Heraklion ferries

Heraklion is the largest city of Crete and serves as the capital of the whole island, as it is the largest entry point to Crete. The international airport of Heraklion serves domestic and charter flights from abroad with visitors from all over the world, while the port of Heraklion receives most ferries that come to Crete.

The town of Heraklion is built around the port and owes its economic strength to it. From the ancient times, its strategic location as a passage point between the East and the West made many civilizations flourish in Heraklion. Many ancient sites prove this, such as the Minoan town of Knossos, close to Heraklion, which was the most important Cretan town in the Minoan times and was probably destroyed by the eruption of the Volcano of Santorini.

After the Minoan Era, the next most prosperous period for Heraklion is the Venetian Period. The Venetians conquered the town in early 13th century and their presence in shown till today with their architectural remnants. The Venetian Fortress of Heraklion, one of the strongest fortresses in Greece, stands in the port and is the most famous sight to see in the Town.

Apart from a beautiful and busy town, Heraklion also has nice beaches and villages all along the prefecture. The most busy tourism resort in Heraklion is Matala, on the southern side of Crete, which gets particularly popular among English people. Other famous resorts of this prefecture is Agia Pelagia, Amoudara, Malia, Hani Kokkini and Amnissos. These are the most tourism developed regions of Heraklion and attract thousands of visitors every year.

If you travel along the mainland of Heraklion, you will see many beautiful villages that dot your way. The barren and wind landscape that surrounds them protect these places from mass tourism and keep the traditional, quiet vibes. These people may not speak good English (and in most cases they may not speak English at all) but the authentic Cretan soul lives in them!

Normal Ferries:
There are many regular ferries connecting Piraeus to Heraklion Crete. The whole trip takes about 8 hours and makes some stops in many Greek islands. There is also a normal ferry from Thessaloniki, northern Greece, to Heraklion that passes through Skiathos, Skopelos, Syros, Tinos, Naxos, Paros and Santorini, The trip from Thessaloniki to Heraklion lasts about 30 hours.

Hydrofoils:
Many hydroifoils leave the port of Heraklion with destination to Santorini (30 min), Rhodes (1 h), Mykonos (1and 1/2 h), Ios (3 h), Folegandros (3 h) and Paros (4 h). Itineraries are becoming more regular in summer.

Links for Heraklion
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