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• Heraklion / Ηράκλειο.
Tips for your trips. Tourist information. Official websites.
Heraklion (map) or Iraklio is the major city and capital of Crete, the largest of the Greek islands. Its Archaeological Museum holds the remains of the 4000-year-old Minoan civilization, which centred around the nearby palace of Knossos, with its Minotaur legend.
The city has several Venetian and Byzantine churches and the biggest in East Mediterranean well-preserved Venetian wall and harbour fortress from the 15th century.
The must-see sights are the Archaeological Museum (map) downtown, and the Palace of Knossos 5 km south (map). Their combined ticket is the best buy. Take a stroll along the city’s Venetian wall. It’s 7.5 km long, with seven bastions jutting out.
Heraklion Archaeological Museum (map). Houses the most important and representative finds from Minoan civilisation and excavations across the island of Crete. Highlights include statues of the Snake Goddess, the Bull-Leaping Fresco, the Phaistos Disk, and Minoan seals and jewellery. Also includes a number of finds from Classical Greek and Roman periods.
*Palace of Knossos (map). If you see just one ruin on Crete, see Knossos. The site is fairly compact, and much of it is accessible with restricted mobility. But 30 minutes will do it.
Within reach of a day-trip, but worth longer, are Rethymno (map), *Chania (the most charming old town on the island, map), and *Agios Nikolaos (map). Chania is the best base for exploring the *Samaria Gorge (map), and *Agios Nikolaos is your base for seeing Spinalonga (map).
#1 Rhodes Island
In addition to beautiful beaches, the island is also a treasure trove of archaeological sites that showcase its rich history and cultural heritage.
• Public transport.
Information about all types of public transport.
Heraklion City Buses • KTEL HERAKLION-LASITHI
⇒ Also сheck оut мore info: Public Transport Means (visitgreece.gr) • HOW TO MOVE AROUND? (greeka.com)
BUS: You can get almost anywhere in Greece by bus, but some isolated villages may only have one or two buses per day ⇒ KTEL BUS.
TRAIN: The state train company is Trainose (Τραινοσέ) + OSE. Trains are a better way to get around, but the national rail system is extremely limited.
AIRPORT: Athens’ Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport, near the Athens suburb of Spáta, is the country’s largest, busiest airport and main hub.
FERRY: MINOAN LINES • ΑΝΕΚ LINES • SUPERFAST. The frequency, reliability and availability of Greek ferries are largely dependent upon the time of year. For instance, during the winter off-season (January to March), the weather on the Aegean can be extremely rough and boats are often kept in port for days at a time. ⇒ nisea.co.
HERAKLION | CRETE | GREECE | CRETAN CULTURE AND HISTORY!
Join me on my journey through the island of Crete, Greece, where I’ll share with you its beautiful landscapes, unique culture and hidden gems which allow you to experience the authentic side of Crete.
⇒ video source: Malini Angelica / youtube.com /
• Useful websites.
Links to additional resources with useful information for planning your trip.