Want a Greek holiday experience that the whole family will love?
Well look no further than Heraklion, the largest city and port on the island of Crete.
Famous for its beautiful beaches, stunning wines and delicious cheeses, as well as its fascinating history – you can guarantee theres something for everyone.
Breathtaking beaches
After all of the eating and drinking, its time to relax on the beach and luckily there are several great sandy stretches to choose from.
One of the best to lounge on is Ammoudara beach right in Heraklion, boasting soft sand and clear blue waters.
It has both busy parts as well as secluded spots and is actually the perfect place for windsurfers.
Heading further afield from the city of Heraklion is Maridaki beach with its pebbled filled shoreline, while further afield again are the beaches at Matala and Tripiti.
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Matala is an enclosed bay and its beautiful scenery makes it one of the most popular in Crete while Tripiti has perfectly clear waters – ideal for snorkelling.
Culture vultures
Away from the beaches, Heraklion is awash with history having been the birthplace of the Minoan civilisation.
One of the best places to learn about this is at the famed palace complex at Knossos which flourished more than 2,000 years ago and has stunning frescoes and the perfect water supply system.
While at Heraklions Archaeological Museum, you can see one of the worlds best collections of Minoan art.
Another museum worth a visit is the Natural History Museum, where you can learn about geological ecosystems in interactive exhibitions, designed especially for kids.
History buffs should also definitely plan a visit to Koules, a huge Venetian-style fortress emblazoned with a Venentian lion.
Here you can also discover the building of Lodgia – once a club for the Venetian middle class but today a town office.
For living history, visit Archanes, a traditional Crete village close to Heraklion, that boasts beautiful churches, restaurants and taverns.
Cheese please! (and wine)
First off, without a doubt, Heraklion is a gastronomic destination and no trip there would be complete without sampling some of the local produce.
One of its most famous exports is wine – in fact the island of Crete has one of the oldest wine making traditions in Europe with Heraklion Greeces second largest wine area.
There are numerous wineries in the area offering tours, where you can sample some of the very best glasses.
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And what goes with wine more than cheese? Well when in Heraklion, try out mizirtha, which is a locally produced goats or sheeps cheese that is perfect in a salad or sprinkled over hot pasta.
While another cheese worth trying is graviera – Greeces second most popular cheese after feta – that boasts a sweet taste.
And whats more the Heraklion produced graviera has an almost caramel taste – delicRead More – Source
