Summary

Crete is the largest Greek island, offering a mix of beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, and traditional villages.

Heraklion is the capital of Crete, the bigger city with an airport and port. There are many beautiful places to visit there. The impressive neoclassical houses on 25th August street, the fortress of Koules and the old harbor evoke the Venetian atmosphere of the island. Emblematic buildings are the Loggia, the Basilica of St. Mark’s, the Lions in the central square.

Heraklion is home to many of the most important archaeological sites, beautiful beaches and picturesque villages. The unmistakable combination of everything makes it a unique destination worth visiting. Below I have gathered the best parts you don’t want to miss from your trip to Heraklion Crete.

Best Places

Archaeological Places

The Palace of Knossos: Located about 5 km south of Heraklion.This is where the Minoan civilization, one of the great civilizations in the world, flourished. It was a royal residence and at the same time the administrative and religious centre of a wider region. It deserves a detailed tour to penetrate the depths of knowledge and understand its history.

Phaistos, is an archaeological site located in the southern part of the Greek island of Crete. It was built in 1900 BC and was a religious, economic and administrative center. One of the most important centres of Minoan civilisation until its destruction in the 1st century BC.

Photo by Xristos Konstantinidis

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, it is one of the most important museums in Greece and one of the best in the world. Thousands of archaeological monuments such as the Phaistos Disc, the Snake Goddess figurines, and the Bull Leaping frescoes from the Palace of Knossos. The museum also features a range of educational displays and multimedia presentations. Its exhibits cover a history of 5500 years.

The Venetian Fortress: It is a fortress that the Venetians had made back then, it is now rebuilt, clean, and has cheap tickets. Usually a lot of people go for a run, many couples go for a walk as it is calm and by the sea and offers its visitors peace. Today it is the best preserved fortification in the Mediterranean.

Beaches

The beaches of Heraklion impress even the most demanding visitors. Apart from Matala, one of the most famous destinations internationally since the hippie era. In the prefecture of Heraklion you will find many beaches from the most peaceful and secluded to the most organized and entertaining. Some of them are: Ammoydara, Karteros, Amnisos, Tris Eklisies and Kommos in the south.

Kokkini Hani Beach: Is a unique beach where planes are landing close by, providing excellent opportunities for capturing stunning photographs.

Almyra Seaside Food & Cocktails, Agia Pelagia Beach: It is located 20klm far from Heraklion city. Highlight: exceptional swimming opportunities offered by the crystal waters of this destination, complemented by the delectable culinary.

Restaurants/Taverns

Crete is known worldwide for its cuisine, which is considered the best example of the Mediterranean diet. The most famous dishes you should try are the Dakos, cretan cheeses, kalitsounia, sfakia pies, antikristi and of course the rakomelo! Very famous is also the tsikoudia, which is drunk from early afternoon until late at night in cafes, taverns and parties.

Ligo krasi ligo thalassa Restaurant, Heraklion Town: Delicious Greek traditional seafood a warm friendly atmosphere.

7 Thalasses Restaurant: It is less than a mile from the main downtown area. You can enjoy a great dinner with the freshest seafood and sushi.

Excursions/Activities

The Natural History Museum: Visitors can actively participate and discover knowledge through the three-dimensional, original and interactive exhibits of the stuffed animals. Very nice museum especially for children.

Greek Mythology Thematic Park: Created by the Pitalokiris family. A Greek mythology and Minoan civilization theme park. An amazing place to discover the stories of the gods and the Minoan civilization, Greek mythology and rural life in Crete 100 years ago. It also has a gift shop and a cafe, where you can enjoy your drink.

Agios Titos Church: The church of Agios Titus is an orthodox church in Heraklion, Crete, dedicated to Agios Titus. It has a four-concave dome and exonarthex and was constructed in 1869 as a Yeni Mosque. It is of eclectic style with elements of Venetian, Ottoman and Byzantine architecture. Most interesting part is the facade.

Photo by Xristos Konstantinidis

Lion Square: The Morosini Fountain dates back to 1629, was built during the Venetian period and named after the governor of the time. Even after almost 400 years, it still looks great and works fine. We highly recommend you to stop by when you visit Heraklion and enjoy a drink in one of the many cafe bars around it.

Aquarium of Crete: Worth a visit to this aquarium to admire the beautiful fish, sharks, jellyfish and other fish species for young and old peopel. Around 2500 Mediterranean and tropical organisms live in these aquariums. The museum is an innovative and entertaining experience for visitors.

Cretaquarium: Don’t miss a visit to Cretaquarium with its large parks and water slides especially for children!

Where to stay

Heraklion offers dozens of different accommodation suggestions. In luxury 5 star beachfront resorts, bungalows and spa boutique hotels, private villas, guesthouses and hotels of all categories.