Exploring Spinalonga Island and the Minoan Art of Crete

As the largest of the Greek islands, Crete offers visitors a huge array of history, beaches, and culture to indulge in on their holidays. When landing at Heraklion Airport, transfers to your destination anywhere on the rest of the island are simple and quick.

Crete has been inhabited for some 130,000 years, and was a mainstay of the advanced Minoan civilisation. Over the centuries Crete has ben ruled by Venice, the Ottomans, and the Greek mainland. Today it is home to a wealth of historical locations that are easy to get to from Heraklion Airport. Transfers to these different parts of the island will give you the opportunity to get a feel for the varied ecosystems and see some historical sites along the way. When you are on Crete, be sure to check out Spinalonga Island and the Archaeological Museum of Crete.

Spinalonga Island

Located off the coast of north-eastern Crete, the Island of Spinalonga is in the Gulf of Elounda. When you fly into Heraklion Airport, transfers along the coast to the peninsula where you can get access to the island will give you a taste of the truly stunning beaches Crete has to offer. The island of Spinalonga itself was once not an island at all, but was carved away from the mainland during the Venetian occupation. When you are on the island, you can visit the fortress at the top, which was pretty much impregnable from the sea and made it one of the most important fortresses in the entire Mediterranean. Over the centuries, the island has been used for a variety of things. It was inhabited by the Venetians and the Ottomans, and was given over as a leper colony from the early to mid 1900s. Today, the island is uninhabited and you can visit to explore the pebbled beaches and shallow, blue waters. Visit the fortress and wander through one of the last remaining leper colonies in Europe before returning to the mainland.

The Archaeological Museum of Crete

When you fly into Heraklion Airport, transfers to the heart of the capital city are simple and quick. Once you've settled in to your accommodation, be sure to head back out and take a trip to the Archaeological Museum. Considered one of the best museums in the country, this is one you do not want to miss. Located in the heart of the city, the museum is home to the world’s best collection of Minoan Art. Established in 1883, with the building begun in 1904, the museum covers some 5000 years of history. With over 15,000 artefacts from the Neolithic to the Roman Era, you can easily get lost in the art, many pieces of which are true masterpieces. Frescos, pottery, weapons, sculptures, and more - the Archaeological Museum of Crete covers it all. As such an important museum, you'll need several hours to soak it all in.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for Heraklion airport transfers, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

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