How to Visit Artemis Statue (Easy Plan for Tourists)

How to Visit Artemis Statue (Easy Plan for Tourists)

My Artemis Statue Adventure Plan

So I wanted to see that famous Artemis statue everyone talks about in online travel groups. Searched Google Maps and found out it’s actually near this tiny coastal village called Lygaria. My hotel was way up north in Heraklion city – like 45 minutes drive away! Figured out I could either take a stinky bus with 20 stops or just rent a damn car.

Woke up at 6:30 AM because I knew parking would suck. Tossed my bag with sunscreen, wallet, and a bottle of water. Forgot my hat like an idiot. Drove that rented Hyundai through crazy mountain roads with more hairpin turns than my grandma’s knitting. Saw three goats blocking traffic at some point.

Finally found the parking lot after missing the turn twice – it’s literally just dirt ground behind some olive trees. Paid the old lady 5 euros cash at the shack. Walked 15 minutes down this rocky path alongside the sea. Smelled like salt and dead fish but damn those blue water views!

Pro tips I figured out the hard way:

How to Visit Artemis Statue (Easy Plan for Tourists)

  • Wear actual sneakers – my flipflops almost killed me on those rocks
  • Bring double the water you think you need
  • Parking fills up by 9AM so come early or you’re screwed
  • Zero food vendors around – packed snacks saved my life

When I finally saw Artemis, she was smaller than Instagram makes her look but still pretty damn cool. Bronze lady holding arrows with seabirds pooping on her head. Took the mandatory selfies while sweating buckets – that Mediterranean sun don’t play. Some Russian tourists asked me to take their photo and nearly dropped their fancy camera.

Stumbled back to the car around noon completely roasted. GPS took me through some farmer’s dirt road shortcut on the way back – saved 20 minutes but my rental car never looked the same. Would I do it again? Yeah totally, but next time I’m stealing that hotel umbrella for shade.