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Heraklion is compact enough to walk end to end in about 30 minutes, but its districts feel different from one another, and where you stay shapes your trip. This guide covers the four areas most travellers consider, with hotel price ranges for summer. See our where to stay in Heraklion guide for specific hotels, and the main Heraklion travel guide for an overview.
Heraklion Neighborhoods: Old Town and City Centre
The Old Town runs inside the Venetian walls, from the Koules fortress at the harbour inland to Lions Square and 25 Avgoustou Street. This is where the Archaeological Museum, the Loggia, Saint Titus Church and most restaurants sit, and it is almost entirely pedestrianised in the centre. It suits first-time visitors and short stays because everything is on foot. Summer hotel prices run roughly €70 to €150 a night. For what to see within a few minutes’ walk, check our things to do in Heraklion guide.
Heraklion Neighborhoods: Amoudara Beach
Amoudara is a 7 km beach strip running west of the city, separated from it by the mouth of the Karteros river basin and reached in 10 minutes on city bus 1. It is lined with all-inclusive resorts, beach bars and tavernas, and suits families and sunseekers rather than sightseers. Hotel prices range from about €60 for simple rooms to €200 for a five-star beach resort. The sea here is warmest from July to September; see our Heraklion weather by month page for exact temperatures.
Heraklion Neighborhoods: Karteros and the Eastern Beaches
Karteros sits about 7 km east of the centre, next to Heraklion International Airport, with a sandy beach and a handful of low-rise hotels and apartments. It suits anyone with an early flight or a short stopover, and rooms run roughly €50 to €120 a night. The Cretaquarium is 6 km further east. For airport transfer details and taxi prices, see our Heraklion travel tips and FAQ.
Heraklion Neighborhoods: Poros and the Harbour District
Poros, also called Katsambas, wraps around the ferry harbour and the industrial waterfront east of the Koules. It is the cheapest part of the city, with rooms from about €40 a night, and it is the most convenient base for early-morning ferry departures to Piraeus or the Cyclades. It is grittier than the old town and has few tourist restaurants, but the seafront fish tavernas are good value. Prices stay lowest here outside the summer peak; see our best time to visit Heraklion guide for the cheapest months, and for a livelier calendar, our Heraklion events and festivals page.
