Published: po 10 pro 2012 at 09:15
Updated: po 10 pro 2012 at 09:20
Booking cheap flights to the Greek islands is a great way to get a tan and see some ancient culture at the same time, and few islands have more culture than Crete.
From Venetian fortresses to Minoan settlements, Crete is studded with fascinating historical sites. Many people choose to stay in the area of Heraklion, the capital, five miles from the famous Minoan palace of Knossos. The city is also home to the Irakleio (Heraklion) archaeological museum, one of the best in Greece, with the greatest collection of Minoan artefacts in the world.
While many of the relics from Knossos and other island sites can be seen here, for the past six years the museum has been closed for renovations, with only the most important artefacts on display in a temporary exhibition.
In August 2012, Heraklion museum reopened two renovated galleries to visitors, with free access to both. The latest news is that, by mid-2013, the entire museum should be fully open, allowing visitors to take a fascinating trip through history once more.
At present, the galleries that are open are within the Hall of Sculptures, with the first room containing pieces from the Archaic-Classical period, and the second housing artefacts from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The first floor murals are also on display, with the Greco-Roman artefacts to follow shortly. The most important area, the Minoan Crete galleries on the ground floor, will be the last to open.
Many people booking cheap flights to the Crete with Jet2.com in 2013 will be landing at Heraklion airport, en route for one of the greatest archaeological collections in the world.
