Dinosauria Park Crete is one of several big family attractions on the north coast of the island, between Heraklion and Hersonissos.
My dinosaur-loving son wasn’t going to miss this for the world, so I took him on a short bus ride from Malia to the Park in Gournes for a day.
In this guide to Dinosauria Park, I’ll show you what to expect on your visit, with plenty of dinosaur photos, and a description of what to do there. I’ll also show you where it is, how to get there, and suggest other things to do to fill the rest of your day in the area. Enjoy!
What To See At Dinosauria Park Crete
You come to Dinosauria to see dinosaurs, and I did so in the company of Our Little Man, a lifelong dino connoisseur. You follow a walkway through the Park where you encounter a whole range of prehistoric creatures, from fierce roaring carnivores to life-size giant herbivores like the diplodocus which would dwarf a double-decker bus.
Some of the dinosaurs are animatronic figures, greeting you with a roar as you pass their hideouts in the trees. Others are statues, including the silent mosasaurus about to swallow a large fish.
My son was impressed by the range of dinosaurs, which included old favourites like stegosaurus and triceratops, to more recent discoveries like Spinosaurus. There is also a velociraptor bursting out of a cage, Jurassic Park-style.
There is also a small museum section which tells the story of the evolution of the dinosaurs, and an excavation area, where kids brush away the sand to reveal stone dinosaur ‘fossils’ in a pit. It’s great for a child to do this for the first time, giving him or her the feeling of discovering something extraordinary.
Our Little Man also loved the Dinosaur Hospital, which is included in the standard park entrance ticket. The final stage (spoiler alert) is a dinosaur maternity unit, where baby dinos hatch from their eggs. The kids in our group all loved it.
There is also a small playground where they can burn off more energy, a 5D cinema, a café and a gift shop.
Where Is Dinosauria Park In Crete
Dinosauria Park is located on part of a former airbase in Gournes, 14 km (9 miles) east of Heraklion. It’s on the old national road 90, which runs parallel to the new E75/90 road across the north of the island.
How To Get To Dinosauria Park Crete
Dinosauria Park is easy to reach by bus or car.
If you’re travelling by bus, it’s around 300 metres from bus stop 9 on the Heraklion-Hersonissos-Malia-Agios Nikolaos route.
Buses in either direction are frequent. When you buy your ticket, tell the conductor where you need to get off.
If you’re travelling from Malia or Hersonissos, the bus goes past Dinosauria, so you need to alight and turn back for the short walk there.
If you’re travelling from Heraklion or the resorts close by, stop 9 is just across the road from the other stop in the opposite direction. So you just need to cross the road and walk the short remaining distance there.
For information on bus times check out the local KTEL Herlas website.
If you’re driving, Dinosauria Park is very close to the main E90 road. Take the Gouves / Gournes exit, joining the old National Route 90. Take the first left – Dinosauria is around 500 metres along the road on your right.
Dinosauria Park Tickets
There are four types of ticket for Dinosauria Park.
We opted for the general entrance ticket (€12 per adult, €10 per child aged 3 to 12). This includes access to the Park and dinosaurs (the most important part!).
The Bronze Pass also includes the 5D cinema – Our little Man doesn’t like loud noises, we skipped that. Tickets are €16 and €14 respectively.
The Silver Pass includes a Planetarium movie and Science Exhibition. This pass costs €20 for adults, €18 for kids.
And the Gold Pass – at €26 and €23 – includes access to all attractions, including the Virtual Reality.
Dinosauria Park Opening Hours
The Park is open daily between 10.00 am and 6.00 pm.
Last entry time for standard ticket holders is 5.00 pm, or 4.00 pm for anyone with one of the combination Passes described above.
It’s always worth checking the Dinosauria website to double-check any of this information before you visit.
GOOD TO KNOW During the May to October season it can get pretty hot in Dinosauria Park. There are some shaded sections, but much of it is exposed to the sun. You’ll need to wear a hat, sunscreen and carry plenty of water with you.
Other Places To Visit Near Dinosauria Park
Dinosauria Park is next door to Planet Crete, the island’s Planetarium. I can’t tell you much about it as we didn’t visit, and that it’s included on some of the Passes for Dinosauria Park.
After visiting Dinosauria Park, we walked the ten minutes or so to CretAquarium Thalassokosmos. It’s a fantastic aquarium, with enormous tanks full of amazing marine life. We loved the place – and my son managed to get us a second circuit. The aquarium is located close to the seafront and a section of Gournes beach.
It’s then a 10-15 minute slightly uphill walk to the main road and the bus stop.
Visiting Dinosauria Park Crete – Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to Dinosauria Park. My son and I spent a very enjoyable few hours there, and he says it’s possibly the best dinosaur attraction he has visited. He is sensitive to loud, sudden noises, so these roaring dinos were just about right for him, with a combination of slightly scary and high wow factor hitting the mark. He opted against the 5D cinema after some similar experiences elsewhere in Europe.
Dinosauria Park is one of a multitude of places to visit on the north Crete coast. We visited on a daytrip from Malia, and it was a great change of scenery after spending a lot of time at the various Malia beaches. If you’re staying in the area, take a look at my other Malia guides, including Malia Old Town, Potamos Beach, Stalis Beach and the superb Lychnostatis Open Air Museum between Malia and Hersonissos.
If you’re visiting Hersonissos, I suggest that you check out my complete guide to the Hersonissos beaches. I’ve also written guides to my two favourite beaches near the town, Sarantari Beach and Gefyri Beach. And take a look at my guides to the hillside villages of Old Hersonissos and Piskopiano, both of which offer a quieter atmosphere than the resorts on the coast.
I also recommend that you spend at least one day in Heraklion, the nearby capital of Crete. Many people visit Knossos, the ancient Minoan palace site on the southern edge of the city. I also recommend visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which has an amazing treasure trove of Minoan artefacts from all over Crete. Take a look at my guide to the best things to do in Heraklion for more ideas on places to see in this fascinating, often overlooked city.
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