Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Heraklion?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Heraklion?

Most people spend one to three days in Heraklion during their visit. The accessible city offers amazing highlights such as the beaches, the famous sights and museums, the cuisine, and the nightlife scene.

Heraklion is a large port city, and the capital of the island of Crete. It's also your most likely arrival or departure point on the island. While many travelers immediately head on to their resort elsewhere on the island, those who linger for a day or two in Heraklion will enjoy world-class historical sights and authentic Cretan cuisine.

Do you have one or two days to visit Heraklion? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is one day enough time in Heraklion?

Heraklion, renowned for its numerous sights and attractions, is a major draw for tourists. Given only one day, you will likely find yourself hurrying to experience the key highlights such as the beaches, the famous sights and museums, and the cuisine. To truly savor all that the city boasts, a more generous amount of time is advisable. Many travelers opt for one to three days to thoroughly relish the wonders of the city. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit.

How to spend a day in Heraklion

Don't miss the Palace of Knossos during your trip to Heraklion, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.

You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this city, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. The city is home to countless Cretan restaurants that range in style and budget. There are fine dining restaurants as well as local dives with casual street food. The restaurants reflect the island's multi-cultural past with many styles and flavors available.

A few tour suggestions include:

E-bike Food Tour Tasting in Heraklion ($126)
Semi Private Wine, Olive Oil, and Terroir Tour of Heraklion area with Tastings ($180)
Cook with Locals | Cretan cooking Class at Archanes (transfer - lunch included) ($86)

Heraklion is a very walkable city. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. Many parts of the town are walkable and doing a walking tour is a great way to see many of the city's sights.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Heraklion?

A weekend is the perfect amount of time in the accessible city of Heraklion, as many visitors prefer to spend around one to three days here. Over 2 days or on a weekend trip, you'll be able to explore the major attractions and swim at the beach, explore the museums and famous sights, dine out at amazing restaurants, and dance the night away. We have some suggestions for what to do and where to start your weekend adventure below.

Heraklion, Crete, Greece

How to spend 2 days in Heraklion

Having a weekend (two to three days) in Heraklion will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the city.

The beautiful beaches await you in Heraklion, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. You'll find world-class beaches just outside of town, if you're willing to explore a little. Agia Pelagia Beach is about half an hour away and Limanakia Beach is also not a bad day trip. If you want to stay closer to town, head to nearby Amnissos Beach.

A few tour suggestions include:

Trypiti beach and gorge Jeep Safari ($97)
Comfort cruise - sailing catamaran trips from Heraklion, Crete ($137)
Day Tour to Elafonisi Beach from Heraklion with Pickup Included ($55)

This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. The city has some of the best nightlife on the island of Crete. There are many all-night clubs as well as bars that stay open until 2 or 3 in the morning. In particular, there are many British tourists hanging out at the clubs and bars.

Public transit in Heraklion is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the city quite easily. KTEL buses travel both within town and to nearby villages.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Heraklion, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.