Heraklion, historically known as Khandaq or Handak, is the largest urban area in Crete, the capital of the region and the financial, commercial, and educational centre of the island. A modern city loved by locals and the students from all over Greece who choose to study there, it has a youthful air, with a vibrant historic centre, mostly pedestrianised streets, and a bustling nightlife.
The commercial street Daidalou, thankfully free of vehicles, links with the Lions Square and with Eleftherias Square, while heading west is the picturesque pedestrian street Chandakos with many cafeterias and small shops. Agios Titos church looms over the eponymous square, next to the Venetian Armoury (Armeria), where guns and ammunition were kept, and the Venetian Loggia with 82 risers decorated with coats of arms and the open arcade, where the City Hall is housed today. In Eleftherias Square, the impressive building housing the offices of the Prefecture stands out.
Explore the Venetian harbour and see the Koules fortress that dominates its entrance, built by the Venetians in the 16th century, and later used by the Ottomans as a prison. Admire the mighty arsenals and the impressive Venetian walls that mark the city limits and offer a great view out to the sea and back to this intriguing city.
A must- visit is the exceptional Archaeological Museum of Heraklion (heraklionmuseum.gr), renovated in 2014, and one of the most important museums in Europe, with exhibits that cover a history of about 5,500 years. A collection of the unique masterpieces of Minoan art is at the centre of the exhibits, illustrating the evolution of this fascinating society through the years. Other noteworthy museums in the city are the Natural History Museum (nhmc.uoc.gr), the Historical Museum of Crete (historical-museum.gr) and the Museum of St. Catherine (iakm.gr).
Just outside Heraklion is the internationally famous Palace of Knossos. It was the site of the most important city on the island during ancient times, and was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic Era until the 5th century AD. It was built on Kefala Hill, with easy access to both the sea and the mainland. According to tradition, it was the seat of king Minos and there are many myths are centred here – remember Theseus who managed to kill the Minotaur and exit the labyrinth thanks to the help of Ariadne’s thread, or Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth, and his disobedient and irresponsible son Icarus. The first excavations took place in 1878 lead by a local, Minos Kalokairinos, while the excavations conducted by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans (1900-1913 and 1922-1930) revealed the entire palace.
15 kms outside of Heraklion is the CRETAquarium (cretaquarium.gr), whose 60 tanks housing over 2000 sea creatures delight young and old alike.
Ammoudara, Arina and Kokkini Hani are popular nearby beaches, while further away from the city there are large hotel resorts next to the sea. The “Nikos Kazantzakis” airport directly links Heraklion to Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as to many European cities, while from the port of Heraklion there are regular ships to and from Piraeus, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, and it is often a port visited by cruise ships.
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