15 Best Things To Do In Heraklion Crete

Welcome to my guide to the best things to do in Heraklion, the capital city of Crete.

Many visitors pass through Heraklion in transit, either island-hopping or travelling to beach resorts around Crete. People visit Knossos, the most famous ancient site on Crete, which is on the outskirts of Heraklion.

After passing through Heraklion several times, I made time to explore the city, Knossos, its museums and more. The more time I spent in Heraklion, the more I was intrigued. It’s not the most attractive city in Crete  – Chania wins that one – but it’s one of the most fascinating, full of history, street art, culture and outstanding places to eat.

My guide to what to do in Heraklion covers Knossos, the city’s best museums and the sights around the port and old town. I also advise you on getting to Heraklion, the best beaches around the city, and places to visit nearby. I also suggest places to stay in Heraklion, with sightseeing and location near the port in mind.

Enjoy!

Heraklion has one of the great sites of the Ancient world – the Minoan palace complex at Knossos, on the southern edge of the city.

The city is also home to the world-class Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which has an astounding collection of artefacts from Minoan Crete and later periods.

Crete is renowned for its amazing food, and there are many great places in Heraklion to try it.

And if you’re looking for a base from which you can explore central Crete and hop from beach to beach, Heraklion is an ideal base.

Knossos is the main reason many people visit Heraklion. It’s the largest site of the Minoan civilization which grew in Crete from around 3000 BC, living on the island for the best part of two millennia.  

The Knossos complex was discovered in 1878, but excavations only began in 1900 under British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans. He unearthed many artefacts, including the frescoes whose replicas decorate parts of the site.

Much of the site consists of excavated foundations of buildings. Some parts have been reconstructed by Evans, and their historical accuracy is probably, for want of a better word, dubious.

That said, it’s a very impressive and evocative site. The artworks – whose originals can be seen in the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion – are amazing, and they offer hints of the wealth of the culture and civilization of the Minoans.

If at all possible try to visit Knossos early or late in the day. There is very little shade and shelter around the site, so if you’re there in the middle of the day,   you’ll be walking around in the fierce heat of the Cretan sun.

I also strongly urge you to visit both Knossos and the Archaeological Museum. This will greatly help you make sense of and appreciate Knossos.  The stunning exhibits of the Museum bring Knossos to life, firing your imagination.

See Also: Visiting Knossos Palace Crete – 8 Best Things To See

The Archaeological Museum is my pick of the Heraklion attractions, edging out Knossos.

It’s the permanent home of the frescoes and friezes found at Knossos- those at the ancient site are replicas.

The Archeological Museum’s collection is staggering.  Bear in mind that the Minoan civilization – many of whose artefacts and treasures are collected there – was possibly the first European civilization.

The highlights of Heraklion Archeological Museum are far too numerous to list here. But don’t miss the Ladies in Blue and Dolphins frescoes, the mysterious Phaistos Disc (with as-yet-undeciphered Minoan script) and the Agia Triada sarcophagus all must-sees.

It’s somewhere aficionados of the ancient world could easily spend half a day or more. One of the best museums I’ve ever visited. You can book your Museum ticket with city audio guide here.

See Also: Visiting Heraklion Archaeological Museum – 15 Top Highlights and 6 Best Minoan Sites In Crete To Visit

The formidable stone harbour fortress is a must for your Heraklion sightseeing.  It dominates the waterfront – it once guarded the whole port area from attacks from the sea.

Its Turkish name (Koules) is often used, but it was built by the Venetians between 1523 and 1540. You can still see the weather-worn Lion of St Mark – the symbol of Venice – above the main entrance.

The Rocca al Mare – as the Venetians called it – safeguarded the port of Candia. It wasn’t just a fortress  -it was also a vast storage area for cargo.

It’s well worth the short walk from the town, and the €4 entry fee. You get to explore the huge interior, much of which is filled with an exhibition on its history.   Don’t miss the short climb to the rooftop and wall walks, which command fantastic views over the harbour and city.

This beautiful exotic church is my pick of a cluster of Heraklion sights close to the Lion Fountain in Heraklion Old Town.

It is dedicated to St Titus, a 1^st-century AD disciple of St Paul. He is believed to have been Cretan, and is traditionally believed to have been ordained the first Bishop of Crete by St Paul. The 17^th book of the New Testament, the Letter of St Paul to Titus, was addressed to him.

The church on the site was destroyed in 1544, rebuilt in 1557, then converted to a mosque by the occupying Ottoman Turks in 1669.  That building survived until the 1856 earthquake. The present building was completed in 1869.

After the Ottoman Turks left the island the building was converted to a church. Its prized relic – the head of St Titus – was returned from Venice decades later, in 1966.

The church is beautifully set on a square, surrounded by a small number of palm trees. I think it’s the most beautiful building in Heraklion.

See Also: Agios Titos Church Heraklion – One Of The Finest Churches In Crete

The Morosini Fountain – often called the Lion Fountain – is easily the most impressive of the fountains in Heraklion.

Enjoying a drink at one of the cafes is one of the most popular things to do in Heraklion city centre, especially at night when the fountain is lit up.

The fountain – the work of Venetian civil engineer Francesco Morosini – was built in the early 17^th century to carry drinking water to Heraklion. It is the end point of an aqueduct and tunnel system running 15 km (9 miles) from the hillside town of Archanes.

The water pours from the mouths of the four lions near the top of the fountain. It was also adorned by a statue, which was removed by the Ottoman Turks.  The design of the fountain with its pools spread out meant that up to 40 people could collect drinking water from it at any time.

This Venetian building, dating from the early 17th century, is one of the finest buildings in Heraklion. It was also the work of Francesco Morosini, whose fountain (see above) is barely a minute’s walk away.

The building was a meeting place for noblemen, and when the Ottoman Turks took over the island, it fulfilled a similar function. 400 years on, it serves as the City Hall of Heraklion.

The largest church in Crete is a five-minute walk from the Morosini Fountain through narrow side streets.  It’s the main cathedral in Heraklion and Crete, and one of three churches on the same square.

Agios Minas is named after a the Coptic saint, Menas, a Roman soldier who was martyred for his Christian beliefs.

The Cathedral was built in the second half of the 19^th century and its most impressive feature is the series of frescoes decorating the ceiling and central dome of the church. A smaller, older church dedicated to the same saint is on the lower level of the square, no more than a minute’s walk from the Cathedral.

Much of Heraklion was destroyed in bombing raids during World War Two, so seeking out its historic treasures among the modern buildings can take a bit of legwork.

One of the most striking is the Bembo Fountain on Kornarou Square, near the city walls. The central niche is filled by a headless ancient Roman statue, believed to have been retrieved from Ierapetra on the south Crete coast.

If you explore the backstreets near the port you may also come across the Priuli Fountain on Delimarkou.

And there are several later Ottoman fountains spread around the city. Check out the Yenitsar Aga Fountain, just below the Archaeological Museum. You see it on the right as you walk up the hill from the bus station.

We asked a few locals where we might find the best food in Heraklion, and one of them suggested this wonderful place just behind the Historical Museum of Crete.

She was right about the food, which included some heavenly spinach pies and dakos. She didn’t let on how beautiful the setting was. The 17^th-century Idomeneas Fountain is set into the wall outside the restaurant, and was a gorgeous backdrop for our superb food.

The fountain was moved from a nearby street, where it adorned the house of a doctor, Idomeneas Markatatis.

The city’s main market is strung along 1866 Street, which runs to the south of the Morosini Fountain.

It’s where locals come to shop for their food, so there are plenty of fruit and vegetable stalls, and also butchers and fishmongers.

There is also plenty to tempt you if you’re shopping for souvenirs, with everything from Cretan honey to sea sponges to ceramics.

The Venetian city walls of Heraklion are hugely impressive.  As an attacking force, you would find these thick stout walls, gates and towers very intimidating.  You can follow parts of the circuit of walls from the inside or outside, but unfortunately most sections of the walls aren’t open.

One area you can access is that with the tomb of author Nikos Kazantzakis. He is buried on the Martinengo bastion on the city walls, away from holy ground, having offended the Orthodox church.  He is widely known for his novel Zorba the Greek, which was adapted for film in 1964.

He also wrote The Last Temptation of Christ, which brought condemnation from the church. The area around the tomb offers one of the best views of Heraklion and the city skyline, with the Aegean Sea in the background.

Another impressive section of walls is just down the hill from there, especially around the massive Chaniaporta gate. This area also serves as Heraklion’s B bus station, though most services departing from there aren’t to places popular with tourists.

You really cannot miss this waterfront museum, housed in a former power plant. The giveaway is the giant long-necked herbivorous dinosaur figure to the side of the building.

Inside, there are exhibitions on dinosaurs and later prehistoric animals, and the environment of Crete. Anyone with an interest in natural history shouldn’t miss the section on the deinotherium, an ancestor of the elephant which was the largest creature to ever live on Crete.

Around a century ago, the district of Lakkos was the seedy underbelly of Heraklion. It was the city’s red light district, and an influx of Greek refugees from Asia Minor in the 1920s added to the mix. German bombing during the Second World War shattered the community, and the streets gradually fell into decay.

Things have changed in recent years. Nowadays you know you’re in Lakkos because of the brightly-painted houses and cafes, and the many street murals celebrating the community’s history.

When I visited Lakkos was quiet, with only a few of the cafes open. But it’s definitely somewhere to look in on. It’s just below the Martinengo bastion and Nikos Kazantzakis’ grave.

This small, austere church on the same square as Agios Minas Cathedral, makes an excellent exhibition space. And the exhibition is a great introduction to religious art produced in Crete from the beginning of the 15^th century.

From this time there was a greater emphasis on the painting of wooden icons, introduced by artists who had moved to Candia (as the city was then known) from Constantinople. These and later works had a profound influence on Domenikos Theotokopoulos, better known as El Greco, the most famous Cretan painter of all.

There are also fascinating sections on wall paintings in churches from the 14^th century onwards, and the development of architecture and sculpture under Venetian rule (from the 13^th to 17^th centuries).

Ammoudara Beach

There are plenty of great beaches around Heraklion. There are some long spacious beaches to the east of Heraklion and the airport, most of which are accessible by bus. The Heraklion to Hersonissos and Malia bus runs along the coast, so you’re never far from the sand and sea.

The first beach you reach after the airport is Karteros Beach, which becomes Amnissos Beach as you head further away from Heraklion. As the road and bus head eastwards, you then reach Gournes beach and Kato Gouves beach, next to the popular CretAquarium. From there, the road continues inland past a series of beach resorts before reaching Hersonissos.

To the west of Heraklion, check out the sheltered beaches at Pantanassas and Paleokastro.  The main road then passes the popular resorts of Agia Pelagia and Fodele, then some smaller, isolated coves. The lovely – but busy – Bali Crete beaches are 33 km  (20 miles) west of Heraklion).

The province of Heraklion also includes some of the south coast of Crete. The most famous beach in Heraklion province is Matala Beach, 60 km (37 miles) south of the capital. It’s renowned for the cliff full of caves overlooking the beach. They are no longer inhabited, but make awesome viewpoints over the beach, particularly early or late in the day.

Heraklion is the best departure point for a Santorini day trip from Crete, as it’s the closest port on creature to the volcanic island to the north. Typical tour packages include transport to and back from Heraklion port, a return fast ferry to Santorini and around six hours on the island, including visits to Oia and Fira, both overlooking the caldera. This Santorini tour from Heraklion does all of this.

Heraklion is very easy to reach, especially during the summer season when flights run there from all over Europe. If you plan to visit Heraklion in winter or spring low season, you may need to fly via Athens and change for another flight from there. Alternatively, the Athens to Heraklion ferry runs year-round, stopping at Santorini on the way.

If you’re travelling from elsewhere on the island, getting to Heraklion by bus is easy. Check the KTEL Herlas website for bus links from Hersonissos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos.

Heraklion is easy to travel around. The blue city buses cover the city and suburbs, including Ammoudara beach and Knossos.

You can buy tickets from booths or machines at some stops, otherwise you just pay the driver.

There are also free buses around Heraklion city centre. We found these minibuses quite difficult to track down, but the one place where we did find them is the roundabout next to parking lot P2, just next to the port. This is about a five-minute walk due north from KTEL bus station A, the hub for out-of-town bus services all over the island.

Otherwise, Heraklion taxis are useful for getting around the city. The minimum fare for journeys within the city is a rather steep €8.

Your choice of hotel in Heraklion will probably depend on your travel plans. You may wish – as we have done – to stay somewhere close to the port to catch an early morning ferry. Or you might prefer somewhere further into the Old Town and away from the seafront.

We recommend the luxury GDM Megaron Hotel which is only a couple of blocks back from the seafront, and within a short walk of the Venetian Harbour and Archaeological Museum.

The Lato Boutique Hotel is another great option, with some rooms offering views over the Venetian Koules and Harbour.

The Aquila Atlantis Hotel and Ibis Styles Heraklion Central Hotel are also close by. These are all within a short walk of Bus Station A.

The ferry port is also close by, but as you have to cross the main road, you may prefer the option of a taxi from your hotel to the port. The flat rate minimum for fares in Heraklion city centre is €8.

Is Heraklion worth visiting?

Yes, absolutely. It’s not as attractive as Chania or Rethymno, but it’s the cultural centre of Crete. And it has Knossos, one of the great sites of the ancient world, and the outstanding Heraklion Archaeological Museum.  

Which is the better city – Heraklion or Chania?

Both are great cities to visit. Heraklion wins for ancient sites, whereas Chania is the more picturesque. Check out my Chania or Heraklion article for more information and insights.

I hope you have found my guide to the best things to do in Heraklion helpful.

Most visitors to Heraklion only spend a short time in the city, usually in transit or on day trips from the nearby beach resorts. Check out my One Day In Heraklion article for suggestions on how to make the most of a single day there. However, it also makes a good base for a while, with beaches very close to the city. And there are many options for day trips from Heraklion.

We have explored the north coast to the east and west of Heraklion, and there are a host of places to visit. Check out my guide to the Hersonissos beaches. The town beaches are small, narrow and crowded, but some of the beaches just outside the town – especially Sarantari beach – are better and more beautiful. There are also several theme parks and attractions, including Dinosauria Park and CretAquarium.

It’s just a few miles down the coast to Malia. Take a look at my guide to the wonderful Lychnostatis Open Air Museum, a must if you love Cretan history. This is a short walk or bus ride from Stalis Beach, one of the best beaches in Crete for families.

Malia is the other popular party resort on the north Crete coast, and there are some great Malia beaches to while away your time. The best of these is Potamos Beach, another superb family-friendly beach.

Beyond Malia, check out my guide to Sissi Crete, a tiny, picturesque harbour town, and Crete’s fourth largest city, Agios Nikolaos. Boat trips run from there to the famous island of Spinalonga, a Venetian fortress islet later used as a leper colony.

The coast to the west of Heraklion is full of great beaches and places to visit. After Agia Pelagia, the road west continues to Fodele, home to a brilliant beach and the birthplace of painter El Greco. For resorts along the coast, don’t miss my guides to the Bali Crete beaches and Panormos Crete, another pretty fishing village now largely given over to tourism.

West of here, don’t miss my guide to the best things to do in Rethymno, and my article on the best things to do in Chania. The latter is the most beautiful city in Crete, and the closest to the three stunning pink beaches in Crete.

Don’t miss my guides to Balos Beach Crete, Falassarna Beach and  Elafonissi Beach.  Seeing each of these is up there with the best things to do in Crete. Just bear in mind that if you want to visit all three, Chania is a far better base than Heraklion to do so.

And finally, for a general overview of Crete, take a look at my guide to the best landmarks in Crete for your bucket list.