Heraklion travel guide

A small village with unique beaches and famous resort of Agia Pelagia, Heraklion, Greece

Introduction to Heraklion

Knossos Palace, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and Morosini Fountain have one thing in common - they're all three very good reasons to visit Heraklion, Greece. Heraklion has plenty of experiences to offer curious travelers. This city in the island of Crete, Greece is a travel destination everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. Boasting a variety of natural beauty and architecture, a unique historical background, and a culture as rich as its population of over 140.7 thousand people, the city of Heraklion is truly one of the main highlights of Greece.

Easily accessible from Heraklion International airport, Heraklion is the perfect base for a memorable and unique vacation in Greece any time of the year.

Travelers curious about Heraklion might find it interesting that the city was named after Dactyls. You'll learn more fascinating facts about Heraklion as you explore this spectacular city.

Traveling to Heraklion is especially rewarding for anyone eager to connect with locals and learn more about their unique culture and traditions.

Get ready to explore and learn more about the city of Heraklion below!

Top services in Heraklion

Here on this page, you'll find all the top travel services in Heraklion, Greece. Check out the cheapest and most popular flights offered by 363 airlines that fly to Greece. Browse the 215 top-rated tours available to you in Heraklion. We make it easy for you to find and book the top services in Heraklion.

Enjoy the convenience of planning and booking every detail of your trip to Heraklion, including flights, accommodations, activities, and more, in one place. Book with Guide to Europe to get an expertly-curated and fully-customizable itinerary and experience the best of Heraklion on your vacation in Greece.

Get answers to questions about the routes and services offered in Heraklion from our free 24/7 customer support. Continue reading to learn how you can enjoy a stress-free and memorable vacation in the city of Heraklion!

Learn more about Greece

There are many reasons to visit the city of Heraklion, but a trip to Greece needs no explanation.

Exploring Greece, which spans 131,957 square kilometers, is an adventure of a lifetime. Greece offers an abundance of truly magical places to discover, including cultural, historic, and scenic sites of significant value to both locals and travelers.

As the home country of many world-famous attractions like the spectacular Knossos Palace, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and the Morosini Fountain, you’re all set for a unique and memorable travel experience in Greece.

Click or tap the link below to discover more about Greece.

What to see in Heraklion

Photo of aerial view of lake almyros in Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Heraklion has something for everyone. Regardless of age and interest, travelers have the best time exploring every corner of the city.

Read on to discover the best places to visit and find out what to expect from the city of Heraklion.

Top attractions in Heraklion

Home to plenty of top attractions, Heraklion is more than just a wonderful city in Greece. Heraklion is a travel hotspot and a great place to experience a mix of the traditional and modern culture of Greece.

One fascinating sight in Heraklion is the unforgettable Knossos Palace. Considered one of the most well-known attractions in the city, a visit to this spectacular travel destination is something you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Heraklion. This remarkable attraction is located at Φειδίου 8, Ηράκλειο 714 09, Greece and is open for visitors Monday - Sunday, between 08:00-20:00.

For more information about what you can expect during a vacation in Greece, check out our list of top attractions in Heraklion below. Discover the best places to visit in Heraklion, including the fascinating Knossos Palace, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Morosini Fountain, Rocca a Mare Fortress, and Venetian Port of Heraklion.

Map of attractions

Use this map to find the location of all top attractions in Heraklion.

Things to do in Heraklion

Photo of remote village of Maridaki at the south of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Enrich your travel experience in Heraklion by joining tours and activities. Heraklion offers an exciting selection of top-rated tours and it's easy for every traveler to find something to their liking. Take the opportunity to catch the top attractions on a tour, stay active with an adventurous excursion, or learn something new about the local history or culture of the city.

Discover the most popular experiences in Heraklion below.

Most popular experiences in Heraklion

Traveling is all about gaining new experiences. You can have that and more in the city of Heraklion.

Heraklion offers numerous tours and activities for travelers to choose from. Private Day Trips, Guided Day Trips, and Bus Tours are only a few of the many experiences you can book for your holiday in Greece.

Explore the most popular experiences you can join in Heraklion by clicking on one of the top-rated tour categories below.

Top tours & tickets starting in Heraklion

Travelers in Heraklion can choose from 17 categories of top-rated tours and tickets. If you're curious about what the most frequently recommended experiences in the city are, Tours by vehicle is the answer.

The most popular tour in Heraklion is the fantastic Semi-Private Heraklion Wine Country Tour. By joining this highly recommended tour, travelers get to learn more about what makes Heraklion one of the best travel destinations in Greece.

Heraklion also offers plenty of budget-friendly tours and activities that promise travelers a unique experience in the city. The affordable CRETAquarium Entrance Ticket in Crete is the cheapest tour in the city. This experience costs around 8 EUR and allows travelers a great time in Heraklion. Around 260 travelers have given this activity an average rating of 4 stars out of 5.

Secure an unforgettable experience for your upcoming trip to Heraklion and book a top-rated tour in the city. Discover the best tours, activities, and tickets in Heraklion below.

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Search for things to do in Heraklion

Discover the best things to do in Heraklion. Choose from 215 fantastic tours and activities available in the city.

Select your dates and number of travelers in the search bar below to receive the best recommendations for your vacation in Heraklion. Click the green button to view your options.

Vacation packages in Heraklion

Photo of Heraklion harbour with old venetian fort Koule and shipyards, Crete, Greece.

The best and easiest way to visit Heraklion is by booking a vacation package. A vacation package includes everything you need for a worry-free and perfectly planned holiday in Greece.

Booking a vacation package to Heraklion means spending less time planning and more time enjoying your vacation. A vacation package includes everything from flight tickets, accomodation, and a rental car, to 24/7 personal travel support and a carefully planned travel itinerary. You can also take your vacation in Heraklion to the next level by adding tours, tickets, and activities to each day of your trip.

Apart from providing you with everything you need to travel comfortably, your vacation package to Heraklion is also fully customizable. In other words, you can add or remove services at your own convenience, to create the perfect vacation for you and your travel companions.

On our website, you will find 74 unique vacation packages to Heraklion, including flight tickets, hotel reservations, and recommendations for the best sightseeing spots, restaurants, bars, and activities.

Continue to the next section to learn more about what types of vacations you can book in the city of Heraklion.

Popular types of vacations in Heraklion

The most popular way to experience Heraklion is by visiting the city as part of a road trip across multiple destinations in Greece. However, it is also common for travelers to go to Heraklion on both shorter and longer getaways, to get a break from everyday life, relax, and experience something new.

With Guide to Europe you can find road trips, city breaks, and weekend getaways in Greece, ranging from budget to luxury. Whether you’re planning a multi-day road trip across Greece, or you just want to enjoy a few days exploring Heraklion, there is a vacation package for you.

Discover the most popular vacation packages in Heraklion below.

Top vacation packages in Heraklion

Travelers have a great selection of vacation packages to choose from in Greece. In fact, you can choose from as many as 74 different top-rated vacation packages to take you to Heraklion, and even more if you expand your search to include a bigger area of Greece.

To help narrow your choices down, here are some of the best vacation packages for exploring the city of Heraklion.

For an epic vacation, discover Heraklion and other top destinations in Greece on a top-rated holiday like the 10-Day Greece City Break in Heraklion. This vacation package provides travelers with tons of opportunities to experience not only the most popular attractions in Heraklion, but also in other top places to visit in Greece. If Venetian Loggia, Church of Agios Titos, Neoria Vechi, Ag. Ekateríni Sinaitón (Museum), and Agios Minas (St. Menas) are on your bucket list, this is the perfect vacation package for you.

If you would like to go on a budget vacation in Heraklion, book the popular Cheap 3-Day Greece City Break in Heraklion and spend as little as 200 EUR. This vacation will take you on a journey to experience some of the most incredible attractions and sights in Heraklion, including the fantastic Morosini Fountain, Natural History Museum of Crete, Church of Agios Titos, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, and Agios Minas (St. Menas).

Get more Heraklion vacation ideas on this site and discover the greatest selection of vacation packages in Europe. Scroll down to find the best vacation packages in Greece that match your needs and budget.

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Find vacation packages in Heraklion

Discover and compare 74 vacation packages that take you to the wonderful city of Heraklion.

The best flights, hotels, and activities in Heraklion get fully booked quickly. Use the search tool below to find the best vacation packages in Greece. Your customized holiday package to Heraklion is only a few clicks away!

How to get to Heraklion

To get to the city of Heraklion the fastest way possible, travelers from outside Greece can travel by plane. International travelers can fly to Heraklion by booking flights with any of the 63 airlines that offer direct flights to Heraklion International airport. Some airlines that operate flights to Heraklion International airport are United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Azul, and Ryanair. Go to this page to compare all flights to Heraklion.

To reach the city of Heraklion, travelers can choose from various airport transfer options available at Heraklion International airport.

If you're looking for the best flight ticket deals to Heraklion, knowing the cheapest travel time and which airlines offer the most affordable flights is helpful. Luckily, we have this information for you. Discover more about the cheapest and most popular flights to Heraklion International airport and Heraklion below.

Find cheap flights to Heraklion

Photo of tourist woman on vacation in Heraklion Crete walking at the port.

Over the years, more airlines have started offering flexible and direct flights to Heraklion, making it one of the most accessible travel destinations in Greece. However, it is usually cheaper to fly to Heraklion, Greece, in May.

The cheapest one-way flight to Heraklion costs around 28 EUR and is offered by the airline Wizz Air. The flight leaves on September 9 at 2 and departs from Belgrade Nikola Tesla airport in BEG, Serbia.

The cheapest round-trip flights to Heraklion cost approximately 367 EUR in total. The departure flight leaves on May 2 and the return flight is scheduled on May 4. The flight time is around 23 hours per way.

The return flight is operated by Corfu International.

Use the search tool below to find the cheapest flights to Greece and the city of Heraklion from your city of departure.

Popular flights to Heraklion

Travelers visiting Heraklion in Greece can fly to Heraklion International airport directly from 1868 destinations worldwide.

The three most popular routes to Heraklion International airport and the city of Heraklion in Greece depart from Heraklion International airport in Heraklion, Greece, Greenville–Spartanburg International airport in Greenville, the United States, and Albany airport in Albany, Australia.

Travelers can fly to Greece by choosing from from 1 weekly flight(s) from Heraklion; from 1 weekly flight(s) from Greenville; and from 1 weekly flight(s) from Albany.

The airline that operates most flights to Greece is Emirates. Emirates offers 179 scheduled flight routes to Greece.

Discover the most popular flights to Heraklion below. Click to view flights to Heraklion, Greece from destinations all across the globe.

Where to stay in Heraklion

Photo of old venetian harbor with boats in Heraklion, Crete island, Greece.

An essential factor to consider when traveling to a new place or country is accommodation. While visiting a city as fantastic as Heraklion is always exciting, any avid traveler knows that accommodations often make or break the vacation experience.

The best place to stay in Heraklion usually depends on travelers' needs and preferences. However, booking accommodation in downtown Heraklion offers a ton of benefits.

Staying at the heart of the city allows you to easily walk to many of the top sights and dining areas in Heraklion and cut down on your travel expenses. Centrally-located accommodations are also an excellent choice for travelers in Heraklion planning to go on a quick tour or drive to the neighboring regions.

For example, honeymooners or travelers on a romantic getaway in Greece can experience the ultimate relaxation at one of the 5-star or 4-star hotels in Heraklion. Travelers whose purpose is sightseeing can also find plenty of mid-range hotels to budget-friendly accommodations in the city, allowing access to many of the top attractions in Heraklion.

Learn more about the most popular places to stay and the top-rated hotels in Heraklion in the next sections.

Popular types of accommodation in Heraklion

While each type offers varying amenities and rates, there is no denying that Heraklion provides a great selection of lodging options ready to cater to every kind of guest.

Budget accommodations are also incredibly popular among travelers in Heraklion. Cheaper alternatives allow travelers to save on accommodation costs and have more to spend on other experiences.

Select the type you prefer to compare options under each category and find the best accommodation.

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Search for accommodation in Heraklion

Use the Accommodation Search tool below to find available stays in the city of Heraklion on specific dates. This handy feature also allows you to compare prices and amenities.

Enter the preferred check-in and check-out dates. Then, select the number of guests and rooms. Click the Search button to find all the available hotels and places to stay in the city of Heraklion that match the information provided.

Car rental in Heraklion

Photo of Knossos palace at Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Experience the freedom and convenience of a self-drive vacation by renting a car for your adventures in Heraklion.

Learn more about the different types of cars you can rent in Heraklion, Greece, below.

Search for car rental in Heraklion

Get ready to hit the road and explore the beautiful city of Heraklion. Find the best deals on a variety of popular car rentals in Heraklion, Greece, or any other destination in Europe by using the search tool below.

Enter your pick-up and drop-off location, driver's age, and dates. Click the green button to view your options.

Popular destinations to visit after Heraklion

Photo of the Koules or Castello a Mare is a fortress at the entrance of the old port of Heraklion city

The city of Heraklion is just one of the many unique and scenic destinations you can visit in Greece. So if you're itching for another cultural adventure, a relaxing road trip, an action-filled city break, or a memorable weekend getaway, know that Greece has it all.

Greece is calling, and the country is asking you to experience its culture and diversity to the fullest! Take the opportunity to visit other captivating places in Greece that are as magical as the city of Heraklion. The most popular travel destinations in Greece are listed below. Click on the name of the place you want to explore next to learn more about it.

All the best destinations in Greece

When unsure of where to go next, use the map below. This map shows the locations of all the best destinations in Greece. Use the map to plan your trip and find the best routes.

Domestic flights from Heraklion

Photo of Agios Minas (Saint Minas) Cathedral, Heraklion, Crete island, Greece.

A taste of Greece through a visit to Heraklion can often reignite a traveler's passion for adventure. When this happens, the best way to satisfy this wanderlust is to book a domestic flight from Heraklion to another remarkable destination in Greece.

To begin your search for the best or cheapest flights from the city of Heraklion to other spectacular locations in Greece, jump to the last section of this travel guide.

Popular domestic flights from Heraklion

Travelers in Greece can catch flights to domestic airports in Alexandroupoli, Preveza, Athens, Chania, and Kos. Domestic flights in Greece are operated by 12 airlines: Jet2, Eurowings, Aegean, Condor, and Transavia. There are around 29 scheduled flight routes operating to Heraklion on a weekly basis.

From Heraklion, travelers can book scheduled flights to 19 domestic destinations. The most popular flights from Heraklion depart to many top-rated destinations in Greece and are offered by Jet2, Eurowings, and Aegean.

Search domestic flights from Heraklion

Traveling to another city or region in Greece? Use the flight search tool below to quickly find the cheapest one-way or round-trip flights from Heraklion to different local destinations.

Enter all the necessary information and click or tap on the Search button to see a list of the available domestic flights in Greece on the selected dates.

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