Phaistos is the second most important Minoan palace on Crete, set on a hilltop overlooking the Messara plain with views to the Psiloritis mountains and the distant sea. Unlike Knossos, Phaistos has not been reconstructed — you see the original stones, the actual storerooms, the real courtyard floors — which gives a more austere but arguably more authentic experience.
The site was occupied from the Neolithic period and the palace in its final form dates from around 1700 BC. The west court, the grand staircase, the royal apartments, and the magazines (storage rooms) are all visible. The Phaistos Disc — the enigmatic undeciphered inscription — was found here and is now in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum; a replica is displayed on site. The combined visit of Phaistos and the nearby Minoan villa at Agia Triada makes a full half-day excursion from Rethimno or Iraklion.