Greece - Korina Miller [368]
Less frequent buses operate between the north coast’s towns and resorts and the south coast, via the inland mountain villages.
The wild south is spliced by mountains and gorges – many parts have no roads at all. Regular boats connect Paleohora on the southwest coast with Hora Sfakion, including settlements and beaches between them.
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CENTRAL CRETE
Central Crete comprises the Iraklio prefecture, named after the island’s burgeoning capital, and the Rethymno prefecture, named after its lovely Venetian port town. Along with its dynamic urban life and Venetian remnants, Iraklio’s major attractions include the nearby Minoan sites of Knossos and Phaestos. However, the north coast east of Iraklio has been ruined by northern-European package tourism, particularly around Hersonisos and Malia.
Rethymno’s more low-key resorts lie along the north coast nearby. Aside from its charming Venetian old town, Rethymno has a mountainous hinterland, where villages like Anogia cultivate the old-school machismo, moustaches and rugs of traditional Crete. The largely unspoilt southern coast boasts great beaches and the likeable, relaxed resort of Plakias.
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IRAKLIO ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ
pop 130,920
Iraklio (ee-rah-klee-oh), also called Heraklion, is Greece’s fifth-largest city and the centre of Crete’s economic and administrative life. It’s a somewhat hectic place, full of the sounds of motorbikes throttling in unison at traffic lights while airplanes constantly thrust off into the sky in summer, over a long waterfront lined with the remnants of Venetian arsenals, fortresses and shrines.
Indeed, Iraklio does have some notable historic structures, though its traditional neighbourhoods suffered major bomb damage during WWII, robbing it of an architectural legacy comparable to that of Hania or Rethymno. Nevertheless, Iraklio is lively, with excellent eating, drinking and shopping. The best places lie off the interconnected pedestrianised stretches of the centre, where ongoing renovations continue to beautify things.
Iraklio hosts several worthwhile museums and, just south, the reconstructed Minoan palace at Knossos, one of Greece’s most significant and most visited ancient sites. To the east of town, the Cretaquarium and an adjoining water park will keep kids happy. Further inland beyond Knossos, the Iraklio prefecture includes pretty traditional villages like Arhanes. Full of olive trees and vineyards, this bucolic region is where Crete’s best wines are produced.
History
Although Iraklio had always been populated, it didn’t become the capital until AD 824, when Arabs arrived. Naming the city El Khandak (after its surrounding moat), the Arabs reputedly made it the Eastern Med’s slave-trade capital. When the Byzantines recovered Crete in AD 961, they Hellenicised the name as ‘Khandakos’. The Venetians added an Italian twist, calling the city Candia.
Venice used Crete, and its well-defended capital, to expand its maritime commercial empire. The fortifications it built were sufficiently strong to keep the Ottomans at bay for 21 years, even after the rest of Crete was lost; the Venetians finally surrendered Candia in 1669.
When Turkish control over Crete ended in 1898, Hania became the capital, and Candia was renamed Iraklio. However, because of its location, Iraklio became a hub of commerce and in 1971 once again became Crete’s administrative centre.
Orientation
Iraklio is a work in progress, meaning some unfinished projects (like a lengthy pedestrian mall along the waterfront) may be completed soon. There are two main squares: Plateia Venizelou, also called Lion Sq after its famous landmark, Morosini Fountain, is most central, while the sprawling Plateia Eleftherias overlooks the harbour.
Many appealing sights are nestled around the pleasing, pedestrianised arc of Morosini Fountain down Handakos, and around Dedalou and Korai – the hub of Iraklio’s lively cafe scene. The ferry port is 500m east of the old port. Iraklio’s airport is 5km east of the centre.