Planning a trip to Iraklion

Fast Facts

The official American Express agency is Adamis Travel Bureau, 23 25th Avgusto (tel. 2810/346-202; fax 2810/224-717). There are numerous banks and ATMs (as well as several currency-exchange machines) throughout the center of Iraklion, with many along 25th Avgusto. The British Consul (tel. 2810/224-012) is at 16 Papa Alexandrou, opposite the Archaeological Museum; there is no American consulate in Iraklion. Venizelou Hospital (tel. 2810/237-502) is on Knossos Road. For general first-aid information, call tel. 2810/222-222. For Internet access, try the InSpot Cafe, at 6 Korai, or the Cyberpoint Cafe, 117 Paraskiyopoulou. Both open midmorning and close at midnight. The access fee at both is now about 4€ per hour.

You can leave luggage at the airport for 5€ per piece per day; most hotels will hold luggage for brief periods. The tourist police are at 10 Dikeossenis, on the main street linking 25th Avgusto to Plateia Eleftheria (tel. 2810/283-190); they are open daily from 7am to 11pm. The main post office (tel. 2810/289-995) is on Plateia Daskaloyiannis and is open daily from 7:30am to 8pm. The telephone office (OTE), 10 Minotaurou (far side of El Greco Park), is open daily from 6am to 11pm.

Getting There

By Plane

While many visitors fly in from European cities directly to Crete on charter/package tour flights, most will take the 50-minute flight from Athens to Iraklion or Chania on Olympic Airways (tel. 210/926-9111; www.olympicairlines.com) or Aegean Airlines (tel. 801/112-0000; www.aegeanair.com). Fares vary greatly depending on time of year and time of day, and can run from 130€ to 260€ round-trip. Olympic also offers at least one direct flight a week between Iraklion and Rhodes; and, in high season, the airline offers service between Athens and Sitia (in eastern Crete). Otherwise, flights between Crete and other points in Greece (such as Santorini, Mykonos, or Thessaloniki) go through Athens. Reservations are a necessity in high season.

Iraklion's airport is about 5km (3 miles) east of the city, along the coast. Major car-rental companies have desks at the airport. A taxi to Iraklion costs about 25€; the public bus, 4€. To get back to the airport, you have the same choices -- taxi or public bus no. 1. You can take either from Plateia Eleftheria (Liberty Sq.) or from other points along the way. Inquire in advance at your hotel about the closest stop.

By Boat

Throughout the year, there is at least one ship per day (and as many as two or three in high season) from Piraeus to Iraklion, and other ships to Chania and Rethymnon. Most trips take about 10 hours, but since 2007 there has been a "high-speed" service from Piraeus to Chania that is supposed to cut the trip to under 5 hours. Check online at www.ferries.gr. In the summer, ANEK Lines (www.anek.gr) operates traditional ferries about twice a week to and from Crete and Rhodes (and Karpathos, Kassos, and Khalki, the islands between the two) and Santorini and some of the other Cycladic islands en route to or from Piraeus. Occasional ferries also link Crete even to Thessaloniki and various Greek ports en route. In high season, occasional ships from Italy, Cyprus, and Israel put into Iraklion. Catamarans operated by Hellenic Seaways link Iraklion with several Cycladic islands (Santorini, Ios, Paros, Naxos, and Mykonos). These run daily in high season, four times weekly other times; check online (www.greekislands.gr), or contact their Athens office (tel. 210/419-9000). For information on all ships, inquire at a travel agency, search online (www.gtp.gr), or contact Paleologos Agency (www.ferries.gr).

If you have arrived at Iraklion's harbor by ship, you'll most likely want to take a taxi up into the town, as it's a steep climb. Depending on where you want to go, the fare ranges from 8€ to 15€. Or you can take a bus from the depot.

By Bus

Visitors also come to Iraklion by public bus from other cities on the island. Where you arrive depends on where you've come from. Those arriving from points to the west, east, or southeast -- Chania or Rethymnon, for instance, or Ayios Nikolaos or Sitia to the east -- end up along the harbor. To get into the center of town, you must walk, take a taxi, or hop a public bus. The bus starts its route at the terminal where buses from the east and southeast stop; directly across the boulevard is the station for the Rethymnon-Chania buses. Visitors arriving from the south -- Phaestos, Matala, and other towns -- will end up at Chania Gate, on the southwest edge of town; walking may not appeal to most people, but you can take a public bus or taxi.

Getting Around

By Bus

You can see much of Crete by using the public bus system. The buses are cheap, relatively frequent, and connect to all but the most isolated locales. The downside: Remote destinations often have schedules that cater to locals, not tourists. The long-distance bus system is operated by KTEL, which serves all of Greece. Ask your travel agent, or call tel. 2810/221-765 to find out more about KTEL buses to Rethymnon-Chania and points west. For buses to Ayios Nikolaos, Sitia, Ierapetra, and points east, call tel. 2810/245-019. For buses to Phaestos and other points south, call tel. 2810/255-965.

By Car & Moped

A car gives you maximum flexibility in seeing the island. All the familiar car-rental agencies are available at the main centers of Crete, including the airports, and most travelers have their preferences. In Iraklion, aside from these, I recommend the locally owned Motor Club, 18 Plateia Agglon, at the bottom of 25th Avgusto, overlooking the harbor (tel. 2810/222-408; www.motorclub.gr). Europrent, with its home office in Chania, can also provide cars in Iraklion (tel. 28210/27-810; www.europrent.gr). If a moped or motorcycle looks tempting, be very sure you can control such a vehicle in chaotic urban traffic and on dangerous mountain roads (with few shoulders but lots of potholes and gravel). Try the Motor Club for rentals.

By Taxi

Taxis are reasonable if two or three people share a trip to a site; no place on Crete is more than a day's round-trip from Iraklion. Ask a travel agent to find you a driver who speaks at least rudimentary English; he can then serve as your guide as well. It might cost 100€ to tour the city and get out to Knossos, but for a party of three or four it is well worth it.

By Boat

Several excursion boats take day trips to offshore islands or to isolated beaches -- occasionally even to Santorini; inquire at a travel agency.