2023 Mediterranean Cruise Day 6 - Heraklion (Crete), Greece

Heraklion is the largest city and administrative capital of the island of Crete, located in the southern part of Greece. It is the fifth-largest city in the country and serves as a key urban, cultural, and economic center of Crete.

This blog contains a plethora of pictures taken during my visit to Heraklion. I opted to do an open air sightseeing tour while Roneshia chose a different excursion. Her gallery will be listed later.

View from the cruise terminal.

Heraklion Port

This is a picture of Koules Fortress, also known as Rocca al Mare. It is the iconic fort that guards the entrance to Heraklion’s old Venetian port. It’s a two-story structure built by the Republic of Venice between 1523 and 1540, on the site of an earlier Byzantine tower. The fortress features massive limestone walls that were designed to protect against both sea erosion and cannon fire. Koules served as a defensive bastion with cannons but also housed barracks, storage rooms, a well, a mill, and even a prison during Ottoman rule. Today it’s open to visitors and often hosts exhibitions and cultural events. It offers amazing views over the harbor and city.

Views heading into Heraklion.

Once in the city I boarded a double decker bus. These are some random city views.

Kronos Hotel

The Natural History Museum of Crete - University of Crete is a dynamic institution that combines research, conservation, and interactive exhibitions. It is housed in a beautifully restored early-20th-century power plant near Heraklion’s waterfront. It is dedicated to studying, protecting, and promoting the Eastern Mediterranean’s biodiversity, geology, and paleontology.

Admiring the stone structure of this bridge.

Statue

Hilltop view with gorgeous flowers.

Tree-lined Street

Recognize these businesses?

Cars waiting to board the ferry.

Street Views

Saint Titus Sign and Church

Municipal Gallery of the Basilica of St. Mark

Veranda Restaurant

Morosini Fountain

More pics taken at the port.

Ro Ro's Gallery

As I mentioned earlier, Roneshia did a different excursion titled, "Knossos & Heraklion City." In her excursion, she visited the Knossos archaeological site that proved the existence of the Minoan civilization. The Palace of Knossos was the largest and most spectacular of Minoan palaces. It was the court of the legendary King Minos, father of the mythological Minotaur: half-bull, half-man. Enjoy her gallery, mostly taken at the ruins. Photo/Video Credit: Roneshia Williams

Ro Ro also took five extremely short videos of the ruins if you want to see them up close.

Ro Ro, thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. I can't believe our day in Crete has come to an end.

Stay tuned for Day 7 as we will be spending the day in one of my favorite islands in Greece: Santorini.

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Until our next time......