Blue Aegean Hotel Heraklion Gouves

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Heraklion is very rich in history, as is the whole of Crete, having been invaded and occupied over the centuries by Venetians and Turks, whose influence is seen in the architecture and monuments to be seen around the city. During the Venetian occupation in the 14th century Heraklion became a walled city. The ancient walls can still be seen today and form the boundary of the city centre. The fortress down at the harbour shows reliefs of the Lion of St Mark and dates back to the 16th century. The fortress was later used by the Turks to imprison Cretan rebels. Open daily.

There are lots of other interesting places to see in Heraklion, such as the Aghios Titos church and the Venetian loggia which are both in 25th August Street (leading down towards the sea from Lion Square). At the bottom of 25th August St you will reach the harbour and the Venetian fortress and, further to the right, the bus station and ferry docks. This whole area was where the recent filming of "Othello" was made.

The architecture found whilst wandering around in the back streets of the city centre is really interesting. Parts of the city were exclusively Turkish and the ancient buildings are still very much in evidence.

Generally, though it's not the most attractive city, Heraklion does have a certain charm and nowadays has plenty to offer visitors - not to mention that famous Cretan friendliness and hospitality. Information on shopping and markets in Heraklion...

Capital city of Crete and fifth largest city in Greece, Heraklion (or Iraklion) has a population of 230,000 and is a busy commercial centre. It is well well worth a visit, whether your interest is in the city's rich history, or it's bustling shopping district.

You can reach Heraklion by local bus which takes about half an hour due to frequent stops along the way. The bus will take you to the main bus station near the harbour. You can follow the harbour-side road (to the left as you face the sea) which will take you to the centre via 25th August Street, or take the steps up from the bus station and the back streets will lead you into the heart of the city. A taxi trip from the Blue Aegean takes about 20 minutes.

The most central drop-off point would be Liberty Square (Plateia Eleftherias) at the Astoria Hotel. This is a convenient place to visit the shops in Dedalou Street which is situated directly behind the Astoria.
Another central landmark of Heraklion is Lion Square (Morosini Fountain). The Venetian Fountain is a popular meeting place, with many inviting tavernas and coffee shops under the shady trees where you can watch the world go by.

Lion Square is situated just off a busy crossroads and it is here you will find the market street. Full of interesting shops selling local produce, market stalls laden with a huge variety of the freshest fruit and vegetables, herbs from the mountains, and much more, the market is open every morning until 2pm (except Sunday), and also Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 5pm until 8.30pm. The shops of Heraklion are open at these times also.

For interested shoppers, these are a few well known stores you will find : Marks and Spencers, Bennetton, Mothercare, Sock Shop, Lacoste, Zara, Mango, MaxMara and PreNaTal (trendy Italian clothing for kids, babies and maternity wear at High Street prices).

There is a street market held every Saturday which should be of interest to real bargain hunters. Apart from an amazing array of the freshest fruit and vegetables from every corner of Crete, you will eventually reach the clothes end.

Bargains are guaranteed, famous name brands and many British labels (TopShop, Yessica, M+S) are sold here by the ever enterprising gypsy stallholders. You must be prepared to have a good rummage however!

On a warning note, due to the market getting very crowded, and with the heat, it is not the ideal place to take children (or even non-shopping husbands for that matter!) There is a coffee bar and playground opposite the bus station - maybe you could leave them there?. As anywhere these days, keep a close eye on your purses and wallets and never carry large amounts of money with you.