Heraklion Car Rental by Athens Cars If you want to enjoy a day in Heraklion, then Athens Cars offers free delivery of your preferred rental car to Heraklion Airport or any hotel in or near Heraklion. Check our Special Offers for Heraklion Car Rental Heraklion, the largest city in Crete No other city or town in Crete is as important as the city of Heraklion.  The city of Heraklion possesses a heritage that spans across hundreds of years and manages to bridge the gap created by time in order to embrace the progress of the future.   Heraklion stands at the outskirts of the palace of Knossos, which historians know to be the heart of the ancient Minoan civilisation, and it has known times of peace and times of war.  In 69 BC, the city came into the bosom of the Roman Empire through the conquests of Quintus Caecilius Metellus.  The Byzantine Empire took possession of the city when Rome fell. In 1204, when the Byzantine Empire was no more, Heraklion became a city under Venetian rule.  In 1669, after 21 years of siege, the Venetians relinquished Heraklion and the whole of Crete to Turkish rule under the Ottoman Empire.  Under this rule Heraklion remained, until Crete won its independence in 1897 and became one with Greece in 1913. The Modern Face of Heraklion Today, Heraklion is a city that embraces its long and colourful past but is nonetheless busy with building bridges into the future. With around 200,000 people living within its boundaries, Heraklion is a busy, bustling city.   Within the city is the Heraklion International Airport, the second largest airport in Greece in terms of size and traffic.  It is also a very important port of call in shipping and sea-based transportation. Check our Prices for Heraklion Car Rental with free delivery to Heraklion Airport Though a short drive out of the city will take the traveller to the most famous tourist attraction in Crete – the palace of Knossos – Heraklion itself has many interesting sights that should not be missed. Among these places that should be visited in Heraklion is the Liondaria or Lions Square, officially known as the Plateia Eleftheriou Venizelou.  If Heraklion is the heart of Crete, then Liondaria is the heart of Heraklion.  This is where people meet for business or for pleasure.  Here, one can sit at one of the cafes and be served light Cretan meals while watching people. Other sites that should not be missed when visiting Heraklion are Koules and the ancient Venetian city walls.  Koules, also known as the Castello del Molo and the Rocca a Mare, is a fortress that has protected Heraklion since the 13th century.  It overlooks the old Venetian harbour. As for the ancient Venetian city walls, they are certainly worth a look as these walls were the ones responsible for making the Turkish siege of Heraklion last for 21 years.  This is also the place where the famous Cretan philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis has been laid to rest. The heart of Crete beats in Heraklion, and a holiday to Crete will not be complete without an exploration of this city.  Check our Special Offers for Heraklion Car Rental

Mini guide to Heraklion

The capital of Crete has long been the cultural, economic and political center of the island. Home to ancient monuments and modern amenities, this city is the gateway to historic Crete.

The magnificent fortress, Koules, stands sentinel over the port. This castle has been used for centuries as protection for the harbor and as a prison. Now it is open to the public for tours. It contains artifacts and weapons from the past as well as dark hallways and cells that used to incarcerate the city’s prisoners.

The city also contains a pre-classical palace, the Knossos, which housed the rulers of Heraklion as they slowly conquered the island’s other cities in ancient times. In the center of the city is the excellent Archaeological Museum of Crete, which displays artifacts from Minoan, classical, Hellenistic and Roman times.

In Heraklion there are many options for entertainment and relaxation. In the city’s tavernas and restaurants can be found the local spirit raki as well as Cretian and international cuisine. For sunbathers there are several lovely beaches near the city.

Heraklion is also an excellent base for exploring Crete. By car hire in Crete it is easy to make day trips all over the island and still be back in the city for by nightfall. The eastern village of Zakros houses a historic palace as well as an interesting archaeological site situated on a beautiful beach.

This city can be reached by daily flights from Athens as well as several other cities around the Mediterranean. Package deals from many European cities are also numerous in the summer.

The city of Heraklion is surounded from many tourist resorts , beautiful places for relaxing and swimming . Thalassotherapy centres and swimming pools , as well as mini football grounds , are modern ways of young people entertainment . Hotels and apartments in the city of Heraklion , useful information about the culture and archaeological places.

athenscars in Crete is managing to promote the most beautiful directions to drive , as well as the archaeological remains on Crete .

Crete is a large and incredibly diverse island where pretty harbour towns like Aghios Nikolaos give way to rolling hills covered with thousands of olive trees. There are mountains here too and, amazingly, they are even capped with snow!

For many, Crete is famous as the home of the Minoan's, the ancient civilisation thought to have constructed the elaborate palace at Knossos, excavated by Aurthur Evans at the turn of the 20th century. In Greek mythology this is the birthplace of Zeus who, in the form of a white bull, is said to have abducted Europa and taken her back to Crete as his queen. Legend has it that Europi-Europa gave Zeus three sons, one whom, Minnos, gives his name to the centuries old civilization.

You'll see both the Palace of Knossos - where, deep in the labyrinth, Theseus fought the Minotaur – as well as the mysterious Dikti Cave, legendary birthplace of Zeus. Elsewhere Crete is all about lovely beaches, welcoming tavernas and wonderful countryside.