Heraklion area Holidays

from £ 235 pp

Holidays to the Heraklion area of Crete have something to offer around the clock, starting with early morning sunbathing stints on the beach and ending in dusk-til-dawn clubbing.

Rainbow beaches

The Heraklion area’s bragging rights begin with its beaches. The stretches of sand in this central part of Crete’s north coast are impossible to pigeon hole – they range from the lively 18 to 30s hangouts in Malia to the rugged bays of the deserted island, Dia.

Lively nightlife

The Heraklion area has the first word when it comes to nightlife in Crete. Hersonissos has a stockpile of bars and nightclubs, but even this pales in comparison to what Malia has to offer. Thanks to foam parties, shooter bars and nightclub booze cruises, the after-dark scene in this town can easily turn into after-dawn action.

The Palace of Knossos

While half of the Heraklion area’s visitors come here to live in the moment, the other half come to explore the past. The Palace of Knossos is just a few miles from Heraklion city centre. According to legend, the foundations of this Bronze Age city were filled with an inescapable labyrinth, which was guarded by a vicious Minotaur.

At a glance

Take advantage of happy hour on Malia Beach
Brave the kamikaze slide at Watercity
Explore the Bronze Age ruins at the Palace of Knossos

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BEACHES
SHOPPING
NIGHTLIFE
FOOD & DRINK

The full spectrum of sands

Heraklion has a comprehensive catalogue of beaches. There are busy bands of sand with the full list of facilities, like Hersonissos Port Beach. There are rugged island bays, like the one on Dia. And there are bar-backed beaches, like Malia Central Beach, which attract the 18 to 30s crowd.
The big beach

Malia tots up 6 kilometres’ worth of beaches. The one that gets the most lip-service, however, is Malia Central Beach. It’s 600 metres long and topped with sunloungers and parasols. Visitors come here for the watersports and the beach bars that line the sand.
The secret beach

St George’s Beach isn’t exactly a secret – if it was, you wouldn’t be able to catch a boat here from Heraklion harbour – but it does fly below the radar of most tourists. This rugged bay is on the uninhabited island of Dia, 12 miles off the mainland. A handful of sunloungers have recently been added to the sand, but apart from these, the trappings of tourism are few and far between.

Bargain Buys

For souvenir shopping that won’t break the bank, head to Eleftheriou Venizelou Street in Hersonissos. The gift shops here sell everything from Crete-branded candles and shot glasses to ceramics and t-shirts, and prices start at just a few euros. For something a bit more traditional, try Heraklion’s open-air market on Odos 1866 Street. It’s open every day except Sunday, and the stalls are stacked with the likes of thyme honey, pumice stones and olive oil.
Mid-Range Buys

Quite a few high street brands put in an appearance in the Heraklion area. On Daidalou Street in Heraklion town, you’ll find stores like Zara and Benetton. On Malia Beach Road, meanwhile, you’ve got shops selling brands like Nike and Puma. Make-your-own t-shirt places are also popular in Malia.
Designer Buys

As a rule, visitors don’t come to the Heraklion area to shop. If you can’t get through your holiday without a shopping splurge, though, you’ll find the shops of several Greek fashion designers in Liberty Square in Heraklion. Alternatively, check out the jewellery shops on Malia Beach Road in Malia and El Venizelou Street in Hersonissos.

Laid-back evenings

There are plenty of restaurants along Hersonissos’ waterfront. If you want a more authentic Greek experience, however, try Koutouloufari village, a couple of kilometres away. Head for A Minoti Street and you can’t go far wrong. Stalis, 4 kilometres east of Malia, is another good choice for traditional tavernas. The restaurants along Beach Road and Grammatikaki Street specialise in classics like stifado and kleftico.
Lively evenings

You can set the midnight oil on fire in Malia. Malia Beach Road is fenced in by bars, karaoke joints, and clubs. Drinks are served in all shapes and sizes – from fish bowls to yard glasses – and the foam parties and bar crawls carry on until sunrise. In Hersonissos, meanwhile, nights begin in the bars of 25 Martious Street and end in the nightclubs of Agias Paraskevis Street.

Onion pie

Different parts of Crete put a different twist on the onion pie. In Heraklion, it’s made by mixing mashed potatoes with onion, before frying the mixture in eggs and flour. In other parts of the island it’s enveloped by a pastry casing, and sometimes looks a bit like quiche.
Kolokithokeftedes

This dish was born of Crete’s love affair with courgettes. It’s made by mashing courgettes, flour, eggs and other vegetables together, shaping them into patties, and frying them. They’re usually served fresh-from-the-pan as part of a warm mezze platter.
Ostrich

You might think ostrich would stick out like a sore thumb on a traditional Greek menu, but over the past decade or so it’s become commonplace on certain Heraklion area menus. It’s all because of the ostrich farm, which has been set up outside Kokini Hani, a few miles from Heraklion. The meat is usually served up as souvalaki or steak.
Paximadia

Paximadia is a traditional Greek bread. It’s pretty hard when it comes out of the oven, and needs to be softened up with a splash of water and olive oil before serving. Its taste comes into its own when it’s topped with tomatoes, oregano, olives and cheese, and served as the bedrock of a Greek salad.
Tsikoudia

If you only learn one Greek word while you’re in Greece, make it ‘yamas’. It means ‘cheers’, and you’ll need to use it every time you’re given a shot of tsikoudia. This clear, grape-based spirit is often served compliments-of-the-house in traditional restaurants.

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Heraklion area Holidays

Rainbow beaches

Lively nightlife

The Palace of Knossos

At a glance

Destinations in Heraklion Area

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Heraklion area

The full spectrum of sands

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Onion pie

Kolokithokeftedes

Ostrich

Paximadia

Tsikoudia

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