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Greece Travel Guide

Heraklion, an ancient city once thought to be the home of the legendary Minotaur, now stands an incredible urban fortress, offering visitors a unique experience steeped in myth and history. The largest city on the island of Crete, Heraklion is a perfect blend of ancient culture and contemporary city life. Hidden beneath its tough cosmopolitan exterior lies a selection of hidden gems, including excellent architecture, delicious culinary delights and some of the most famous sites in antiquity.

In just a day, you can stroll through the old city towards the Venetian Koules Fortress, a formidable structure overlooking a beautiful harbor, before lunching at a seafront restaurant to sample some of the region’s local cuisine. The Historical Museum of Crete, and the nearby Archaeological Museum, are also just a short walk along the coast offering visitors a once in a lifetime glimpse at a wonderful collection of Crete’s historical treasures. If it’s ancient life you seek, take a quick drive to one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, the Palace of Knossos.

As night falls around Lions Square, home to the famous Morosini Fountain, you’ll enter a central hub for night-time activity. The fountain leads to a street full of picturesque gift shops, markets and boutiques, perfect for spending an afternoon browsing in before heading to the surrounding bars and cafes for a relaxing evening under the stars.

Getting to and around Greece

Between state international, domestic and municipal airfields there are 44 airports in Greece. Travelers taking trips to Greece can get to the islands easily or from the islands back to Athens. The domestic airlines offering flights include Olympic Airlines, Sky Express and Aegean Airlines.

The rail network covers much of the mainland and links Greece with Central Europe and Turkey. There are express, regular and high-speed train services running daily. Hellenic Railways Organization runs the rails.

There are intercity coach services on the mainland, but on the islands buses are the best way of getting about. Even the tiniest towns are linked to the bus network. KTEL runs the inter-urban busses throughout Greece.

Renting cars and mopeds is easy and relatively inexpensive.

Off the mainland, the islands are all well-connected by hydrofoils, ferries and passenger boats.

Tips for your stay in Greece

• The Greek Islands’ “big five” are Corfu, Crete, Kefalonia, Kosand Rhodes. To avoid the crowds on Corfu, head north to Kassiopi. On Crete, go towards the Elounda peninsula. On Kefalonia, Assos is quieter than Fiskardo. For a quieter Kos, forget Kardamena and head to Kamari in the west or Tingaki in the north. On Rhodes, forget Faliraki and stay in Rhodes Town where is plenty to see and do. The Old Town is the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. It’s Unesco’s top Greek World Heritage site. There are charming medieval buildings, mosques, Byzantine and Gothic churches amid the shops and restaurants.
• Kos Townhas plenty of attractions. There are ruins of Roman baths and an amphitheatre. The 15th-century castle – the Castle of Neratzia or Castle of the Knights of St John – still stands by the harbour. Picnic near there by day and enjoy the sight of it lit up at night.
• Greece is often overlooked as an ecotourism destination but its landscape is diverse – indented coasts, rocky massifs, gorges, caves, lakes and rivers. There are unique marine parks near the islands of Alonissos and Zakynthos, which give shelter to two protected species, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus-Monachus) and the Mediterranean green loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
• Epidaurusis one of Greece’s most beautiful archaeological sites. The ancient Greeks visited the sanctuary of Asclepios to pay tribute to their gods and to ask for cures. There is a 3rd century theatre which retains its original, circular Orchestra. The annual Epidaurus Festival attracts visitors from around the world.
• Mycenaeis the home of Agememnon, the ancient king, who commanded the Greeks during the Trojan war. The ruins of the ancient city of Mycenae are in the northeastern Peloponnesus. They were considered a myth until Heinrich Schliemann unearthed six tombs with 16 skeletons covered in gold and jewels inside the walls of the citadel. Agamemnon’s mask is one of the most famous artifacts unearthed there. It is on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens