Iraklion - Greece

Cruise ships dock in the big port of Iraklion. Located not to far from the dock is the cruise terminal where you will find great facilities for cruise passengers. From the cruise terminal you can walk to the city center, take the hop on hop off bus or choose a taxi tour. Read the full Iraklion cruise port guide for prices and transportation options.

When you walk to the city centre you will most likely come across this street as you entre the city centre. 25is Avgoustou is considered the main street of town. There are lots of rental (car, scooter etc) facilities here and you will also find your typical coffee places and souvenir shops on this street.

Visit the Historical Museum of Crete to learn about the history and traditions of Crete. Find thousands of artefacts like antique fresco’s, byzantines icons, historical relicts and clothing here. They are displayed in 19 different rooms in chronological order.

The oldest archeological sight of Crete is the Palace of Knossos and perhaps the most important for Minoan civilisation. Legend has it the palace was build as a labyrinth with 1500 interconnected rooms. It was build by the king of Minos to lock the Minotaur inside. The minotaur was a monster with a body of a man and the head of a bull. The story goes Minos developed the habit of sending his enemies inside the labyrinth to serve as a meal for the minotaur. Find Knossos just 6 km south of the cruise terminal and city centre. Catch the hop on hop off bus, public bus, taxi or shore excursion to it.

This famous fountain in the middle of the historical centre of Iraklion is known also known as the Lions fountain. It was build to supply the city of Iraklion with water. It is part of a 15 km / 8 mile long aquaduct that carried water from the mountains to the town. It was able to produce 1000 barrels of water a day.

Houses the best collection of Minoan art and culture in the world. There are 450 artefacts on display covering 5000 years of history from the Neolithic era to the Roman period.

Lassithi is one of those spots on the island that is known for its spectacular beauty. It is a plateau 850 meters above sea level where you will find the traditional villages of Crete. Hundreds of white windmills cover the area. The locals used them to pump water out of the ground to irrigate the plateau in summer.

The original cathedral was build here in 1735 as a token of gratitude by the citizen’s of the saint’s protection. This present cathedral was build by the inhabitants of Iraklion. It took them 33 year to finish construction.

Arkadi is one of the Eastern Orthodox Monasteries underlining the catholicity and universality of the Church. Each year the Monastery receives and hosts many visitors and pilgrims from all over the world, from distant civilizations. Here are blended many languages, cultures, traditions, history and polymorphism.

Rethymnon is nothing like the biggest cities on Crete. It is has a small town charming place where time moves at different speeds. It is a great location to spend the day and enjoy the Venetian and Turkish influences it is famous for.