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Overview: Heraklion is the main city on the island of Crete and usually the starting point for holiday visitors wishing to explore the island. The city, built on a fairly steep hillside, has a huge harbour to accommodate ferries and cruise liners, and an international airport.

Heraklion is busy, bustling and full of hotels, fast food outlets, shops and traffic. The main square of Plateia Venizelou is a pedestrian mall sporting cafés and restaurants, with some fascinating shops in the surrounding streets. Like many Greek cities Heraklion's architecture was influenced by Venetian occupation, and a Venetian fortress dominates the harbour.

Heraklion's pride and joy, though, is its archaeological museum, which contains the world's most comprehensive collection of artefacts from the Minoan civilisation, which flourished on Crete around 1,600 BC. Heraklion is close to the major archaeological site associated with the Minoans at Knossos.

Shopping: Heraklion is the commercial centre of the island of Crete, and therefore has a heavy concentration of shops. Top designer labels are to be had at reasonable prices on Daedalou Street. Greece is famous for its original jewellery designs and competitive prices, and Heraklion is well supplied with jewellery stores.

Other good holiday buys are antiques, leather goods, folk art, olive oil (Crete's is rated as the best in the world) and interesting cheeses like xynotyro, kefalotyri and graviera. Enjoy browsing the market on 1866 Street.

Shops are usually closed Sundays, and close early on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tourist shops, however, tend to open until 10pm seven days a week. Credit cards are not always welcomed in shops but there are numerous ATMs available that accept Visa and MasterCard, and prices are often lower if paying in cash.

Restaurants: Eating out is a national pastime in Greece and whether your choice is a local taverna or elegant restaurant, meals are enjoyed as a pleasurable leisure pursuit. Cretan cuisine is traditional Greek, with meze mixes (consisting of hors d'oeuvres like stuffed vine leaves, meatballs and tzatziki dip) as popular as dishes like moussaka and souvlaki. Tavernas, cafés and ouzeri (bars specialising in ouzo, the aniseed flavoured liqueur) abound in Heraklion. The city is also well supplied with fast food outlets, and restaurants offering international favourites like pizza, pasta, Mexican and Indian specialities, particularly in the main tourist areas like nearby Malia.

Nightlife: A favourite local evening pastime in Heraklion is people-watching from a sidewalk café, sipping coffee or an alcoholic drink, particularly in Liberty or Fountain Square, or at the old harbour beneath the illuminated Venetian fort. The city is well supplied with clubs and bars but the music tends to be either rock-and-roll or Greek popular music. One of the clubs favoured by young holidaymakers is Disco Athina, near the airport. Most of the better hotels offer a Cretan night with traditional performers. Two popular venues for traditional music and dancing are Aposperides and Sordina, both a few miles from the centre of town.

Activities: Heraklion offers a vast array of historic and archaeological holiday attractions, including its world-famous museum and the nearby site of Knossos, heart of the ancient Minoan civilisation. However the coastline in and near the city also provides numerous beaches and warm clear water, ideal for swimming and enjoying a variety of watersports. The most beautiful beaches are to be found east of the city stretching between Kartero and Malia, 21 miles (34km) from the city. It is also possible to hire a car or take a tour to explore the various archaeological sites on the rest of the island.

Negatives: Heraklion is a busy, overcrowded city that can be claustrophobic. Hotel standards do not always live up to expectations and visitors are often harassed by touts outside the restaurants and cafes, particularly in Fountain Square.

Nearby Attractions

Archaeological Museum A visit to the Minoan palace at Knossos should be complemented with a visit to the wonderful Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. Thousands of artefacts depicting the intriguing Minoan culture are on display, from magnificent bull-headed drinking vessels to the mysterious Phaistos disk inscribed with...  see full details
Gortyna The remains of Gortyna to the south of Heraklion tell a later tale than that of the other archaeological sites in Crete, particularly the important inscribed stones, known as the Gortyn Law Code, dating back to the 5th century BC: a complete code...  see full details
Historical Museum of Crete This museum deals with Crete's more modern history and highlights the islanders' long battle for independence from the early Christian times to the present day. Exhibits include some Cretan folk art, and the Medieval and Renaissance collection contains the only painting on Crete by...  see full details
Phaistos About 38 miles (61km) south of Heraklion lies Crete's second most important Minoan archaeological site, the Palace complex of Phaistos, considered by many to be a finer example of Minoan architecture than Knossos. The west propylon, the monumental entranceway to the palace, is particularly...  see full details
The Palace of Knossos The Minoan palace at Knossos, covering an area of 215,278 square feet (20,000 sq metres), is one of the world's greatest sightseeing experiences. It consists of four wings, arranged around a rectangular central court. The palace originally had many storeys, was built of ashlar...  see full details

The Samaria Gorge It is an arduous trip but well worth it to see one of the great natural wonders of Europe, the Samaria Gorge in the White Mountains in western Crete. From the top of the gorge it is a 10-mile (16km) hike through the...  see full details