Crete with Kids: Labyrinth Theme Park, Heraklion
Truly a child-friendly island, Crete has many places that are especially ideal for kids spending their holidays there; one of these places is The Labyrinth Park, which not only entertains but also tells some of the island’s best legends.
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When visiting Heraklion, don’t miss a visit to the archaeological site of Knossos. The Palace, about 10 km from the city, is a great experience for children interested in Ancient Civilizations.
But Knossos isn’t enough without a stop at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. However, what happens when you’ve got small kids? Start with a didactic approach to make this visit a full immersion experience. It will prepare kids to visit both the Palace and the Museum.
The Labyrinth Park in Heraklion is an interactive way to introduce children to the wonders of the Minoan civilization. It contains interesting cultural ideas that will engage and entertain them.
Labyrinth in Crete
The Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur features the most famous labyrinth in history. The Minotaur, a half-man and half-bull creature, was kept in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete.
After losing a war to Crete, Athens was forced to send seven young men and seven young women to be sacrificed to the Minotaur each year. Theseus, the son of the king of Athens, volunteered to go with the group, planning to kill the Minotaur and free Athens.
King Minos’s daughter, Ariadne, gives Theseus a ball of thread to unravel as he goes through the labyrinth so he can find his way back out after killing the Minotaur. Theseus entered the labyrinth, killed the Minotaur, and successfully escaped, taking Ariadne.
This myth is one of the most influential Greek stories. It has been remembered through the ages in various forms, such as designs on pottery and carvings on cave walls. Even hundreds of years later, the labyrinth remains important to Crete’s culture, appearing on coins and decorating mosaics and other artistic objects.
About Labyrinth Theme Park
The Labyrinth Theme Park is a destination park with activities and attractions for all ages. There’s a basic entrance fee. Once inside, the kids can decide which games or attractions to use.
As the name suggests, the main idea of the park is developed about the Labyrinth.
The Minoan labyrinth allows you to get lost and spend some time trying to discover secret rooms and mysteries (you must get the stamps from every room to get your Labyrinth diploma sealed) belonging to Greek mythology.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Since we had already visited the Museum in Heraklion and the Palace of Knossos, we combined Labyrinth Park with a visit to the Archaeological Site of Malia, just a few minutes away—and it worked great!
Main Labyrinth
Designed by a famous maze designer (Adrian Fisher), the Labyrinth covers an area of about 1300 square meters. It’s made of steel and wood panels and has a path length of more than one kilometer.
It’s a three-dimensional maze featuring stairs, bridges, towers, and rooms where you must get a stamp. While inside this labyrinth, you must find the checkpoints with clues, reach the center where the Minotaur is hidden, and then escape!
If you collect all the stamps and beat the posted time, you will get a certificate and win a prize. Since the labyrinth is designed in modules, the path system changes regularly!
The labyrinth is directly exposed to the sun, and you might spend about 45 minutes inside trying to find your way out. Carry a bottle of water, apply sunscreen, and wear a hat. It can get really hot in summer. The fun attraction appeals to people of all ages, and the paths can easily accommodate wheelchairs.
Mini-Golf
After completing the maze, we all got stamps to go to the Mini-Golf Course. This beautifully landscaped, 18-hole course entertained our kids and me for another half an hour. The place is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, with special additional features for kids under six.
Cretan Stone Labyrinth
The earliest known labyrinth pattern is the Cretan design. Although it’s quite a simple structure, it still poses an enigma. The structure features seven rings of paths that can be easily created by drawing a cross and four dots and then joining them to form eight concentric rings, leaving seven rings in between. This image has been reproduced as full-sized stone labyrinths worldwide for thousands of years!
Known as a unicursal labyrinth, the Cretan labyrinth has a single, non-branching path leading to the center. This design became associated with the Labyrinth of Minos, even though literary descriptions suggest that the Minotaur would have been trapped in a more complex branching labyrinth.
At the park, the Cretan labyrinth is made of stones, has a 16-meter diameter, takes under 10 minutes to finish, and features a sundial at the center.
This maze interested me the most, not because of how it develops but because of all the hints of ideas to ponder while walking through it. The attraction boosts your self-confidence and teaches you more than one lesson. The theme park states, “The passage to the center of the labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey and a broader understanding of who we are.”
Before entering the maze, you will find a sign that reads:
While walking the labyrinth, reflect upon…
- Life is a journey in which every day doesn’t necessarily bring you closer- sometimes you’re closer to your goals than others, and sometimes you’re further away, but ultimately, you’ll get where you want if you stay focused.
- Sometimes, it seems like you’re in the same place you’ve been before, but you’re not!
- On the path, you pass people who have been where you are; other times, you have been where others have been, but you’re never at the exact same place at the same time.
- You never know when the last step comes, until it is upon you, so treat every step as if it were the last, and make it count.
- Stop, look around, and see where you have been, others who are there now, what you have learned.
- When you start something, somebody else is starting or ending something at the same time.
- When you start something, finish it!
- You will cross paths with others only at certain times.
- You will walk with someone who has already been there and knows what you are about to experience.
- People who cross our paths will come and go in our lives.
- There’s room for more than one on the path.
- Life is a single path, with only a few major turning points, which you only notice upon looking back.
- Some people move through the journey of life faster than others.
- Follow the path, not the stones.
- People conform.
- Look forward, try not to look back.
- Take time to reflect upon things.
- Wonder about the thoughts of others.
- Show respect and patience for those in front or behind you in life.
- Live life consciously.
Enter this Labyrinth with love and reverence for all living things. May you find peace, solace, and magic in its center!
Archery, Pottery, and the Farm
The theme park also features a quad track and different exhibits. There’s an eco garden perfect for kids to learn about local herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Another favorite was the farm, where they got close to Markus, the donkey, and the two mini-Shetland, Achilles and Hector.
If your kids want, it’s also possible to go donkey riding, experiment with clay at the pottery workshop, or marvel at the stunning miniature Cretan village displaying traditional professions and products
One of my kids’ favorites was the archery lesson! They went crazy every time they hit and made the balloon explode! The experience was managed by an expert who guided them through the magic world of arches and arrows.
At the park, it is also possible to experience the myth of Orpheus in the Underworld. Visitors must cross the river Styx to find Eurydice in the deceiving Palace of Mirrors. The palace surprises and puzzles with illusions and reflections, and kids must obtain a stamp to escape from the Underworld!
Back to more relaxing activities, the kids concentrated on the Zatrikion. The park has a copy of this ancient Minoan board game found in Knossos (today exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion).
This original archaeological object was made with valuable materials such as ivory, rock crystal, glass paste, gold, and silver.
The Laser Maze inside the Trojan Horse
My favorite part was the Trojan horse, a huge wooden structure in the middle of the park. The Trojan Horse is, in fact, a dark chamber that turns into a stunning Laser Maze.
You will go through subtle laser beams, trying not to make the alarm go off. There are varying skill levels and a time limit to complete the game.
We crawled, jumped, crept, and laughed so much, trying to find our way in the dark. In the end, a computer screen showed us our records and made Mom the one to blame for the alarms. Yes, I’m not that good at crawling!
We crawled, jumped, crept, and laughed so much, trying to find our way in the dark. In the end, a computer screen showed us our records and made Mom the one to blame for the alarms.
Yes, I’m not that good at crawling!
Escape Atlantis
Finally, you can try Escape Atlantis. But allow at least one hour more to complete this attraction. This puzzle-solving game is based on the legend of Atlantis. The god Poseidon ruled the seas and made his first son, Atlas, king of the island.
God Zeus, quite annoyed by the Atlanteans’ immortality, punished them, and the sea swallowed the island of Atlantis.
Here, you turn into a leading character, searching the lost island, but when you enter the temple, there’s no way out! In 50 minutes, you must discover the secrets of Atlantis and escape before you are lost in the ruins forever!
Our Experience at Labyrinth Park in Heraklion, Crete
It was a great day. In short:
- We loved the idea behind the park.
- We didn’t love paying extra for nearly every attraction!
It’s good to know that you need at least a morning to complete most of the activities (which we didn’t).
Also, you must spend around €3 extra per kid and activity for every attraction. The Atlantis escape room requires €30 more for the whole family.
Overall, it was a fun day, and my kids loved it. We will probably visit this theme park again despite the extra expenses!
Visitors can watch videos about the Minoan Civilization or ride quad bikes at Labyrinth Park. Language barriers are minimal; most attractions have multilingual labels. There’s also a nice cafeteria with reasonable prices. Overall, it was an interesting proposal, and we enjoyed our day at Labyrinth Park.
Labyrinth Theme Park – Inspired by the Minoan Culture of Crete
4th km Hersonissos to Kasteli Road,
Ano Hersonissos, 70014, Heraklion, Crete.
Telephone: +30 28970 29297 & +30 6975903300/3.
Opening hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Monday: Closed.
General fee:
From €8 to €12. Special discounts apply.
All fees are published here.
* The last admission into the Labyrinth is one hour before closing time.
More Kid-Friendly Activities in Crete
These are some of the most popular tours in Crete for families with children:
- Knossos Palace: Family-friendly Mythology Tour
- CRETAquarium Admission Ticket
- Acqua Plus Water Park Entrance Ticket
- Black Rose Pirate Boat: 5-Hour Trip from Heraklion
- Horse Riding with Lunch in the Mountains near Heraklion
>> Remember that you can visit Dinosauria Theme Park and the CretAquarium near the Labyrinth, two activities my children loved in Heraklion!
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Labyrinth Theme Park (Heraklion) Crete
Gabi, the Crete Insider
Hi, I’m Gabi — your go-to local expert in Crete! I’ve been living in Chania, Crete since 2016, and I’ve turned my love for the island into a full-time passion — guiding travelers, writing for travel media, and curating local experiences.
I co-authored DK Eyewitness Top 10 Crete and other guides. I run the blogs The Tiny Book, Greece Planner, and My Cretan Recipe. Through this platform I help travelers design unforgettable trips to Crete.
