Heraklion is a multifaceted seaside city in Crete that embraces both past and present. The vibrant city of today, with squares and pedestrian walkways, is filled with youthful energy, restaurants, and bars, but so much of its charm still concentrates around the Old Town and its romantic Venetian harbor. Heraklion has excellent museums and one of the largest aquariums in Europe. And for history buffs, without a doubt, the most fascinating ancient treasure of the region (also known as Heraklion) lies just beyond the city limits.
Situated near the two major archeological sites of Crete, Knossos Palace, and Phaistos Palace, Heraklion is the perfect base for your exploration! The region itself is lovely, with stunning beaches to discover and a lively town, full of hidden gems from the Venetian period.
In our travel guide, you can find out everything about your holidays in Heraklion, Greece!
Discover the best things to do, fantastic beaches, top hotels and restaurants, many sights, as well as a wide selection of breathtaking photos!
You can reach Heraklion easily by plane from Athens International Airport and abroad, or by ferry from Athens and other islands, like Santorini and Mykonos.
Heraklion is Crete’s biggest city (among Chania, Rethimno, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Ierapetra), whose emblem is the Venetian fortress of Koules and it harmoniously combines a multilingual past as Byzantine churches standing next to the Venetian mansions and Turkish fountains and a thriving present with many restaurants, coffee shops and bars that cater to every taste.
Heraklion or Iraklion has undergone a significant makeover in recent years because of the city’s increasing prosperity. Infrastructure works have included the redevelopment of the waterfront ( have a nice walk there ), improved roads, and a city bypass to ease traffic congestion and maybe the most important much of the historic center has been turned into pleasant pedestrian strips.
