Heraklion is the most popular region of Crete and is located on the eastern side of the island, between Rethymno and Lassithi. Its beautiful capital, Heraklion Town, is one of the busiest cities in Crete, you will find two of the most important Crete monuments: Knoss Palace& Phaistos Place. The Minoan Palace of Phaistos is the second most important Minoan site, after Knossos. The main Town keeps its fairytale vibe. Strolling around the town, you will come across Koules fortress, at the Venetian port, Turkish and Venetian fountains, Venetian buildings, the Venetian Loggia and museums, such as the Archaeological Museum, the Historical Museum and the Museum of Natural History. Some amazing beaches, such as the former hippies paradise, Matala beach, Agia Pelagia and Malia, there are many hotels close to these beaches.

The Natural History Museum of Crete is housed in the renovated former premises of the Heraklion Public Power Corporation, on Dermatas’ Bay. It is the largest exhibition of its kind in the Mediterranean, showcasing the natural environment of Crete and the wider Mediterranean area in an innovative, original way. Visitors have the opportunity to explore Cretan ecosystems alongside their equivalents in mainland Greece and elsewhere in the Mediterranean via dioramas, i.e. full-scale models of natural landscapes. Other areas are dedicated to exhibits such as the Giant Deinotherium, the largest prehistoric animal ever to live on Crete, the Living Museum, a display of typical animals of Crete and the Mediterranean, the Enceladus, an earthquake simulator where one can experience several earthquakes known to have occurred in different areas in the past, as well as the Erevnotopos Discovery Centre, an area specially designed for our younger visitors, where they can dig for fossils and explore Cretan nature hands-on.

In 2016 we also hold three temporary exhibitions; “Dinosaurs extreme”, with real-size reconstructions of dinosaurs with extreme characteristics, e.g. the largest, the smallest, the oldest, the fastest and of course the famous T-rex. The second exhibition, “Light Mysteries”, is an exhibition which includes aspects of holography and optics, through experiments and illusions. There is also the display “Crete, a continent in an island“, featuring numerous exhibits and micro-dioramas on the biodiversity and geodiversity of Crete.

Where to head next?

Keep exploring the best of Greece! After Heraklion, the top destinations to visit are Santorini, Chania, and Rethymno.