Things to do in Heraklion
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Heraklion
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best weather, warm sea, sites bearable before 10am and prices below peak. September is the favourite month.
Spring wildflowers, green hills, Orthodox Easter processions and Heraklion Carnival before Lent.
Summer heat and festival season, 30 to 36C, with ancient sites at opening and museums at midday.
Autumn grape and olive harvests, warm sea into October, and raki distillation feasts from late October.
Winter quiet bargain, 12 to 18C, empty sites, open restaurants and the lowest hotel rates.
What's on
- Heraklion Carnival February-March, weeks before Lent
Parades and street parties in the city centre.
- Orthodox Easter Moveable, spring
Processions, midnight Resurrection crowds at Agios Minas and closures on main holy days.
- Kathodon and Heraklion Summer Festival June, programme through summer
Street arts and mostly free events, theatre and concerts in the wall garden theatres.
- Matala Beach Festival June-July
Three free days of music under the Matala caves, 70 km south.
- Houdetsi Festival Early August
Four free nights of world and Cretan music on five stages in Houdetsi village.
- Panigiria and village feasts 15 August
Village feasts including snail nights at Agios Thomas and the Lasithi potato festival.
- Rakokazana tsikoudia season Late October to November
Village distillation feasts in wine country and a city tsikoudia festival.
Best things to do in Heraklion
Palace of Knossos
Europe's oldest palace city, readable with a guide, and the stage set for the museum's real objects.
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
The world's key Minoan museum, holding the Phaistos Disc, Snake Goddesses and original frescoes.
Koules Fortress
Venetian sea fortress with roof views over the harbour, old town and Dia Island.
Martinengo Bastion
Walkable Venetian walls ending at the bastion where Nikos Kazantzakis is buried.
Lions Square
The city's living room around the Morosini Fountain, start of the essential old town walk.
Historical Museum of Crete
Byzantine to modern Crete in one mansion, with two El Greco paintings and a Kazantzakis room.
Agios Minas Cathedral
One of Greece's largest cathedrals, set in a lived in cafe quarter around St Catherine's church.
Natural History Museum of Crete
Hands on Crete nature museum with a giant Deinotherium model and an earthquake simulator.
Where to stay in Heraklion
Old Town and Lions Square
first trip, all-round base
Museum, harbour, market and restaurants all walkable, with buses and ferries at the centre edge.
Harbour and waterfront
views, quiet nights and early ferries
Sea and fortress views with transport on the doorstep and a short walk into the old town to eat.
Agia Pelagia and Ligaria
beach-first base within reach of the city
Sheltered bays with tavernas and dive centres, plus a regular bus to Heraklion for sight days.
Karteros and Amnissos
beach plus airport short stay
Long sand and beach bars ten minutes from the centre and five from the airport.
Archanes
slow food and wine alternative base
Restored wine village with boutique rooms and tavernas, 25 minutes from Heraklion by bus or car.
Think twice about
- Hersonissos main strip and Malia
Package and party strips with noise into the early hours, a long ride from Heraklion city.
- Ammoudara far-western stretch
Generic roadside resort strip with industrial edges at the far end, charmless rather than unsafe.
- Airport-highway corridor in Nea Alikarnassos and Leoforos Ikarou
Industry, highway and aircraft noise. Functional for an early flight, not a base.
- Gouves, Analipsi and Anissaras without a car
Resort villages sold as Heraklion where every sight, dinner and ferry becomes a transfer.
Best restaurants in Heraklion
Peskesi
Crete's benchmark traditional restaurant, cooking historic dishes from its own organic farm.
Parasties
Open fire Cretan kitchen cooking antikristo meats and seasonal greens by the sea road.
Erganos
Locals' traditional taverna serving sfakianopita, gamopilafo, apaki and oven lamb at neighbourhood prices.
Avli tou Defkaliona
Family courtyard taverna with generous traditional plates, house wine and a raki finish.
7 Thalasses
Heraklion's polished seafood house for fish of the day, carpaccio, risotto and lobster pasta.
Ippokampos
Long running harbour ouzeri for small seafood plates, ouzo and a sunset crowd.
Notio Archipelagos
Smaller modern seafood kitchen near the centre, lighter and quieter than the harbour ouzeria.
Phyllosophies
Historic 1922 bougatsa shop serving warm mizithra phyllo with sugar and cinnamon by the fountain.
Outdoor things to do in Heraklion
Dia Island
Uninhabited protected island with clear southern bays for swimming, snorkelling and lunch aboard.
Spinalonga
Fortified island and former leper colony reached by boat from Elounda or Plaka.
Phaistos
Second great Minoan palace, barely reconstructed and far quieter than Knossos, above the Messara plain.
Dikteon Cave
Large stalactite cave above Psychro, venerated since Minoan times as the birthplace of Zeus.
The Crete Golf Club
Crete's only 18 hole course, par 71 in hills above Hersonissos with sea and mountain views.
Lyrarakis Winery
Family winery famous for rescuing rare Cretan grapes, with vineyard picnic tastings under olive trees.
Douloufakis Winery
Welcoming family estate south of Heraklion, strong on Vidiano and Liatiko wines.
Titakis Wines
Kounavi winery paired with Lyrarakis on the best reviewed two winery small group tours.
Best hotels in Heraklion
GDM Megaron Historical Monument Hotel
The city's flagship in a listed 1920s building above the harbour, with rooftop pool and parking.
Legacy Gastro Suites
Small food themed luxury suites on the central square, the boutique splurge for eaters.
Infinity City Boutique Hotel
Modern boutique hotel near the centre, praised for breakfast and staff.
Olive Green Hotel
Modern eco credentialed central hotel, the mid range benchmark with an excellent breakfast.
Ibis Styles Heraklion Central
Reliable central mid range hotel in the heart of the old town base.
Atrion Hotel
Reliable central mid range hotel on a quiet street near the Historical Museum.
Kastro Hotel
Long running central value pick, simple rooms and a well placed base.
Intra Muros Hostel
Proven central budget hostel with dorms and private rooms inside the walls.
Is Heraklion expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €70 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €135 a person |
| Splurge | €280 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Palace of Knossos: weeks ahead
- Heraklion Archaeological Museum: a few days ahead
- Cretaquarium: a few days ahead
- Heraklion Food Tour: a few days ahead
- Dia Island: a few days ahead
- Spinalonga: a few days ahead
- Dikteon Cave: a few days ahead
- The Crete Golf Club: a few days ahead
- Knossos earliest slot in season. Peskesi days ahead, Dia and Spinalonga boats two to three days ahead in summer, winery tastings direct in season.
Is Heraklion safe?
- Pickpockets in the market and on crowded buses, careful traffic awareness, and a sea conditions check on meltemi days. Emergency number 112.
Heraklion travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Harbour front restaurants with touts and photo menus, unpriced fish by the kilo, and Elafonissi, Balos or Samaria sold as easy Heraklion day trips.
Getting around Heraklion: public transport and more
- Walk the centre within a 15 minute radius. Bus No. 2 serves Knossos, KTEL buses serve the island, and the airport bus takes about 20 minutes.
Who Heraklion suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Heraklion your trip
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