The archaeological museum is one of the largest in Greece and one of the most important museum in Europe. The museum brings together representative samples from all periods of Cretan prehistory and history, from the Neolithic (7000 BC) to the Roman Empire. You can find the most remarkable and complete collection of Minoan civilization artifacts with several important exhibits, including the famous Phaistos disc.

Koules is the Venetian fortress that adorns the city of Heraklion and is located at the entrance of the city's port. The castle in its present form was completed at 1540, with its original name Rocca al Mare, (the Fortress of the Sea), as the Venetian founders called it. During Ottoman period the castle was a prison and a small lighthouse was built there. It was built with large blocks and consists of two floors. Today, Koules is open to the publlic , and on the summer time many cultural events take place there.

Knossos Palace is only 5 minutes from the city of Heraklion in a lush olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees. The palace in its present form is associated with Minoan civilization, with the first traces of settlement appearing in the Neolithic era around 7000 BC. As you tour the Palace you will get to know the throne room, the royal apartments, the staff rooms, the Palace warehouses, the mosaics, the ceramics, the gold jewelry, the statues, the murals, the double horns and the theater.

Nikos Kazantzakis was a Greek writer and he is considered one of the greatest writers in Greece, whose books have been translated in many foreign languages. The writer waw awarded for his books "The Last Temptation of Christ ", "Christ Recrucified " and "Captain Michalis" and the Church came very close to its apostasy in 1955 because of the religious references in his work. His tomb stands over the Venetian walls where you can have a nice panoramic view of the city of Heraklion. His tomb is very simple, it has a wooden cross and his famous phrase engraved on it: “I hope nothing. I'm not afraid of anything. I am free".

The Cathedral of St. Minas is in the center of the city. It was built in 1895 and it is the largest temple on the island. Saint Minas is the patron Saint of Heraklion and celebrated on the 11th of November. There are many legends and stories how He protected the city. During the german bombardments in 1941, a bomb fell at the church but never exploded. Untill today you can see the bomb right next to the cathedral.

The church was the central temple of a Sinai Monastery that was founded at 10th century AD. The temple is the only remainant and it was built 600 years after the Monastery. On the building you can see many influences from the Venetian architecture.From 1967 until today, it houses a great exhibition of Byzantine icons and six unique works by the famous hagiographer Michael Damaskinos.