Heraklion is the largest urban centre in Crete with approximately 175,000 people (the fourth biggest city in Greece), the capital of Crete and the economic,  commercial and scientific centre of the island. 

Heraklion, one of the top tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, is a vibrant city pulsating with life, while also concealing a rich history which began from the Neolithic period, 6000 B.C.  The Minoan civilization, the first European, developed in the area of Heraklion. Throughout the years, the people that passed through Heraklion left their mark.  The centers of the Minoan civilization,  Knossos, Malia, Phaistos which flourished in the past, are located near the city of Heraklion.

The area “within the walls” is particularly enchanting; the old city of Heraklion with its Venetian monuments, neo-classical buildings, picturesque pedestrian promenades. The number of monuments that attract visitors to Heraklion is considerable, amongst those are: the Venetian port with the castle Koules and the dockyards, the Venetian walls and the Loggia, the church of Saint Titus, as well as the churches of Saint Minas (small and large), the Basilica of Saint Marcus, the grave of the great thinker and writer Nikos Kazantzakis, the Venetian and Ottoman fountains. The museums of Heraklion are also unique. The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the Historical Museum of Crete and the Museum of Natural History of Crete.  More information: http://www.heraklion.gr