
Archaeological Site of Gournia
Archaeological Site of Gournia
Crete, Greece
Archeological site excavated in the early 20th century featuring Minoan houses, roads & a cemetery.
Last updated: February 11, 2026
Overview
Archeological site excavated in the early 20th century featuring Minoan houses, roads & a cemetery.
Opening Hours
Visitor Reviews
**★★★★★ Wanderer — 2 months ago
What an interesting site. The Pompei of Crete only much older. Very easy to reach, right off the main highway and it was very quiet the day we were there. Set aside at least an hour to see everything, and this is a great place for a picnic, or across the road by the sea.
**★★★★★ Jim Young — 4 months ago
Fantastic! There remains so much detail to see. If you enjoy archaeological sites then this is a must. In my humble opinion, it's much better than the highly publicised Knossos at Heraklion. A real authentic step back in time to 3500 years ago.
**★★★★★ Captain Travel — 4 months ago
I was very impressed with the Minoan site at Gournia. At Knossos, the focus is on the aristocrats and ruling class. In contrast, Gournia was a manufacturing and transportation hub with its own seaport. The difference is immediately apparent. The site is clearly marked with signs and is straight forward to tour. The site is very close to the old port. The range of manufacturing is pretty impressive. This should be a key stop to gain a better understanding of the Minoans, not just the rulin
**★★★★★ Philip Ratcliff — a year ago
This place is exceptional and far better than Knossos. Whilst the remains are all basement/ground floor level the layout is incredible. Streets, houses, workshops, shrines and the palace are all evident. The information boards, whilst not many, were good. You get to wander around the site; no barriers and you can get to know it well. It's €3 per person. Parking on the side of the gravel entrance track, just off the main road, is free. There is a WC but no cafe when we visited. Definitely worth s
**★☆☆☆☆ Bogdan V. — 3 months ago
the Archeological site is very bad managed, the sign for the ticket office was written on a piece of paper with a pen. the room was not suitable for that, was like an annex. no payment with card, only cash, no restrooms or toilets. probably this is what you can get for 5€ but this site is the Pompeii of Crete, 1500 years older than Pompeii.















