IT IS a city that many tourists pass through on the way to somewhere else. Heraklion, the capital of Crete, is the gateway to charming towns and small cities such as Rethymnon and Agios Nikolaos, as well as the island’s myriad resorts and historic attractions.
Yet Heraklion shouldn’t be missed. In recent years, it has evolved into a stylish, sassy city, and its older, languid air has given way to an alluring buzz. Its shady squares and streets are lined with glossy shops and smart cafés, and, around them, there are plenty of elegant landmarks from the city’s long life to admire.
Unlike any other Cretan city, a walk around Heraklion will take you on a journey through the island’s remarkably rich past. A good start is the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, perched on a high ridge above the harbour, that houses artefacts dating back to the Neolithic period — including masterpieces belonging to the Minoans, regarded as the first civilisation in Europe.
Only uncovered in the early 20th century, by the archaeologist Arthur Evans, the civilisation flourished on the island between about 3400 BC and 1400 BC, and life in the Minoans’ sprawling palaces reached astonishing heights of refinement. Don’t miss the museum’s amazing frescoes of the women in their flounced skirts and beehive hairstyles, their delicately painted pottery, and images of the scantily clad acrobats, or “bull-leapers”, engaging in what seemed to be the Minoans’ favourite, if risky, sport.
Crete has played host to an array of incomers who all left their mark in Heraklion. The canny Venetians bought the island in 1204, and ruled it for four centuries, and some of the city’s sturdy Venetian walls still surround parts of the city.
Heraklion’s spacious harbour is presided over by the handsome Venetian Koules Fortress, which lies at the end of a long pier. It is well worth taking a stroll along the pier to explore the fortress, which promises panoramic views of the harbour (that dates back to Minoan times, and was also used by the Romans). Today, it’s a bustling place where vast ferries and ocean liners glide in and out, past yachts and colourful fishing boats.
Alamy The central market in Heraklion
The sunny, pedestrianised 25th August Street, which is lined with shops and restaurants, leads up from the port to the heart of the city. Along here, you’ll find other charming remains of Heraklion’s early life. The graceful Venetian Loggia (city hall) lies close to Lions Square — a favourite hub in the city and named for the pretty 17th-century Venetian Morosini Fountain (featuring four lions) that stands here. A host of cafés, restaurants, and ice-cream shops surround the square, and it’s a fitting place to pause and savour the atmosphere.
The Turks arrived in 1669, but Heraklion has a long Christian history, dating back to the time of St Paul, which continued through the Byzantine era and through Venetian and Turkish rule. You will be spoilt for choice exploring the city’s churches, some of which underwent several transformations. Opposite Lions Square is the Church of St Mark: an airy, three-aisled basilica built in 1239, which the Turks turned into a mosque but the locals turned back into a church when the Turks left, in 1898, and is now an art gallery.
Near Lions Square, too, is the Church of Agios Titos, which started life in about 961, and was dedicated in honour of St Titus, who was left on the island by St Paul to look after the Church in Crete (Titus 1.5), and is referred to as Crete’s first bishop. Sitting in a broad square, the church has an impressively sumptuous interior, along with religious artefacts, icons, and (supposedly) the relic of St Titus’s skull.
The Church of Agia Aikaterini of Sinaites, near the Greek Orthodox Agios Minas Cathedral, once belonged to the Venetian Monastery of St Catherine, and now houses the Museum of Christian Art, giving an overview of 14th- to 19th-century Cretan Christian art, including important work from members of the Cretan School of Hagiography.
Other shopping streets, such as Daidalou Street, lead off from Lions Square and are lined with smart boutiques. But only a short walk from the square takes you to Heraklion’s old Central Market, a different proposition altogether. Here, you can browse through spice shops, buy a hat or delicious Cretan honey, or some of the jewellery for which Greece is rightly famous. There are tea shops and cafés where you can while away some time, and an old-fashioned taverna where you can feast on Greek specialities alongside the locals.
Few islands have had as long and turbulent a life as Crete, and, apart from the Archaeological Museum, other places also tell its story. Among them is the Historical Museum of Crete, which traces the island’s history from early Christian times onwards, and houses two paintings from the Cretan-born El Greco — as well as an excellent collection of Cretan folk art.
istockThe Church of Agios Titos
Only a few kilometres outside the city lie the remains of Knossos — the greatest of the Minoan palaces. Take a bus near the Archaeological Museum, and you’ll be there in 20 minutes. You’ll need several hours to explore what is one of the most astonishing palaces of antiquity: a massive complex of amazing sophistication, home to these most creative and mysterious people.
Close to Knossos are several wineries that make for tempting excursions. And, in the evenings, after long days of sightseeing, you can unwind in any number of Heraklion’s bars and restaurants.
Travel details
Easyjet flies from UK to Heraklion, from approximately £80 one way. The Man in Seat 61 website has details of travelling to Heraklion by train. Double rooms at the GDM Megaron Historical Monument Hotel, overlooking the harbour and with a café/bar, pool, and health club, priced from £92 per night.
easyjet.com
vistheraklion.eu
seat61.com