Knossos Palace Self-Guided Audio Tour: Explore at Your Pace

Walk the Palace Alone With Your Phone

A self-guided audio tour of Knossos Palace in Crete that runs on your smartphone, with offline content and an interactive map. You download the app, activate your code, and move through the site at your own pace: no live guide, no meeting point, no fixed schedule. The entrance ticket is separate. You'll need a charged phone, headphones, and about two and a half hours to cover the main stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Knossos Palace highlights

• Visit Throne Room and listen story
• See Tripartite Shrine and snake goddess
• View North lustral area and ritual site

The experience

The tour lives on your phone. You get an activation link by email, download the app to your Android or iOS device (version 5.0 and later for Android, iOS 6 and later), and the audio content works offline so you're not burning data roaming around the archaeological site. The commentary covers three main areas: the Throne Room, where you'll hear about the replica Minoan throne and the question of whether the woman who sat there was a queen or a priestess; the Tripartite Shrine, the palace's main sanctuary where the snake goddess was discovered; and the North lustral area, the ritual purification space that visitors arriving from the north had to pass through before entering the palace proper.

You control the timing entirely. The audio is available in English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, so you can follow in whichever works for you. Bring headphones to hear it properly, keep your phone charged before you arrive, and make sure you have 100 to 150 MB of storage space free. The site itself is extensive and open to the sun, so comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a hat and water matter more than on a guided tour where you're moving in a group. Archaeologists recommend starting early in the morning to beat the crowds.

The entrance fee to Knossos is not included in this purchase. You'll buy that separately at the site or in advance. EU citizens under 25 get free entry with ID, though they still need to collect a free ticket. The site opens 8am to 8pm from April through October, and 8am to 5pm November through March. Once you activate the tour, it's non-refundable, but you can use it anytime after that.

What’s included

• Activation link to download the audio tour app.
• self-guided audio commentary in your choice of five languages.
• offline interactive map so you can navigate without roaming charges.
• access to commentary on the Throne Room, Tripartite Shrine and North lustral area.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SaturdayLast departure this season: 31 Oct

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15 · max 9 per booking

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Clio Muse Tours

Is this one for you?The audio tour is in English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, so pick the language that matches how you understand best. You move through the palace on your own schedule instead of keeping pace with a group or a fixed itinerary.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What's inside the Throne Room at Knossos Palace?

The Throne Room holds a replica of the Minoan throne and the audio explores the mystery of who actually sat on it, whether she was a queen or a priestess, a question archaeologists still debate.

Can I use this audio tour if I don't have a smartphone?

No, the tour requires an Android phone (version 5.0 or later) or iOS device (version 6 or later). It won't work on Windows phones, iPhone 5/5C, older iPod Touch or iPad models, so check your device before you book.

Do I need to buy the entrance ticket separately?

Yes, the entrance ticket to Knossos Palace is not included. You'll purchase that at the gate or in advance. This product is the audio commentary only.

How long does the audio tour take?

About two and a half hours to walk the main stops and listen to the commentary, though you can move faster or slower depending on how long you spend at each area.

What happens if I don't have headphones or my phone dies?

Bring charged headphones and make sure your phone is fully charged before you arrive. Without them, you won't be able to hear the audio or access the offline map.