No. 01 · Landmark
Palace of Knossos
Europe's oldest city, capital of the Minoans
A 4,000-year-old palace partially reconstructed by Arthur Evans, with reproductions of the famous frescoes on site.
Read more →Greece
Crete's capital and gateway to Knossos
Crete's biggest city — a Venetian harbour, the world's best Minoan museum, and the road south to the palace of Knossos.
When to go
April–June and September–October.
Getting around
Walk the centre; KTEL bus or rental car for Knossos and the south coast.
Don't miss
The top places to start with if you only have a day or two — the essentials before you go deeper.
No. 01 · Landmark
Europe's oldest city, capital of the Minoans
A 4,000-year-old palace partially reconstructed by Arthur Evans, with reproductions of the famous frescoes on site.
Read more →No. 02 · Museum
Holds the world's greatest Minoan collection
Where the original Knossos frescoes and the Phaistos Disc actually live — essential before or after visiting the palace.
Read more →No. 03 · Landmark
Venetian sea fort at the harbour mouth
A 16th-century Venetian bastion guarding the old port — now a museum with cannon-port views over the harbour.
Read more →4 hand-picked
A curated mix of landmarks, neighborhoods, and museums worth your time in Heraklion, Greece — grouped by type below.
Landmark
Europe's oldest city, capital of the Minoans
Landmark
Venetian sea fort at the harbour mouth
Museum
Holds the world's greatest Minoan collection
Where to stay
Venetian Morosini Fountain plaza, the city's living room