Wanderlog
  • Log in
Map layers
•

Overview
Day 1
Pin

1-Day Gournes Itinerary

When is your trip?
–

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Wanderlog logo
Wanderlog staff
Updated
• updatedAug 20, 2025

Gournes in 1 day

If you only have 1 day to spend in Gournes, we’ve narrowed down the top places you should check out to get the best experience of your time here.
Gournes is a quiet coastal village on Crete’s north shore, known for its long sandy beach and relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. It’s home to Cretaquarium, one of the largest aquariums in Greece, showcasing Mediterranean marine life. The village makes a convenient base for exploring nearby resorts like Hersonissos and the sights of Heraklion, including the archaeological museum and the Minoan palace of Knossos. You’ll also find traditional tavernas and sea-view cafés without the heavy crowds of larger tourist hubs.
With favorites like Venetian Loggia, Dedalou, and Museum of Ancient Greek Technology by Kotsanas, we’ll make sure you don’t miss out on all the must sees.0 To see our full list of food recommendations, check out our best restaurants post. If you're traveling on a budget, you can check out our cheap eats post.
Looking for other day-by-day itineraries in Gournes?
  • 2-Day Gournes Itinerary
  • 3-Day Gournes Itinerary
  • 4-Day Gournes Itinerary
Visiting Gournes? See our Gournes Trip Planner.
Feel free to follow our itinerary exactly or tailor it to your own needs — happy wandering!
Your itinerary and your map in one view

No more switching between different apps, tabs, and tools to keep track of your travel plans.

Learn more
What users say about the app
Love love love! ❤️ Planning travel has actually been fun instead of tedious because of this app.
J
Julie G.
Exactly what I needed to plan a trip. I can’t imagine anyone not loving this app!
J
Jen S.
Wanderlog makes planning a trip so effortless. Seriously, this app does it all!
B
Brad C.
This site and app let me do all the planning for our 15 day trip in a little over 6 hours! I can’t recommend it enough!
A
Amanda W.
Amazing!! The organization this app provides has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.
G
Garrett V.
This is the crème de la crème of planning apps! Don’t think about it - just click download right this minute.
C
Chris C.

Your itinerary and your map in one view

No more switching between different apps, tabs, and tools to keep track of your travel plans.

Table of contents
  • Gournes in 1 day
  • 1-day itinerary

Day 1

1-day itinerary
With only 1 day to squeeze in as much activities as you can, we strategically grouped the must-sees, Heraklion Archaeological Museum and RΑΜ Rulers Computer and Gaming Museum with surrounding point of interests to make sure you don’t leave Gournes without getting the most bang for your time. Combining the average time spent at each location and traveling time in between, it should fill up about 7 hours of your day.
1

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

4.7
(34323)
•
4.6
(7769)
Archaeological museum
Museums
History Museums
The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a must-visit for history buffs, art enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by ancient civilizations. Located in the heart of Crete's capital city, it houses a vast collection of artifacts from the Minoan age and showcases Cretan art, sculptures, and archaeological finds. Families with children can enjoy educational exhibits and interactive displays. To gain deeper insights into the exhibits, visitors can take advantage of guided tours or audio guides offered by the museum.
What an incredible museum! After visiting the museums in major Classical Greece sites, I thought I'd seen everything. This one truly amazed me. The level of artistry and beauty in Minoan artifacts here is astounding! Even if you'd already visited the Knossos Palace site, make sure to come here for eye -popping colors and details. A feast for the eyes!
Jonathan B — Google review
Some photos of Heraklion archaeological museum. Was really fun and interesting. But I feel I wanted more time then I had to explore it all. After the guide was done we had only 20 min to explore the rest or buy some suverni. Would be great if it would have been 1-1,5 hours after extra. But overall it was a great enjoyment.
Rahl22 — Google review
The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is actually very well-curated. There are ALOT of artefacts that ranged from pre-Minoan to Minoan and Roman/Greek history. Not only so, the museum tries to make sure that there are explanations in English for each section of the exhibit and for specific artefacts, there would be added details, with english explanations available as well. We love it that the path for the visit is well-defined as well. Visitors just have to follow the path and complete the artefacts on the first level, which leads to more on the second level, before returning to see the Roman/Greek statues at the end of the visit. There are a few things that stood out from the artefacts for us 1. Unlike most people who “Go big or go home”, the Minoans “go small”. In fact, they started to specialise in this skill of miniature craft where you find very small pieces of art, intricately designed and sculpted. 2. People had personalised seals. There were different animals as insignia and the method of utilising the seal also varied, with one version we saw, carved on a roller such that the insignia is rolled over the document/clay. 3. Written language was already available 4000 years ago. Around 2000BC, they found clays with sort of hieroglyphics on it. What was interesting to us was that the documents had lines on it, just like how our exercise books would be. The words would be written on those lines to depict perhaps the accounts or a story. The other interesting we found was that since the words were written on clay and used only for temporary accounts (i.e. not to be kept for extended period of time), the clays in the museum were actually “accidentally“ preserved due to a fire, that caused the clay to be hardened for us to see it thousands of years later. For the full review of our visit to HAM as well as details of our 5 months Round The World (RTW) trip, visit 2bearbear today!
2bearbear L — Google review
This museum is phenomenal! Informative, clearly laid out, fabulous collection of artefacts. Super helpful for understanding and appreciating the history and culture of the Minoan people (especially alongside a visit to Knossos Palace). I would recommend spending at least two hours here—I did 1.5 hours and wished I had more time. Entry was free on the day I visited.
Priya C — Google review
Totally a MUST-visit after Knossos palace. The collections are absolutely incredible - so detailed, beautifully displayed, and full of context that really ties everything together. You finally get the full picture of Minoan history, myths, and daily life (and honestly, it makes Knossos make so much more sense 😅). I loved how well-organized everything is - from tiny gold jewelry to fresco fragments. Ypu could easily spend hours here if you’re into ancient culture. Unfortunately I came 1.5h before closing so I still have a feeling that there was so much more to see. Tip: go after Knossos, not before - it’s like getting the answers after the adventure 😉
A. R — Google review
Had the option of coming here as part of a Knossos tour. It is a complete no brainer to choose to visit as the museum amplifies and expands your appreciation of the history of Crete particularly after visiting Knossos. I was unable to book tickets online beforehand, but the queue was worth standing in for 15-20 minutes, i'm unsure how long it is normally but there was on a Wednesday a later opening time of 1-8, so it was just a one of those things. However it was a superb building and rooms to view and look at the archaeological finds. Everything was densely packed in but was thoughtfully laid out and I could have spent much longer than the 1.5-2 hours I had available, and this was just prioritising the first floor with the Minoan finds.
Philip K — Google review
Amazing place full of items mainly from Knossos Palace. I would recommend visiting this place prior to seeing Knossos Palace. There is a cafe with a great view over the part of Heraklion and sea port. To avoid the crowds i believe it is better to come in an afternoon.
Andy Z — Google review
What can I say, the archaeology in this museum is amazing. The amount and quality of the finds on display at stunning. It covers all throughout the ages. We visited Knossos before visiting the museum, everything just slots into place and you get to understand the history and relevance of the finds.
Jeff — Google review
Ξανθουδίδη και, Chatzidaki 1, Iraklio 712 02, Greece•https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/•+30 281 027 9000•Tips and more reviews for Heraklion Archaeological Museum
2 min · 0.11 mi
2

RΑΜ Rulers Computer and Gaming Museum

4.9
(34)
•
5.0
(15)
Science museum
Museum
The RΑM RULERS Computer and Gaming Museum is a fun place for all ages where you can see vintage consoles and video games from the 1970s to the present. It also has arcade games, rare board games from the 1980s, and vintage magazines.
This is just a suggestion as I didn’t get inside: If you want to get in you might need to make a reservation ahead several days I found the museum just yesterday (13/07/23), and the website showed that no reservation can be made these two days until 15/07, the day I plan to leave, and I called the number twice, yesterday at night and today in the morning, to see if I can have any chance, but no one answered. From the pictures it seems that it is a very interesting museum, so it’s really a pity that I can’t get inside to experience those things.
Kunihiro — Google review
This museum has an astonishing collection of home micros and, what's more, these old computers are functional and available to use! An essential place to visit, to learn about the history of computers and the evolution of technology, or to relive the glory of 8/16-bit computing. The owners are also lovely people. They have created this place with care and love and it shows!
Manossg — Google review
I didn't really know what to expect, except for several old systems in working condition, and was happily surprised. Great collection of retro machines (computers and consoles, some VERY rare, quite beyond the set that we typically remember from that time), with applications and games at the ready. Vagelis and Katerina know and love their stuff, and are more than enthusiastic to share this - and how often do you end a guided tour playing Bubble Bobble with your host? Highly recommended for any retrolover, great experience for anyone interested in what came before what we perceive as computing today. I think anything less than the interactive tour is too brief.
Nikos S — Google review
A really good space with plenty of stuff to see touch and even play, a really good exhibition of retro and new stuff, 100% a must-visit on your way to Heraklion
Παναγιωτης Π — Google review
Not good
Georgia C — Google review
All Computers were still working, and we could even play on them!
Jorik S — Google review
(Translated by Google) Very lovingly furnished computer museum. The owners are very personable, humorous and give great tours with explanations and the opportunity to test the equipment on site and play games. Entry is very cheap. All in all, there is a lot of heart and passion in the store. (Original) Sehr liebevoll eingerichtetes Computermuseum. Die Besitzer sind sehr sympathisch, humorvoll und geben tolle Führungen mit Erläuterungen und der Möglichkeit, die Geräte vor Ort zu testen und Spiele zu spielen. Der Eintritt ist sehr günstig. Alles in allem steckt sehr viel Herzblut und Leidenschaft in dem Laden.
Cynthia W — Google review
(Translated by Google) A must-see for every fan of old computers and consoles. A museum run by true enthusiasts. Paradise on Earth for people raised on 8/16 bit computers. It's also worth taking your family. Good luck and success from Poland. (Original) Miejsce obowiązkowe dla każdego fana starych komputerów i konsol. Muzeum prowadzone przez prawdziwych pasjonatów. Raj na Ziemi dla ludzi wychowanych na 8/16 bitowcach. Warto zabrać tez rodzinę. Powodzenia i sukcesów z Polski.
Tomasz — Google review
Meramvellou 52, Iraklio 712 02, Greece•https://www.facebook.com/RamRulersComputerAndGamingMuseum/•+30 698 207 8868•Tips and more reviews for RΑΜ Rulers Computer and Gaming Museum
Need a place to stay?
Where
When

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

When
–

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

When
–

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Travelers
2
Rooms and guests
Rooms
1
Adults
2
Children
0
Travelers
2
5 min · 0.26 mi
3

Dedalou

Dedalou is a charming and picturesque village nestled in the mountains, offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The village is known for its traditional architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and vibrant local culture. Visitors can explore historic churches, quaint shops, and cozy cafes while immersing themselves in the relaxed pace of life. Dedalou provides a peaceful retreat from bustling city life and an opportunity to experience authentic Greek hospitality.
Iraklio 712 02, Greece•Tips and more reviews for Dedalou
3 min · 0.13 mi
4

Venetian Loggia

4.6
(1185)
•
4.1
(495)
Heritage building
Sights & Landmarks
Cultural landmark
Architectural Buildings
The Venetian Loggia, located in the heart of Heraklion Town, is a magnificent structure that dates back to the 17th century. Originally serving as a political and commercial center for the city's elite, it now houses part of the town hall and serves as a meeting point for municipal councils. This impressive rectangular building showcases typical Venetian architecture with its semi-circular arches and intricate sculptured coat of arms, trophies, and metopes.
A beautiful example of Venetian architecture in the city center. The structure features Doric columns on the ground floor and Ionic columns on the upper floor, reflecting the elegance of Palladian design. Originally used by Venetian nobles as a meeting hall, today it functions as the city hall. Just a few steps from the Liontaria Fountain—definitely worth stopping by for its history, style, and quick photos.
Ioannis D — Google review
An interesting building and facade, but much more impressive inside in the courtyard. It is currently a government office building.
Cory S — Google review
The busiest cafe downtown, and for a good reason. They have a huge pastry selection, and an excellent coffee! The only problem is that they don't have price tags or descriptions for the pastries so you have to ask the counter girls, which seems like tierd of answering.
Maya D — Google review
Looks nice, it’s not really accessible, You can only see outside and the terrace
Maciej A — Google review
Nonetheless, we decided to first visit the Venetian Loggia and then follow the outer walls of the fortress and we had 2 amazing finds. At Venetian Loggia, one of the best views is this "bottom-up" shot of the facade that we took with 2bearbear. Along the outer walls of the fortress, we found that... For the full details of our visit to the Venetian Loggia and outer walls of the fortress, along with details of our 5 months Round The World (RTW) travels, visit 2bearbear today!
2bearbear L — Google review
Lavish City Hall structure built in the Venetian period with an elegant atrium & hall for events. I visited in the off season so there was no one around which made it perfect for photography! You can only walk around outside and admire the exterior architecture. Easy place to swing by on your way to/from the town square.
Tyrone — Google review
Currently the townhall but before it used to be the seat of power of Venetian overlords. Picturesque building
Urban T — Google review
I Very Please To Have Visit Here, I Was Amazing By The Beautiful Little Court Yard.
Twm P — Google review
August Str 25, Iraklio 712 02, Greece•Tips and more reviews for Venetian Loggia
3 min · 0.18 mi
5

Museum of Ancient Greek Technology by Kotsanas

4.9
(1655)
•
4.9
(257)
Museum
The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology by Kotsanas in Heraklion is a place where visitors can explore the earliest scientific engineering techniques. It features a wide variety of reconstructed hi-tech devices like the robot servant of Philon, Herons cinema, Ktesibioss hydraulic clock, the Antikythera mechanism, and more. Guided tours are available for all ages to learn more about these fascinating ancient technologies.
Two floor museum able to be seen in 45-60 minutes, with very interesting view of Ancient Greek technology (particularly between 6th and 3rd centuries BC). Most displays include information about a specific invention, including how it worked, when it was invented, and a visual of what it looked like (model, recreation, or video). Though none of the items are from the time period it was a good way to visualize and understand its importance. It was moderately quiet when we came on a July Friday afternoon so felt like we could read all information without feeling rushed. Comfortable temperature inside, and has toilets upstairs along with a small cafe and some seating.
Becky T — Google review
We really enjoyed this museum – small but very interesting. We visited it in less than an hour but stayed another half hour upstairs playing with the fun logic games. Most exhibits actually work, and the staff is very dedicated, friendly and happy to explain and demonstrate. The building itself is impressive, from the Venetian period. A lovely experience, highly recommended!
CATALINA B — Google review
A great little hidden gem of a museum. it is very informative and they also have working models of the ancient greek inventions. The staff were very friendly and were demonstrating the different technologies. There is a small gift shop upstairs and a place to get refreshments, with an outside balcony area. Definitely worth a visit.
Jeff — Google review
Beautiful museum with amazing replicas that go along with informative videos. The girl at reception comes and explains whilst showing some of the devices as well. You can also buy several items. Exceptional experience in general, definitely a must visit on your Heraklion trip.
Paul D — Google review
Very unique. The ticket as of 2025 is 7€ but it's worth as you can stay and check all the inventions for a few hours. The stuff even make small presentations of some of the machines. Most unique was the automated wine serving maid of Philon.
Evie L — Google review
Wonderful museum!! Do take the time to visit and experience the amazing inventions of ancient Greece and marvel at their ingenuity and resourcefulness. The lovely staff demostrate how the items work and are very eager to explain and give more information about each exhibit. Spend some time on the ground floor taking in all the information, then go up to second floor for a second exhibit, get a Greek coffee and play some of the ancient games that we are still enjoying to this day.
Lavinia I — Google review
The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology (Heraklion) opened at 9am and a staff told us that there were exhibits on the first level and the second level was more of a cafe and souvenir shop. We started with an introduction of how Greece, sitting at the crossroads of the East and the West was able to receive ideas from around the region and build upon them to create innovative products of their time. Through the exhibits, we also saw foundations of what we would consider modern technologies such as cinematography, automation, encryption and modern warfare. This also prompted an idea from the museum that they believe innovations grow in a circular manner (i.e. rise and decline) as compared to linear (i.e. build upon). Interesting concept, though we think it is more of the latter. In our first exhibit, we saw automation in action. When a priest entered the temple and little the fire in the middle of the courtyard, this fire would heat up the water beneath and trigger the opening of the door. Similarly, when the fire dies down the door closes. Although it uses the principles of conservation of energy and not entirely the automation that we know today, there are some similarities in wanting to achieve an outcome automatically (i.e. opening the door)... For the full review of Museum of Ancient Greek Technology as well as our 5 months Round The World (RTW) trip in 2025, visit 2bearbear today!
2bearbear L — Google review
Very interesting exhibits and interactive demonstrations from the friendly staff. You can spend up to 1.5 hours if you take the time to read everything. Well worth the 7€ entry and the staff will also store your luggage for free.
Daniel E — Google review
Epimenidou 18, Iraklio 712 02, Greece•https://kotsanasmuseum.com/our-museum-in-crete/?lang=en•+30 281 022 0610•Tips and more reviews for Museum of Ancient Greek Technology by Kotsanas
Create your ultimate travel itinerary

Plan your itinerary, find lodging, and import reservations — all in one app.

Learn more

Create your ultimate travel itinerary

Plan your itinerary, find lodging, and import reservations — all in one app.

Best-of categories in Gournes
See all
Browse categories
Place categoryRestaurants, museums, etc.

Popular road trips from Gournes

Slide 1 of 30
Gournes to
Athens
Gournes to
Istanbul
Gournes to
Oia
Gournes to
Chania Town
Gournes to
Elafonissi
Gournes to
Selcuk
Gournes to
Thessaloniki
Gournes to
Sofia
Gournes to
Akrotiri
Gournes to
Izmir
Gournes to
Naxos Town
Gournes to
Nafplio
Gournes to
Delphi
Gournes to
Plakias
Gournes to
Kalambaka
Gournes to
Corfu Town
Gournes to
Sami
Gournes to
Olympia
Gournes to
Skopje
Gournes to
Anafonitria
Gournes to
Corinth
Gournes to
Side
Gournes to
Tirana
Gournes to
Ohrid
Gournes to
Budva
Gournes to
Koukounaries
Gournes to
Parga Municipality
Gournes to
Paestum
Gournes to
Cesme
Gournes to
Beirut

What's the weather like in Gournes?

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Gournes for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

  • Weather in Gournes in January
  • Weather in Gournes in February
  • Weather in Gournes in March
  • Weather in Gournes in April
  • Weather in Gournes in May
  • Weather in Gournes in June
  • Weather in Gournes in July
  • Weather in Gournes in August
  • Weather in Gournes in September
  • Weather in Gournes in October
  • Weather in Gournes in November
  • Weather in Gournes in December

All road trips from Gournes

  • Gournes to Athens drive
  • Gournes to Istanbul drive
  • Gournes to Oia drive
  • Gournes to Chania Town drive
  • Gournes to Elafonissi drive
  • Gournes to Selcuk drive
  • Gournes to Thessaloniki drive
  • Gournes to Sofia drive
  • Gournes to Akrotiri drive
  • Gournes to Izmir drive
  • Gournes to Naxos Town drive
  • Gournes to Nafplio drive
  • Gournes to Delphi drive
  • Gournes to Plakias drive
  • Gournes to Kalambaka drive
  • Gournes to Corfu Town drive
  • Gournes to Sami drive
  • Gournes to Olympia drive
  • Gournes to Skopje drive
  • Gournes to Anafonitria drive
  • Gournes to Corinth drive
  • Gournes to Side drive
  • Gournes to Tirana drive
  • Gournes to Ohrid drive
  • Gournes to Budva drive
  • Gournes to Koukounaries drive
  • Gournes to Parga Municipality drive
  • Gournes to Paestum drive
  • Gournes to Cesme drive
  • Gournes to Beirut drive

Explore nearby places

  • Gournes
  • Gouves
  • Kato Gouves
  • Analipsi
  • Hersonissos
  • Koutouloufari
  • Knosos
  • Heraklion
  • Stalis
  • Finikia
  • Malia
  • Sissi
  • Agia Pelagia
  • Anogia
  • Elounda
  • Agios Nikolaos
  • Bali
  • Istron
  • Melidoni
  • Sivas
  • Ierapetra
  • Agia Galini
  • Matala
  • Rethymnon
  • Sitia
  • Lefkogia
  • Plakias
  • Vai
  • Kato Zakros
  • Frangokastello
  • Frangokastello

All related maps of Gournes

  • Map of Gournes
  • Map of Gouves
  • Map of Kato Gouves
  • Map of Analipsi
  • Map of Hersonissos
  • Map of Koutouloufari
  • Map of Knosos
  • Map of Heraklion
  • Map of Stalis
  • Map of Finikia
  • Map of Malia
  • Map of Sissi
  • Map of Agia Pelagia
  • Map of Anogia
  • Map of Elounda
  • Map of Agios Nikolaos
  • Map of Bali
  • Map of Istron
  • Map of Melidoni
  • Map of Sivas
  • Map of Ierapetra
  • Map of Agia Galini
  • Map of Matala
  • Map of Rethymnon
  • Map of Sitia
  • Map of Lefkogia
  • Map of Plakias
  • Map of Vai
  • Map of Kato Zakros
  • Map of Frangokastello
  • Map of Frangokastello

Gournes throughout the year

  • Gournes in January
  • Gournes in February
  • Gournes in March
  • Gournes in April
  • Gournes in May
  • Gournes in June
  • Gournes in July
  • Gournes in August
  • Gournes in September
  • Gournes in October
  • Gournes in November
  • Gournes in December

Looking for other day-by-day itineraries in Gournes?

Check out our other curated itineraries that are also filled with jam-packed days:

  • 2-Day Gournes Itinerary
  • 3-Day Gournes Itinerary
  • 4-Day Gournes Itinerary

Day itineraries for nearby cities

  • 1-Day Heraklion Itinerary
  • 1-Day Rethymnon Itinerary
  • 1-Day Hersonissos Itinerary
  • 1-Day Agios Nikolaos Itinerary
  • 1-Day Ierapetra Itinerary
  • 1-Day Malia Itinerary
  • 1-Day Elounda Itinerary
  • 1-Day Sitia Itinerary
  • 1-Day Plakias Itinerary
  • 1-Day Gouves Itinerary
  • 1-Day Sissi Itinerary
  • 1-Day Agia Pelagia Itinerary
  • 1-Day Stalis Itinerary
  • 1-Day Matala Itinerary
  • 1-Day Bali Itinerary
  • 1-Day Agia Galini Itinerary
  • 1-Day Anogia Itinerary
  • 1-Day Kato Zakros Itinerary
  • 1-Day Vai Itinerary
  • 1-Day Lefkogia Itinerary
  • 1-Day Melidoni Itinerary
  • 1-Day Knosos Itinerary
  • 1-Day Analipsi Itinerary
  • 1-Day Koutouloufari Itinerary
  • 1-Day Istron Itinerary
  • 1-Day Kato Gouves Itinerary
  • 1-Day Frangokastello Itinerary
Planning a trip to Gournes?
Save all the best places to visit with WanderlogDownload the travel planning app everyone's been raving about
  • Itinerary + map in one view
  • Live collaboration
  • Auto-import hotels and reservations
  • Optimize your route
  • Offline access on mobile
  • Optimize your route
  • See time and distance between all your places
Learn more
Get the iOS app from the App Store
Get the Android app from Google Play
0 places saved to your trip to Gournes