- Resort beaches
- Sights of Hersonissos
- Fortresses near Chersonissos
- Dinosaur Aquarium & Park
- Delicious points on the map
The Greek community of Hersonissos on the northern coast of Crete is a famous European beach resort, popular not only among young people, but also among fans of noisy rest of any age. It is often referred to as the unofficial capital of the island.
The infrastructure of the resort offers relaxation for all tastes, especially if the tourist has a solid bank account. The prices for hotels, souvenirs and Mediterranean cuisine in the restaurant menus of Hersonissos cannot be called democratic, and therefore its main guests are wealthy Western European tourists. If you are not used to saving on the holy of holies - vacation, buy a tour and Crete will not disappoint you.
When asked where to go in Hersonissos, local travel agencies will be happy to answer the guests of the island, organizing a lot of interesting excursions to the ancient ruins in the neighborhood. At night on the coast of Hersonissos, there are many clubs and discos, so you don't have to leave the beach at all.
Resort beaches
Arriving and settling in one of the hotels in Hersonissos, a tourist longing for the sea first of all goes to the beach. In the city limits of the resort, the beach is not the cleanest and most comfortable, but it is worth walking a few hundred meters, and the picture changes to the opposite. In the eastern part of the resort, the Blue Flag for its cleanliness proudly flies over the beach near the Nana Beach Hotel. The same prestigious awards can be seen on the western beaches of Hersonissos, where most of the hotels with five stars on the facade are concentrated.
If you flew to Hersonissos with children, although you have heard that the resort is not very family-friendly, head to Star Beach. This beach is famous for its water park, which is very popular with visitors to the northern part of the island.
Attractions of Hersonissos
The best part about a beach holiday is that it can be filled with a wide variety of experiences. The sights of Crete are well known to lovers of the history and culture of the Ancient World, and therefore, after the first portion of sunbathing, tourists begin to look towards the tourist offices. The range of excursions on offer usually covers all the ancient ruins of Hersonissos and the surrounding area:
- Less than 30 km separate Hersonissos from Heraklion - the capital of Crete and the city on the outskirts of which is the famous Palace of Knossos. The city of Knossos was considered the cultural and political center of the Minoan civilization and had great authority in the Mediterranean in the twentieth and fifteenth centuries. BC NS. King Minos built a palace where all the engineering achievements of that era could be seen. The residence of the king, who was considered the son of Zeus, was rebuilt five centuries later, and today, during an excursion from Hersonissos, tourists can look at the ruins that survived earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- The main relic of the many stored in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is the Phaistos disc made of terracotta, on which the printed symbols of the Minoan kingdom are placed. The antique rarity dates back to the XXI-XII centuries. BC NS. It is not yet possible to determine his age more precisely. The goddess of fertility, depicted in sculpture from the Neolithic period, lay in the ground for at least eight thousand years. This exhibit is one of the oldest on the stands of the Museum of Archeology, where you can go on an excursion during a trip from Hersonissos to Heraklion.
- Another popular address in Heraklion is the history museum, which tourists in Crete will certainly drop in. The exposition is open in a neoclassical mansion dating back to the early 20th century. Its halls display archaeological finds found during excavations in Heraklion, Hersonissos and the surrounding area, and other historical relics. Among the exhibits there are also works of art. The hall, which houses a particularly valuable painting, is always crowded. Visitors rush to see El Greco's paintings "The Modena Triptych" and "Mount Sinai".
- You don't have to leave Hersonissos to visit the Lychnostatis Museum. An exposition dedicated to the life and crafts of the inhabitants of Crete is open on the outskirts of the resort. The owners of the open-air museum show guests their own lives. Simple everyday life, culinary secrets, secrets of crafts, recipes for making wine - a Greek family from Crete willingly shares with guests everything that they know and can do themselves.
- One of the oldest attractions of the resort proves that Crete was part of the Roman Empire and was part of it for a long time. The Roman fountain, preserved in Hersonissos, once belonged to a wealthy citizen and was located in the park of his villa. Since then, only the bowl of the fountain has survived, inlaid with mosaics with images of sea monsters and a fisherman.
The main natural attraction of Hersonissos is closely related to the ancient Greek gods. The Dikteyskaya Cave in the Dikty Mountains was discovered in the second half of the 19th century. As a result of archaeological excavations, it was found that for two thousand years the grotto served as an altar for the worship of Zeus. The main god of Greek Olympus, according to the authors of the myths of Ancient Greece, was born in the Diktic mountains. His mother, the goddess Rhea, was able to deceive her husband, who devoured babies, and saved the life of the future ruler of the whole world. Some of the finds from the Dikteyskaya cave, including the Early Minoan statues of Zeus, can be seen on a guided tour of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Fortresses near Hersonissos
If you are studying the history of the Middle Ages, the fortresses in the vicinity of the resort will surely become the subject of your interest during walks and excursions. The Koules fortress, closest to Hersonissos, has been standing in the port of Heraklion for almost six centuries. The first mention of the fort in these parts dates back to the XIV century, but that citadel was destroyed by an earthquake. The new fortress was rebuilt a hundred years later by the Venetians, who left sculptural images of their winged lions in the walls of Kulesa as autographs. During the possession of the island, the Turks additionally strengthened the fort, slightly building on it. Artillery pieces were placed on the upper level and a small mosque was erected.
To the city of Rethymno, which is west of Hersonissos, you will have to go about 100 km, but the local fortress Fortezza is worthy of special attention for fans of medieval architecture. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that Fortezza was founded in 1540, when the Middle Ages gave way to the historical period called the New Time. However, the architecture of the fortress in Rethymno allows us to call it medieval. The first version of the citadel took about 30 years to build, but almost immediately it was destroyed by Muslim sea robbers. A hundred years later, the inhabitants of the island restored the fortress, but after 50 years the Turks again took possession of Fortezza and remade it in their own way. Today the citadel in Rethymno has been restored to its original appearance. The restorers paid tribute to the Venetian builders who built Fortezza in the late Middle Ages.
Dinosaur Aquarium & Park
More than 250 species of marine life of various sizes are represented on the territory of the former NATO military base. The Cretan Aquarium, a few kilometers west of Hersonissos on the road to Heraklion, is a great place to go with the whole family. Especially if you are interested in the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea.
More than sixty exhibition containers with representatives of the flora and fauna of the World Ocean contain several thousand fish, crustaceans, sponges, arthropods, jellyfish, seahorses and other inhabitants. Aquariums and swimming pools are equipped with modern lighting and water purification systems, and the living conditions of their inhabitants are completely identical to those in nature. Many visitors of all ages come to see the underwater world every day.
Next to the aquarium is another interesting attraction for families - the Dinosaur Park. While walking in the park, visitors can get acquainted with the fossil lizards. They have been recreated by artists with pinpoint accuracy, despite the gigantic size of the reptiles. Some of the lizards are mobile and imitate sounds that, according to the creators, could be made by giants walking in a prehistoric forest. In addition to walking dinosaurs, visitors to the park can watch lizard-themed films and delicacies at the Dino diner.
Delicious points on the map
Traditional Greek cuisine and food prepared throughout the Mediterranean are at the heart of the resort's restaurants and cafes. When heading to lunch or dinner in Hersonissos, look for authentic family taverns where food is authentic and inexpensive, portions are generous, and the atmosphere is homely and relaxed.
- Plenty of pleasures await guests at Zachos Taverna. It is not for nothing that the restaurant invariably occupies the highest places in the rating on tourist resources. In the restaurant, according to the guests, the atmosphere of real Greece is felt, and the hospitality of the staff does not leave visitors with a chance to change the tavern with some other one. Order Greek salad if you want to see what it should look like, and fried sardines.
- Tourists often call the Sofas tavern in the Old Square of Hersonissos the best among others on the whole island. In addition to the ideal Greek menu and attentive service, visitors will find a magnificent view of the square with a fountain and live music, without which it is difficult to imagine a real Greek tavern.
- Palmera Seaside Restaurant is not cheap, but very pleasant in every way. It serves traditional Greek cuisine - grilled seafood, vegetable salads, delicious desserts and cold cuts. The selection of wines in the restaurant inspires respect, and the view from the terrace to the sea sets you in a romantic mood. For young tourists, the Palmera Seaside Restaurant has developed a special children's menu, and fans of oriental traditions will be offered fragrant hookah here.
