About Nikos Kazantzakis Museum
This one's a bit out of town. You have to drive to the small village of Myrtia to find it. But it’s worth the drive if you’ve ever read Zorba the Greek or The Last Temptation of Christ and thought, “who is this guy?” This museum is the answer. It’s dedicated to Crete’s most famous, most intense, and most controversial writer, Nikos Kazantzakis.
[Image: The modern facade of the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, contrasting with the traditional village setting of Myrtia.]
The museum is small, modern, and personal. It’s not about grand historical events; it's about the life of a single, restless mind. You’ll see stuff like his old passports, worn-out suitcases, and letters he wrote. It’s the personal things of a man who basically yelled “live fully, question everything!” through every book he wrote. If you're into Greek literature or just like grumpy, brilliant philosophers, this one sticks with you.
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The Personal Stuff: This is what makes the museum work. You're not just looking at photos. You're looking at his actual reading glasses sitting in a case, the pens he used, the pipes he smoked. It’s the everyday junk of an extraordinary man. [Image: An interior shot of a display case showing Kazantzakis's personal items like his glasses, pens, and passport.]
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Handwritten Manuscripts & Letters: You can see pages from his original, handwritten drafts. Seeing the crossed-out words and notes in the margins of his famous books makes the work feel real and tangible.
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First Editions: There's a collection of his books translated into dozens of languages from all over the world. It’s a simple, powerful display of his global impact.
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The Short Film: There's a small theater that plays a short film about his life and ideas. It gets right into his whole thing with God, death, freedom, and the "Cretan glance." Light stuff, you know.
The location is the village of Myrtia, about 15 kilometers south of Heraklion. You can't get here on a city bus. This is a trip you make on purpose, and it takes you through the island's wine country.
The visitor info is pretty straightforward. The museum is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, but it is closed on Wednesdays in the winter (November to March). The entrance fee is €5 for an adult. No e-tickets are necessary, you just pay when you get there. Still, it's not a bad idea to check their official website before you make the drive, just in case. Parking is easy; there's a free public lot right near the museum. For a modern building, the accessibility is excellent. It’s fully accessible with ramps.
How much time is needed for a full visit? This isn’t an all-day thing. You can see it all properly in about an hour or 90 minutes.
So, who is this for? If you don’t know or care about Kazantzakis, you can probably skip it. It's very specific. But if you're a reader, a writer, or just interested in big ideas, it's one of the most powerful small museums on the island. It’s a great stop on a day exploring the Heraklion wine country. You can combine a bit of philosophy with a wine tasting. Driving yourself there from Heraklion Airport with a rental car is really the best way to do a trip like this and see the surrounding villages.
This article is sponsored by Carac. We just think Crete is a great place to explore. Read more at www.carac.gr.
