There are some options concerning the city tour of Herakleion. The first one is
walking around the center of the city, talking about the existing monuments,
from the Byzantine, Ottoman and Venetian era, as well as the buildings which
give away the history of the modern town. A stop at the “Liontaria Square” is
necessary to taste the traditional pastry “bougatsa” and a Greek coffee.
The second option is walking around the area of the Venetian fortification,
near the seaside; make a visit to the fortress “Koules” and parts of the
Venetian shipyards (arsenals). Water tanks, salt warehouses from the
Venetian era are always important to Herakleion’s history. In this area there
are also two important museums, the Historical Museum of Crete and the
Museum of Natural History, which deserve a visit, if the timeline of the
schedule allows it.
The Natural History Museum of Crete of the University of Crete
(NHMC – UoC) was founded and has been operating since 1980. The
NHMC is organized into 7 Divisions i) Botany ii) Geodiversity iii)
Paleontology iv) Vertebrates v) Invertebrates (except Arthropods) vi)
Arthropods and vii) Genomics and Genetic Resources, it has two
Laboratory units: i) Education ii) Ecology – Management.
The Historical Museum of Crete was founded by the Society of Cretan
Historical Studies in 1953 and was originally housed in the former
home of Minos Kalokairinos (he discovered Knossos). The museum’s
permanent collections highlight the art and history of Crete from the 4 th
century AD through the Second World War. The collections are
ordered chronologically and by subject. They include ceramics,
sculptures, coins, jewelry, wall paintings, portable icons, ritual objects,
manuscripts, heirlooms, weavings, etc.
The third option would be to drive around (it is more convenient when we use
smaller buses or vans) and see the fortifications of the city, as well as the
bastions and the Venetian gates and fountains. This kind of excursion will give
a better idea of the size of the fortifications and the way they are incorporated
inside the modern city.
