoan civilization, 5 km southeast of Heraklion. Next stop, Myrtia, with the museum of Nikos Kazantzakis, where more than 50,000 objects from the Kazantzakis Archive are exhibited.
Choosing a route to the west, Fodele & the El Greco Museum are just 12 km from our hotel. In the middle of a valley overgrown with olive groves, the village is an oasis of colors, aroma, water, green and flowers. You will find many early Christian and Byzantine monuments [early Christian basilica, the church of the Assumption of the Virgin [11th century AD], medieval towers [Kouledes], and of course, the museum dedicated to Dominikos Theotokopoulos, who was born here in 1541. If you choose this route, it is worth going to Ancient Eleftherna, one of Crete's most important ancient cities, where you will visit the archaeological park and admire the Acropolis, ancient bridges, the Necropolis, and Hellenistic residences.
At the exact opposite end of the island, towards the northeastern coastline, is the coastal resort of Elounda and the former “island of lepers” Spinalonga, whose archaeological site is the second most visited archaeological site in Crete after Knossos. From Elounda, trips by boat & guided tours are organized to the once important Venetian fortress that operated as a leprosarium until 1957.
For additional information about the experience History & Culture you can contact our Concierge team through the form below.