Piskopiano village is between the old Hersonissos and the Koutouloufari village, in the Hersonissos Municipality located on the slopes of Mount Harakas and during the winter has almost 380 occupants during the summer the population exceeds 1500 people as the hotels and the rooms for rent are packed. Piskopiano is just 1.5 kilometres north of the crowded Limenas Hersonissou. The rapid growth of the travel industry in the island from the 1950s onwards has changed Piskopiano and the villages around it. Old structures have been reestablished and transformed into modern hotels, bars, bistros and restaurants.
The first reports about Piskopiano come from the Middle Ages, when pirate attacks drove people away from the nearby coast to seek the safety of the hills, far from the sea.
Historian’s first mention of Piskopiano was in 1379, while In 1583 it appears again as a small village of about 110 inhabitants. In 1671 the village had 15 tax-paying Christian families according to records found.
In the center of the village is the Christian church of Transfiguration of the Saviour (Ieros Naos Eisodion tis Theotokoy Piskopianou) while a few meters away is the museum of Rural Life. including wine and olive oil machines, carpentry, weaving and other occupations. The museum during the summer is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The ticket price is 5 euros and you can call 28970 23303 for more information before your visit.
Agricultural Museum in Piskopiano
The Museum of Rural Life in Piskopiano was founded by the Society of Cretan Historical Studies in 1988, the Museum is housed in a 19th-century olive mill and house at the center of Piskopiano. The Museum offers the perfect introduction to the culture of the Cretan countryside, as its collections are organized thematically.
The museum exhibits date from the 19th and mid-20th century and includes everyday tools, machinery, weaving tools and works of folk art. The Museum collection was supported by several additions in 2011, with the exhibit of a new weaving module with textiles from the Theano Metaxa-Kanakaki Collections.
The Agricultural Museum exhibitions are centered on the Cretan traditional production methods and weaving art. Here you can see a traditional wine distillery and raki-making equipment, carpentry tools a stone-made oven, and agricultural tools. You can also find household items of the traditional rural Cretan house, and the workshops of a smith and carpenter.
The visitor experience is enhanced with state of art visual materials and digital media that present interesting information about the museum and many historical documents
Many travellers choose to spend some hours in Piskopiano. A walk into the narrow streets of the beautiful village with its old stone houses is worth seeing. You also have a great view of the Aegean Sea, the villages and the surrounding beaches. Most travellers to the Piskopiano combine the excursion with a frozen coffee (frappe), lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants in the area.
If you want to spend the night in Piskopiano you will find cosy little hotels and rooms for rent but it is wise to make reservations in advance, especially in Ju;y and August. There are also some travel agencies where you can book daily trips and excursions or you can rent a car, bicycle or small scooters.
In walking distance is Koutouloufari with pretty alleys while the Ano Hersonissos village with its beautiful and vibrant square is only a few hundred meters in the north. If you prefer something more fancy and cosmopolitan, walk down to Limenas Hersonissou with many shops, bars and nightclubs.
The distance from Kato Gouves to Piskopiano is 8 kilometres and you can hire a taxi which needs 10 minutes to drive you to Piskopiano. Piskopiano is just 25 kilometres from the N. Kazantzakis Heraklion airport.
