The historic Candia, the city of Heraklion with its Venetian port is a modern capital with dozens of options in culture, accommodation, dining and entertainment. It is a city where you can enjoy the pleasures of today and the beauty of yesterday.

Walk and savour the sights, like the impressive church of Agios Titos in the square, originally built by Byzantine emperor Nikephorus Phocas in 961.

Admire the Armeria (armory) next to St Titus, and The Loggia (City Hall) with its 82 metopes and beautiful arcades. Directly opposite you will find the lively Morosini (Leondaria) square with its lions’ head fountain. Moving on to Eleftherias Square, the striking feature here is an impressive building housing the Prefecture of Heraklion and the Law Courts.

The Venetians on the pier

At the entrance of Heraklion’s Venetian harbour, the Koules Fortress (also known as Castello Del Molo or Rocca al Mare) gazes proudly out to sea. It was built by the Venetians and took its final form between the years of 1523-1540. It has been repaired several times and during the Ottoman rule it served as a prison. Across the harbour the Venetian shipyards make for a romantic backdrop.

The walls of the old city: the threshold between past and present

Walking along the walls, you will see how beautiful this city looks from this vantage point. You will pause in small shady parks and admire the genius of the famous Venetian architect, Michele Sanmicheli, who designed the walls and bastions more than 400 years ago. The Venetian walls demarcating today’s old town were indeed an impressive feat of engineering for the time, making Heraklion the best-fortified city in the Mediterranean.

Archaeological Museum: a ‘panorama’ of Minoan Crete

This famous museum is considered one of the most important museums in Europe. The exhibits include representative samples from all periods of Cretan history, covering a span of 5,500 years. You will admire the frescoes of “the Bull Leaper”, the “Prince with the Lilies”, the “Monkey Saffron Collector”, the “Blue Ladies” and especially “La Parisienne’’. The new wing of the museum opened in August 2013, with exhibits ranging from the Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods as well as the Roman era.

A feast of flavours and pleasures

Enjoy dishes from the celebrated Cretan cuisine at one of the city’s many cafes, tavernas and restaurants, accompanied by traditional music, fine wines and tsikoudia (Crete’s famous firewater). Then move on to designer cafes, trendy bars, hip hangouts and pulsating dance clubs that stay open till dawn. The dining and entertainment options in Heraklion are infinite.

Source: https://www.discovergreece.com/