Lychnostatis Open Air Museum

About

Old Cretan village life near Hersonissos.

Lychnostatis is an open-air museum near Hersonissos that shows traditional life in Crete. It was founded in 1992 by a local family who wanted to preserve the culture and customs of the island.

The museum is set in a garden by the sea and includes a traditional house, a windmill, a weaving room, a pottery workshop, a distillery for raki, a chapel and gardens with herbs and native plants. You can see demonstrations and taste local products. It hosts cultural events, music evenings and educational programmes for children.

It's a great introduction to Cretan traditions, especially for families. Plan around an hour and a half.

Hersonissos is the busiest resort area of Crete, stretching along the north coast east of Heraklion, with Gouves, Hersonissos, Stalida and Malia. The beaches are long and sandy, with every facility, and the nightlife is lively. Behind the resorts, villages like Koutouloufari, Piskopiano, Mochos and Krasi keep a traditional atmosphere and offer cooler evenings with views. The Minoan palace of Malia, the Cretaquarium and the open-air museum of Lychnostatis are all in the area.

Anreise

About 3 km from Hersonissos by road.

On the map

35.30662, 25.41110 · See on map