Hellenic Ports Association

Heraklion offers countless choices for cruise passengers in town or outside it. The most important sights are the archaeological sites Knossos and Phaistos. The ancient city of Knossos, 5 kilometers from the capital, was the center of the Minoan civilization and includes the largest Minoan palace of the period 2000 - 1400 BC. The ruins of the city cover an area of 20.000 m2 and consist of the ancient city with palace, the small palace, the two-storey royal mansion and the royal tomb. In the same location the Stratigraphic Museum, showing collections of findings of Knossos, can be found. In the ancient city of Phaistos, 60 kilometers southwest of Heraklion, there is a similar palace, with that of Knossos, but it is less complex and easier to browse. The complex was built on a steep hill and it has an area of 8.400 m2. It was the religious and economic center in the Minoan era. The municipality of Heraklion has many more archeological sites such as Malia, Gortys and Tylissos. In the city there are many monuments that are of interest, such as the fortress Koules, the Loggia, the fountain Morosini, Bebo and Priuli and the Venetian walls surrounding the city. There are also many museums, such as the Archaeological, the Historical and the Ecclesiastical with exhibits from the Cretan tradition and the Minoan ruins. And of course, no visitor should omit tasting the unique local cuisine such as the “maleviziotiko” wine, the vinegar sausage, “chohlious boubouristous”, “kaltsounia”, “dako”, stuffed vine leaves, meat pie, rabbit stew, grilled trout and salmon, fish and seafood. ... the Minoan harbor!