Things to do in Heraklion

The essentials

• Knossos Palace - 10 minutes from the centre. First entry or late afternoon; midday in July is brutal.
• Heraklion Archaeological Museum - the frescoes and finds from Knossos are displayed here. Do the site first, the museum second, and the palace suddenly makes sense.
• The Venetian walls and the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis - the best view over the city, and free.
• Koules fortress and the old harbour - the working waterfront at the end of the pier.
• The 1866 street market and Lions Square - herbs, cheese, raki, and the city at street level.

Eating and evenings

The lanes off Korai and Chandakos are where the city eats: small mezedopoleia, raki with something to nibble on the house, and a crowd that is local rather than seasonal. Sunday is quiet - many places close after lunch.

Drives that start in Heraklion

• Knossos and Archanes - archaeology in the morning, a village square lunch after.
• Zaros, Kamares and the Psiloritis foothills - trout tavernas and mountain air, about an hour south.
• Matala and Phaistos - the second great Minoan palace plus the south coast, 1h15.
• Agia Pelagia and Ammoudara - the closest swim, 10 to 25 minutes.

Parking and driving in the city

Leave the car outside the centre. Use the paid car parks near the old harbour or along the walls and walk in - the centre is one-way, narrow and monitored. Blue lines are paid, yellow lines mean no parking, and the fines are enforced.