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Interesting nearby points in Heraklion Crete
The Museum of El Greco (aka El Greco Museum or Domenikos Theotokopoulos Museum) is located on the edge of the village of Fodele in Crete, west of the city of Heraklion. It celebrates the mannerist painter El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos, 1541–1614), who grew up in the village.
The museum is located around 1 km from the centre of Fodele opposite a chapel and contains copies of works by and documents associated with El Greco. The original building was in a ruinous state but was restored from 1982 onwards through a grant by the Greek Ministry of Culture. The museum opened to the public in 1998.The village of Fodele is claimed as the birthplace of El Greco, but this is disputed.The museum claims to be where El Greco was born.
The Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion not far away includes two original works by El Greco, the only original works by the artist in Crete.
Preveli Monastery is an Orthodox monastery located in the municipality of Agios Vassiliou, Crete. It is dedicated to Saint John the Forerunner (lower monastery) and John the Theologian (back monastery). It is located near the southern coast of Crete, near the area of Preveli, where the homonymous palm forest is located. The monastery stands out from the other monasteries of Crete as it has two monastic complexes, the Lower Monastery and the Back Monastery, with the latter being the main one.
The Lower Monastery is located near the Great River, on a hillside. In the past, this complex was home to monks and workers who had undertaken the agricultural and livestock work of the monastery.
The Back Monastery is the central complex of the monastery. It is about 2 kilometers from Lower Monastery. The Back Monastery is built on a slope and on different levels. On the lower level are the warehouses and stables. The central courtyard has the catholicon, the abbot and the cells.
Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe’s oldest city.
Settled as early as the Neolithic period, the name Knossos survives from ancient Greek references to the major city of Crete. The palace of Knossos eventually became the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization and culture. The palace was abandoned at some unknown time at the end of the Late Bronze Age, c. 1380–1100 BC; the reason is unknown, but one of the many disasters that befell the palace is generally put forward.
In the First Palace Period (around 2000 BC), the urban area reached a size of as many as 18,000 people.
The features of the palace depend on the time period. Currently visible is an accumulation of features over several centuries, the latest most dominant. Thus, the palace was never exactly as depicted today. In addition, it has been reconstituted in modern materials. The custom began in an effort to preserve the site from decay and torrential winter rain.
Elafonisi is an island located close to the southwestern corner of the Mediterranean island of Crete, of which it is administratively a part, in the regional unit of Chania. When the weather is fine it is possible to walk to the island through the shallow water. The island is a protected nature reserve. It is known for its pink sand beaches, created by tidal and wave-induced deposits of pigmented microorganisms living in a symbiotic relationship with native seaweed.
A few meters from the beach is the small island Elafonisi, which gave its name to the beach. The level of the sea on that part is also shallow, so one can walk there. Take your time to explore it. It is surrounded by rocks and crags. There are a few nice coves, that are worth discovering. There is also a small chapel, in the memory of the lost Cretan warriors.
Apart from enjoying the sea and sun, you can also explore the area. Make sure you walk a bit around the small island.
Balos is a lagoon located on the peninsula of Gramvousa, at the northwestern tip of Crete. Administratively, it belongs to the municipality of Kissamos and is 17 kilometers from Kasteli Kissamos. The lagoon is located between the peninsula of Gramvousa with the massif of Geroskinos and the rocky peninsula of Tigani. It is characterized by shallow waters and white sand, which in places is pink due to crushed shells and corals.
This lagoon is one of the most photographed spots on the island of Crete, with hypnotizing turquoise waters and a panoramic landscape. There are sunbeds and umbrellas for rent and snacks for sale, but you might want to pack a more substantial meal. Also, check the weather conditions in advance, as the beach can get windy.
If you’re planning to drive, bring suitable footwear for the steep trek down from the car park to the beach. Visit early in the morning to experience the lagoon at its most tranquil. Getting the ferry from Kissamos Port is a relaxing and convenient way to reach Belos.
Matala is located 68km southwest of Heraklion, where the plain Messara meets Asteroussia Mountains. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Crete and certainly the most famous beach of south Heraklion prefecture. It is famous for the carved caves in the rocks and the hippies of the ‘70s. It is located close to Phaestus, the second largest palace of the Minoan civilization. Matala served as a port of Phaestus, and on the Roman Times, it became a port of Gortyn.
Matala is located at the exit of a small valley, which forms an enclosed bay with nice view to the islands of Paximadia.There is a beautiful sandy beach, 300m long, with fine gravel and crystal clear deep water. Moreover, the seabed is quite rocky in some places (especially in the central part of the bach) and waves are common, due to frequent west winds. Furthermore, there is a huge cave on the north part of the beach, from the top of which some people dive. The beach is very well organized with umbrellas, toilets, showers, lifeguard, first aids, beach volley courts, snack bars, water sports, excursion boats, a camping site, etc. Around Matala you will find many options for accommodation, entertainment and eating. Also, a large part of the beach is covered by tamarisk trees, where you can find shade. In the evenings, the bars on the beach are full with many people, both locals and foreigners. Especially in June, the internationally renowned Matala Festival takes place.
The Samariá Gorge is a National Park of Greece since 1962 on the island of Crete – a major tourist attraction of the island – and a World’s Biosphere Reserve.
White Mountains’ National Park is the only national park in Crete. It centres around the Samaria gorge, at an altitude of 1,200m and continues down to Agia Roumeli, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding slopes and a number of smaller gorges branching off from it, Samaria Gorge forms the whole of the area designated as a national park, a status that offers protection to over 450 species of plant and animal, 70 of which are endemic to Crete. In the prefecture of Chania, the Samaria gorge is the longest in Europe (total length 16km), and one of the most impressive gorges in Greece. It starts from Xyloskalo, at an altitude of 1,230m. The width of the gorge is 150m at its widest point and 3m at its narrowest.
Visitors can descend into the gorge and walk for about 6 to 8 hours. Even though the path runs downhill it requires strong, comfortable footwear and some degree of physical fitness. But it’s well worth the effort. At the end of the path, swimming, taverna lunches and picnics under a canopy of trees within full view of the Mediterranean Sea all await you!
Agia Pelagia is a popular seaside resort 23 km northwest of Crete’s capital city of Heraklion. In former times, Agia Pelagia was a tiny fishing village and a place for the residents of nearby Achlada village to grow their crops. Today, the village built at the center of a picturesque amphitheatric bay has been transformed into a bustling tourist resort featuring five-star hotels, traditional seaside tavernas, cafes, bars, internet cafés, ATMs, and souvenir shops.
The village takes its name from the homonymous church, in the Monastery of the Sebbathians, ruins of which are found at a distance of 1 km west of the village. The beaches of the village are popular with locals and tourists because they are sheltered by the rock outcroppings that almost encircle Agia Pelagia Bay.
Its narrow beach, set in a protected bay, is filled with lounge chairs and is popular for jet skiing and scuba diving. Souvenir handicraft shops, beach bars, and seafood restaurants are scattered around the waterfront. Inland, whitewashed Ekklisia Agia Pelagia is a former monastery that dates back to the Venetian period.
