Heraklion is the capital of Crete and one of the Mediterranean region's most fascinating and vibrant cities. The city is also the commercial and technological centre of the island.
The distance between Athens international airport to Heraklion city is approximately fifty minutes by the airplane and eight hours by the vessel of the line.
The history of the city Heraklion dates from the Neolithic period. The monuments found in the area testify to the rich past of the Minoan, Byzantine and Venetian periods. Today the city has a population up to150,000 people and it considered as the fourth biggest in Greece.
Because of its geographic position, Heraklion affords an ideal starting-off point for the visitors to explore the sights of the island. One can easily access via Heraklion the major holiday resorts of the island: places like Matalla, beautiful beaches of Agia Pelagia, the greenery of Arhanes also noisy Mallia and finally Hersonissos famous for its buzzing night life. The Europe cruise ships dock in Chania, but there are several ferries available to take passengers into Heraklion.Its rich history, beautiful natural surroundings coupled with the mediterraenean climate make Heraklion an ideal holiday destination.
History lovers can enjoy the main archaeological monuments of Crete like the ancient city of Knossos, the archaeological site of Faistos and the ancient village-town of Arhanes situated near in Heraklion.
