Heraklion – located midway along the north coast of Crete

Heraklion is a resort that appeals to those interested in history and archaeology. Most groups and ages will enjoy the resort as long as you are not just looking for a beach based holiday. The transfer times for this resort tend to be short as the airport is in Heraklion itself. This is beneficial to you as you have plenty of time in the resort itself. On the outskirts of the town, you will find two good beaches known as Amoudara and Linopreamata. There are a variety of hotels and self-catering apartments in the resort. The hotels tend to offer half-board or all-inclusive and range from 2-4-stars. Heraklion has a brilliant culture and history. It is the largest of all of the resorts in Crete, as well as being the capital and this shows with the amount of Archaeological finds you will discover.

Heraklion – plenty of sightseeing to be done

Heraklion is a very historic resort with a lot of archaeological sites for you to explore. Heraklion has seen the presence of Romans, Venetians and Turks so there is a lot of history to explore. The Heraklion Archaeology museum is a must-see if you are interested in learning about the history of the resort. Walking around the town is appealing to many as there is so much to see, such as historical buildings, fountains and churches. Swimming is popular both at the beach and at the hotels. There are a number of local excursions for you to go on such as a trip to the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, visiting the Minoan sites, Knossos palace and the Heraklion museum, taking a day trip to Chania or Rethymnon or even going horse-riding or for a boat trip to other islands such as Santorini.

Heraklion – plenty of restaurants to choose from

Heraklion has so many restaurants that you really are spoilt for choice. There are many places offering traditional, local specialities, as well as a lot of seafood dishes. You will also find a lot of international cuisines in hotels and other restaurants. The cuisines include British, Italian, Indian and Chinese. Nightlife in the resort is good with a number of music clubs, taverna, discos, bars and Greek dining and dancing. Most bars are quite lively and stay open until late. If you fancy something different, then there are a couple of cinemas to choose from. There are a good selection of shops to choose from in Heraklion offering supermarkets, clothing, jewellery, antiques, crafts, leather goods and souvenirs. Public transport is also quite good with a local bus service from the centre of the town and other buses to other areas on the island.

Heraklion – plenty of sunshine all year round

Heraklion summer season lasts from April until October and it tends to be very hot and dry and then mild in the winter. However all year round, the weather is good making it an ideal holiday destination all year round. From the beginning of the summer in April, the temperatures are already around 18°C and there are around 8 hours of sunshine a day. Temperatures continue to rise throughout the summer with them peaking at around 27°C in August. By then, there are 13 hours of sunshine a day. There is a gentle coastal breeze that keeps the temperature at a manageable level. From September to October there are 9-11 hours of sunshine a day and temperatures still remain at around 20°C. The winter rainfall starts in December, however the wettest months are January and February. There is a minimum of 4 hours of sunshine a day in this period with temperatures dropping to around 12°C.

Find more travel information with the Heraklion Travel Guide »