Located almost in the center of Crete, Heraklion has since the early years played an important role in the history of the island. It has been worn different names over the years: Heraklion, Candia, and Heraklion, again officially in 1922. Today's city is a modern and large commercial, industrial and rural, provincial center. As the largest communication center of Crete is connected with the largest cities of our country and with many foreign cities.

The long history of Heraklion has contributed to the existence of an important cultural and intellectual movement. New quarters have nothing special to present. They remind us mainly of the big cities and other parts of Greece. However, the part of the city surrounded by the famous Venetian walls has retained many pictures and monuments, standing as reliable witnesses of its history, when it had to go through the gates of the wall if they wanted to enter the city. Today only two of the four gates are saved: the Pantokrator Gate (or the Chania Gate) on the west side and the lisous Gate (the new gate) along the southern side of the wall. At the southern point of the precinct is the Martinenego bastion, the highest point of the castle and further impregnable. Here is the tomb of the famous Nikos Kazantzakis. On a stone slab you can read the inscription of the phrase said by the writer, "I hope nothing, I am not afraid of anything, I am more".

In the center of the old town we find Venizelos Square with the Venetian Fountain Morosini. St. Mark's Basilica, the Venetian Loggia, beautiful fountains, old churches such as Saint Titus, the fortress, the Venetian courtyards and many other scattered monuments make our trip to the city.

A visit to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is a must. You can see one of the most important collections of the world with objects from Knossos, Phaistos, Gortyn, Archanes and other places in Crete. The Ethnographic Museum and ecclesiastical works of art are within walking distance. The local specialty of Heraklion is Hochli (snails), cooked in different ways. If you try them without being in Id what they are, you will find them delicious. In Heraklion you can enjoy traditional appetizers, baked potatoes, delicious cheeses and olives. The traditional Cretan desserts are "caltsounia", which you can find anywhere on the island. Do not forget to visit the "mahairadika" workshops where produced the famous Cretan knives are made by experienced hand crafters.

Near Heraklion you can swim at the organized beaches of Ammoudara, Linoperamata and Karteros. Here you will also find the remains of the Minoan town of Amnissos and a villa with marvelous frescoes. In the same place, the Cave of Eileithias is located, which was the sanctuary of the goddess of fertility, in 1545, in the village of Grafico Fodele Dominikos Theotokopoulos was born, better known as El Greco, one of the greatest painters in the Renaissance period. Bright palace and mansions that surround Heraklion during antiquity. The Minoan civilization flourished in Crete from 3,000 to 1,200 BC and was considered one of the most important in Greece. While it lasted, over a hundred cities prosper and grew up in major centers of civilization. The most famous are Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Gortyn, Zakros and Archanes. Most of them were repeatedly destroyed by earthquakes and other natural phenomena, but each time it was rebuilt and even more magnificent than before. In the Minoan civilization of the Golden Age (1700-1450 BC) art evolved into this cities leaving us an important cultural heritage and significant unique finds. Knossos is a most important archaeological site