Gournes between Minoan history and marine life

Gournes brings together archaeological remains and a special insight into the marine world. The remains of a Minoan settlement and the CRETAquarium give the area two clearly distinct themes: Crete’s early history and life in the Mediterranean. Which of these you want to shape your stay can also serve as a practical starting point when looking for a holiday apartment in Gournes.

Minoan traces in Gournes

Gournes is home to the remains of a Minoan settlement dating from the Middle Minoan to the Geometric period. There are also four chamber tombs and two pit graves containing pottery and other small finds from 1300 to 1200 BC. The information points to different periods: the settlement remains cover a broad era, while the tombs are assigned to a narrower time frame.

Another archaeological site is on a hill 200 metres from Gournes. Minoan clay urns, pottery shards and tomb structures, as well as the remains of a Geometric house, were excavated there. This hilltop site complements the finds in the village with a nearby archaeological setting. Those interested in history may find it useful to distinguish between the different groups of finds and their dates, rather than treating them as a single find.

CRETAquarium: insights into the marine world

The CRETAquarium has 62 tanks of various sizes, containing a total of 1,800,000 litres of seawater. It is home to 1,500 marine animals from 130 different Mediterranean species. These figures give an idea of the exhibition’s scale and diversity; they may change over time.

The individual exhibition areas also have different focuses. The second area features tanks with capacities of 600 and 400 cubic metres, designed with inspiration from the seabeds of Matala and Vai. The third area is devoted to plankton and plankton-feeding organisms. Alongside the large tanks, the focus is also on small creatures and their role in the sea.

A guided tour introduces visitors to different marine ecosystems and sea creatures, including seabed dwellers, species from tropical waters, sharks, jellyfish and groupers. The CRETAquarium also develops and delivers educational programmes and rehabilitates injured animals. If you plan to attend a specific programme, check the latest details before your visit.

The CRETAquarium is located in the northwestern part of the former American military base in Gournes. Together with the HCMR research facilities, it forms Thalassokosmos, a centre for marine science and the interpretation of the Mediterranean marine world. The site thus links the specific exhibition themes with a broader focus on marine research and education.

Heraklion as a distinct cultural destination

The wider destination of Heraklion offers further, distinct cultural themes. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum displays artefacts from Crete’s prehistoric and early historic periods, as well as from the Neolithic to the Roman period. The Historical Museum of Crete preserves two paintings by El Greco from 1569 and 1570—the artist’s only works on Crete—and a separate collection of personal belongings and manuscripts belonging to the writer Nikos Kazantzakis. These museums broaden the perspective on Crete’s history and culture without equating the archaeological sites in Gournes with the collections in Heraklion.

Gournes as a place to search for your holiday apartment

If you are particularly interested in archaeological remains and the marine world, you can consider Gournes as a place to search for a holiday apartment. The archaeological sites and the CRETAquarium provide specific points of interest. Heraklion’s museums offer a distinct cultural focus within the wider destination; take these interests into account when choosing where to stay, in line with your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kokkinos Pirgos, Kato Loutraki, Avdou, Koutouloufari, Galia, Plora, Nea Alikarnassos, Kiparissos.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Heraklion.