The resorts of Greece, like its ancient sights, are known all over the world. The island of Crete enjoys a special love among travelers, the culture of which is as attractive as the beaches of Hersonissos, the unofficially recognized tourist center of the island.
History of Hersonissos
There are many cities on Earth whose age is calculated in millennia, not centuries or years. Greece is full of similar ancient settlements. Hersonissos, located in the north of Crete, is one of them. Founded 3500 years ago during the Minoan era, it reached its peak during the reign of the Romans and then the Byzantines.
Even in ancient times, the inhabitants of the city were forced to leave it in order to re-found it in the depths of the island. This was due to numerous earthquakes and attacks by pirates, who alternately destroyed it.
New Hersonissos was built 2 km from the coast on Mount Harakas, which was a natural observation point for the water surface. The view from it made it possible to notice the threat approaching from the sea in advance in order to hide from the enemy in time.
For a very long time the city remained a small provinciala place where time seemed to stand still until tourism investors took notice in the 20th century. The beaches of Hersonissos, its proximity to the capital of the island Heraklion and the airport became the reason to start building hotels here.
City Today
Today this place is well known in the world as a youth tourist center. For those who are attracted to Greece, Hersonissos may be a little disappointing. Here, unlike mainland tourism, there is an atmosphere of endless fun, club life, discos and youth movements.
For couples with children, the beaches of Hersonissos are available from May to July, since at this time there is relative peace and quiet. From July to the end of August, teenagers and students from all over the world come here to hang out and make new friends.
In September comes the velvet season, which is appreciated by those travelers who do not tolerate the heat and prefer a quiet holiday with warm weather.
City attractions
Unfortunately, almost no ancient architecture has been preserved in Hersonissos. This is due to the long Turkish rule, under which the new authorities did not consider it necessary to leave their cultural heritage to the locals. If in the 19th century there were still an amphitheater, an ancient aqueduct and the remains of buildings of the Minoan and Roman era, then after the war and the liberation from the Turkish yoke, almost nothing remained of them. The new Greek government allowed even the local population to use the stones left in the place of ancient buildings for their needs.
Butthere are more than enough attractions outside the city, as guests of the island note:
- Lychnostatis is an open-air ethnic village. It is located just half a kilometer from the city and is a working workshops where you can see how household items and weapons were produced in ancient times. This is one of the few museums where you can touch all the exhibits with your hands. Entrance for an adult will cost 5€, and for a child under 12 - 2€.
- Skotino is a cave that consisted of several halls containing stalagmites and stalactites of absolutely unimaginable shapes. Archaeological surveys carried out in the middle of the 20th century helped to find out that in the Minoan era it served for the performance of religious rites, as bronze figurines of that era were found here. Not far from it is a church built right into the rock. It bears the name of the physician Paraskeva.
- The Palace of Knossos is the most famous landmark of Crete. If you come to its ruins on Tuesday or Thursday, you can not only see everything for free (on other days the cost is 4 €), but also get real archaeologists as guides who will tell you both about the history of the palace and about what they are working now.
These are the main attractions that are most often included in the excursion package, but this is not what people from all over the world come here for. The main thing that travelers of Hersonissos (Crete) may be interested in is the beaches that are here for every taste.
Heraklion
Already at the time whenThe main city of Crete was Knossos, Heraklion was its largest port. It has the sad fate of cities that have always been considered desirable prey, and therefore were subjected to raids by pirates and conquerors and devastation.
For example, in the 9th century it passed into the hands of the Arabs and was renamed Khandak, becoming a place for the slave trade and a haven for pirates. In the 10th century, Byzantium, dissatisfied with the fact that robbery was happening near the Christian world, conquered Heraklion from the Arabs, completely plundering and destroying it, but a hundred years later the city was again restored in all its former glory.
This was not the end of his misadventures, so in 1645 he was again recaptured by the Turks. This time they did not destroy Christian shrines, so when the city was freed from the yoke once again in the 18th century, it remained intact until the Second World War, during which it was bombed and badly damaged.
Today, two cities are very interconnected - the capital of Crete, Heraklion - Hersonissos. Both of them are included in the mandatory excursion programs.
Sandy beach
Star Beach is almost the only sandy beach in Hersonissos, as its guests note in their reviews. Entrance to it is free, but it is located on the outskirts of the city, and it takes about 30 minutes to walk. But the lack of stones that other beaches of Crete abound in, a gentle slope to the sea and a gradual increase in depth make it the most popular among couples with children and the elderly.
The beach is preceded by a large amusement park whereEntrance is also free, but you are not allowed to bring your own food. The park has several pools, one of which is for children with slides and small attractions. The adult pools are “adorned” with waterfalls and surrounded by bars.
You can sunbathe near the pools, renting sun loungers and umbrellas, or go down to one of the sandy beaches. Everything here is thought out so that the guests of the park leave their money as much as possible while relaxing in it. Although changing rooms, toilets and swimming pools are free, the aromas of delicious dishes that come from numerous cafes awaken hunger, so it is simply impossible not to eat on the territory of Star Beach. Given that Greek cuisine is really great, the portions are very large, and the service is excellent, such expenses are unlikely to spoil the mood. The same applies to SPA-centers, rental of ATVs, scooters and diving. Entertainment and attractions are paid, but absolutely affordable.
Nana Beach
This beach is located in a cozy bay, which is comfortable even in windy weather, as it is quite closed. Nana Beach belongs to the hotel with the same name, although the rest on it is available to everyone. The territory of the bay is sandy, but the bottom is covered with small pebbles that slide underfoot, so couples with children and the elderly who choose it for recreation should be careful.
You also need to be prepared for the fact that the water in the bay is always a couple of degrees colder than in other resorts of the island. This is due to cold springs beating in the immediate vicinity ofshores whose water mixes with the warm sea and cools it.
There are never a lot of people on Nana Beach, which is its undoubted advantage, which is noted by its visitors in their reviews.
Limanakya
The longest beach in the city is Limanakya. With a length of one and a half kilometers and a width of 50 m, it is the most densely filled in the season. It is especially suitable for children. The sandy shore, the gentle descent into the sea and the real depth, which appears at a considerable distance from the coast, make it the safest in Crete.
Immediately adjacent to it is a small pier, to which fishing boats moor, supplying bazaars, shops and restaurants with fresh fish daily. This neighborhood does not scare away visitors, as the pier itself is quite picturesque, and the place for boats is fenced off from the swimming area.
Nudist beach
The nudist beach of Hersonissos is suitable for those lovers of sunbathing and skinny dipping who are not embarrassed by prying eyes. If usually beaches of this type are located in closed bays or behind fences, then in Crete it is located in a rather lively and noisy part of the city, open to everyone.
Its shore is sandy and pebbly, in which pebbles prevail, and the entrance to the sea is rocky, so you should be extremely careful when entering the water. For the convenience of vacationers, just like the rest of the island's beaches, it is equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas.
City beach
This part of the coast does not enjoy muchpopular with guests of the city, since the lack of entertainment and the sand and pebble area do not add fans to it, especially since the beaches of Hersonissos are located nearby, where there is everything you need for a fun pastime.
Mostly locals rest here, who have little time to go to the farther part of the coast, but for lazy and picky people, this beach is quite suitable. There are showers and changing cabins, sun loungers and umbrellas.
In addition, the city beach of Hersonissos is quite quiet, there are no party-goers, music is not blaring, and nearby cafes and bars will help to cope with hunger and thirst.
Entertainment
The most popular entertainment in the city are water parks and aquariums. In the latter, children will be especially interested, as some of the inhabitants are allowed to stroke or hold in their hands, and if you come to the opening, you can watch how they are fed.
The island's aquariums were not created for the entertainment of the public, but to conserve and increase the population of numerous species of fish, turtles and reptiles, which are endangered in their natural environment, although entrance fees and guest donations allow them to carry out scientific work.
Nightlife
No wonder this town is called a place with one street. Indeed, all life here takes place on the beaches and the promenade, which stretches along the entire coast. The region of youth tourism attracts teenagers and students from Europe. It is especially popular with the Dutch and the British. For young people from the CIS countries, it is just beginningbecome famous, as student tourism is also a new industry for domestic tour operators.
Judging by the reviews, the city's nightlife begins at sunset and continues until sunrise. Discos are open until midnight or a little longer, after which young people move to numerous nightclubs.
On the coast no less fun than in the city. Fires are lit here, festivals are held with songs and dances, night swimming and foam parties with fireworks.
