Gournes: Minoan Traces and the CRETAquarium

Gournes offers two distinct themes to consider when planning your trip: archaeological traces from the Minoan and Geometric periods, and the CRETAquarium, which focuses on Mediterranean marine life. If you are looking for hotels in Gournes, these local points of interest can help you get a sense of the destination. The archaeological sites and the aquarium each have their own focus.

Archaeology in Gournes

Gournes is home to the remains of a Minoan settlement dating from the Middle Minoan period to the Geometric period. This covers several historical periods. Four chamber tombs and two pit graves discovered in Gournes are dated more precisely: pottery and other small finds associated with them date from 1300 to 1200 BC. The tomb types and finds add specific evidence from a clearly defined period to the settlement remains.

Another archaeological site lies on a hill 200 m from Gournes. Minoan clay urns, pottery sherds and tomb structures, as well as the remains of a Geometric house, were excavated there. This nearby site adds to the archaeological finds in Gournes, but is spatially distinct from them. This makes it possible to distinguish the local settlement and tomb finds from the additional evidence on the hill.

The CRETAquarium and Mediterranean Marine Life

The CRETAquarium is located in the northwestern part of the former American military base in Gournes. Together with HCMR’s research facilities, it forms Thalassokosmos, a center for marine science and the interpretation of Mediterranean marine life. The CRETAquarium designs and delivers educational programs and rehabilitates injured animals. If an educational program is important to your plans, check the latest program details in advance.

The aquarium has 62 tanks of various sizes, with a total of 1,800,000 liters of seawater. It is home to 1,500 marine animals representing 130 different species from the Mediterranean region. These figures give an idea of the facility’s scale, but may change over time.

The second area features tanks with capacities of 600 m³ and 400 m³. Its design is inspired by the seabeds of Matala and Vai. The third area is dedicated to plankton and plankton-feeding organisms. A guided tour introduces visitors to different marine ecosystems and marine life, including seabed inhabitants, species from tropical waters, sharks, jellyfish and groupers. Alongside the archaeological evidence in Gournes, habitats and marine organisms are presented as a distinct area of interest.

Additional cultural attractions in Heraklion

Museums in the wider destination of Heraklion offer further cultural highlights. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum displays representative artifacts from Crete’s prehistory, protohistory and history, from the Neolithic period to Roman times. The Historical Museum of Crete displays two paintings by El Greco from 1569 and 1570, the artist’s only works on Crete. It also has a dedicated collection of personal belongings and manuscripts belonging to the Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis.

Heraklion also features Venetian architecture. The Venetians built Koules to protect the pier and harbor; the Loggia is a Venetian building dating from the 16th century. The Basilica of San Marco now houses the municipal art gallery, which hosts art and handicraft exhibitions. The exhibition program may change. If you plan to include these attractions, check the latest exhibitions in advance.

Discover more destinations: Malia, Gazi, Petrokefalo, Pompia, Koutouloufari, Sivas, Kamilari, Agios Dimitrios

For the wider travel guide: Heraklion.