Heraklion, Where the thread of history begins

Heraklion, Crete

Heraklion, Crete

With approximately 175,000 inhabitants Heraklion is the biggest commercial, financial and scientific urban centre in Crete and also the capital of region. Heraklion airport and Heraklion Port are the main gateways in the island where visitor can rent a car and start the exploration of a city with a rich historical past and high cultural heritage.

Wealthy natural environment, monuments, archeological and historical sites compose a scenery of unique beauty and invite the thousands of quests in a journey through time and history of civilizations.

Heraklion is one of the most attractive cities in Mediterranean, with its excellent touristic structure and services to satisfy all kind of guests, even the most demanding ones, and offer many interesting activities and a pleasant stay.

Sightseeing’s and monuments are many in Heraklion with the most important one to be the palace of Knossos, base of the most glorious civilization in Europe, the Minoan Civilisation. 

Many monuments of the city are in the centre. The main of them are Loggia, where City Council is accommodated. Saint Marcus basilica built in 1239 is the cathedral church of Crete. The “Lions” fountain with its exceptional sculptures. The Metropolitan Church of Agios Minas who is the patron saint of Heraklion.

The city is surrounded from the huge Venician Walls that used to fortify Heraklion against enemies and brought it to be the best fortified city in Mediterranean. In the Southern Wall stands the Martinengo bastion, where the famous Nikos Kazantzakis writer of Zorba and poet of Oddysey is buried.

Countless commercial shops of any kind, all kinds of hotels, night clubs, cafes, traditional taverns, gourmet restaurants, and a big number of tourist agencies and car rental Crete compose the touristic scenery of the city with mission to guide and make the life of the visitor easier.