Greece - Korina Miller [369]
From the bus station and port look towards the Hotel Megaron’s parking lot; a concealed stone stairway here doubles back and up, accessing Epimenidou and the centre.
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CRETE ONLINE
For information online, www.interkriti.org, www.infocrete.com and www.explorecrete.com.
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Information
BOOKSHOPS
Planet International Bookshop ( 2810 289605; Handakos 73) Literature, history and travel books, including many recommended in this guide.
Road Editions ( 2810 344610; Handakos 29) Specialist travel bookshop with numerous maps, travel books and Lonely Planet guidebooks.
Vivliopoleion Filippos Athousakis ( 2810 229286; Epimenidou; 8.30am-2.30pm & 5-9pm) Opposite Lato Boutique Hotel; sells books on Crete, plus Lonely Planet and other travel guides.
EMERGENCY
Tourist police ( 2810 397111; Halikarnassos; 7am-10pm) No longer centrally located; now housed east with other police services in the new main station, (Astynomiko Megaron) in the Halikarnassos suburb, near the airport.
INTERNET ACCESS
In Spot Internet Cafe ( 2810 300225; Koraï 6; per hr €2.40, midnight-noon per hr €1.20; 24hr)
INTERNET RESOURCES
www.heraklion-city.gr Official municipal website with useful information, such as phone numbers, opening hours and coming events.
LAUNDRY
Sweaty Iraklio is full of laundromats. Most charge €6 for wash and dry, and offer dry cleaning.
Inter Laundry ( 2810 343660; Mirabelou 25; 9am-9pm)
Laundry Perfect ( 2810 220969; cnr Malikouti 32 & Idomeneos; 9am-9pm Mon-Sat)
Laundry Washsalon ( 2810 280858; Handakos 18) Also offers left-luggage storage (per day €3).
Wash Center Laundry ( 2810 242766; Epimenidou 38; per load €7; 8am-9pm)
LEFT LUGGAGE
Bus Station A Left Luggage Office ( 2810 246538; per day €2; 6.30am-8pm)
Iraklio Airport Luggage Service ( 2810 397349; per day €2.50-5; 24hr) Near the airport’s local bus stop.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Iraklio’s two hospitals are far from the centre and work alternate days – call first to find out where to go.
Venizelio Hospital ( 2810 368000) On the road to Knossos, 4km south of Iraklio.
University Hospital ( 2810 392111) At Voutes, 5km south of Iraklio (bus 11, ticket price €1.50), this is the best-equipped medical facility.
MONEY
Banks and ATMs line 25 Avgoustou, and are widespread throughout the centre.
POST
Post office ( 2810 234468; Plateia Daskalogianni; 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-2pm Sat)
TOURIST INFORMATION
EOT (Greek National Tourist Organisation; 2810 246299; Xanthoudidou 1; 8.30am-8.30pm Apr-Oct, 8.30am-3pm Nov-Mar) Opposite the archaeological museum.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Magician’s Travel ( 2810 301471; operation@driveongreece.gr; Mitsotaki 1B) This helpful, patient travel agency near the waterfront can arrange and inform about all ferry and plane tickets.
Skoutelis Travel ( 2810 280808; www.skoutelistravel.gr; 25 Avgoustou 24) Airline and ferry bookings, excursions, accommodation help and car hire can all be arranged here.
Sights
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF IRAKLIO
The outstanding Minoan collection makes Iraklio’s archaeological museum ( 2810 279000; Xanthoudidou 2; admission €4, incl Knossos €10; 8am-8pm Tue-Sun, 8am-1pm Mon Apr-Oct, 8am-3pm Tue-Sun, noon-3pm Mon late Oct-early Apr) second only to Athens’ National Archaeological Museum. A €21-million restoration was unfinished at the time of writing (temporary entrance on Hatzidakis), meaning that a temporary exhibition of 400 (out of 15,000 total) artefacts is now exhibited, covering Neolithic until Roman times. Fear not, however – the collection’s most valuable Minoan masterpieces are all displayed.
This treasure trove includes pottery, jewellery, figurines and sarcophagi, plus some famous frescoes. The most exciting Minoan finds come from the sites of Knossos, Phaestos, Malia, Zakros and Agia Triada.
The superlative Knossos frescoes include the Procession fresco, the Griffin Fresco (from the Throne Room), the Dolphin Fresco (from the Queen’s Room) and the amazing Bull-leaping Fresco, which depicts a seemingly double-jointed acrobat somersaulting on the back