Prefecture of Heraklion Travel Forum

Summer 2006 my parents are renting a villa near Elia. I gather that this is near to Heraklion and so I am trying to find out as much as possible about the place. I'm in my late teens and so am quite interested in the nght life, with a view to this; where is good value and fun? are the buses any good / safe in the evening?

As with any girly, I'm keen to do some shopping, whre are the bst markets and are there any tricks or traps I should look out for?

Local knowledge or prior visits would be very helpful! Thank you and Merry Christmas

In all candor, I thought Heraklion was a dreadful place, not because it was unsafe, but because it had very little to offer compared to so many other great destintations in the Greek Islands. It may be worth a short visit to the city to see the archeological musuem and maybe a couple other things (and be sure to visit nearby Knossos), but in my opinion you are much better off spending your time elsewhere.

I think you are about 10 miles or so from Heraklion. Whilst I probably felt similar things to AcornMan the first time I inched through the noisy and dusty suburbs of this place, it is a much nicer place than ever you thought when you spend time getting to know it. There are pretty squares with churches, parks, good places to eat, a huge cafe (kafenion) scene, as well as the better known attractions like the museum mentioned. There's a good market -for souveners and cheap jewellery and shopping streets with Greek and international clothes shops in the streets near the market.

There is a LOT of nightlife - Heraklion isn't a tourist town and, you won't see so many tourists out in the clubs and late night cafes, except in the staider places in main squares like Plateia Eleftheria : the younger people are all in the streets behind, if I remember right, where there are a huge number of bars and clubs. I am nearly 50 so not really the best person to advise on that. Hopefully someone younger and local will. But Heraklion nightlife appealed to me far more than the 'international' clubbing scene at Malia and Hernossisos - you might also find those places a bit tacky.

www.bus-service-crete-ktel.com is site for buses. The winter timetable is more limited - that is what will be on the site now. There aren't necessarily very late nighi buses I am afraid. i would recommend travelling around with a friend rather than on your own - you can get hassled as a woman on your own. Not necessarily during the day, when things more manageable, but at night.

I'm with Sarah on this one - Heraklion is a very lively city. I see from your page that you've been to Cyprus many times - if you've picked up some Greek language then are generally bill posters up in town advertising the latest clubs - last time I was there 25 Avgoustos was plastered with them. There's loads of really cool bars, but as a 40 something I can't really comment on whether you'd find them a bit dull. Mainly Greek clientele.


We're flying in at the begining of June - I can't wait and one night in Heraklion is usually planned in, just for the buzz!

Thanks, that was very helpful!