Heraklion serves as the main thoroughfare for destinations throughout Crete, but there are plenty of reasons to stay a while. The ruins of Knossos - the capital of Minoan Crete and today the island's major tourist attraction - are just five kilometers from the city center. Heraklion's Archaeological Museum, one of the finest in Greece, houses exquisite findings from Knossos and other Minoan ruins. Other points of interest include numerous Venetian fortresses, fountains and loggias scattered throughout the city and the Historical Museum of Crete, with its Byzantine and folklore collections.

After you've had your fill of ancient history, the best show in town is Heraklion's open air market at 1866 Street where a boisterous crowd buys and sells everything from goats and sheep to huge cauldrons of fresh yogurt. Or pay homage to Crete's most acclaimed writer, Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek, at his tomb in the Martinengo Bastion where, even if you're not a Kazantzakis fan, the views of Iraklion, the sea and the Mountain of Zeus make the trek worthwhile

Piraeus | Heraklion | Santorini | Rhodes | Patmos
Kusadasi | Istanbul | Mykonos

Knossos.

A few miles southeast of Iraklion is Knossos, the most visited site on Crete. Once the capital of the ancient Minoan civilization, the ruins date back to the 15th century BC. In addition to its age (it's 10 centuries older than the Acropolis), what's notable about Knossos is that some of the buildings have been reconstructed. The wealthy amateur archaeologist who uncovered the ruins in the early 1900s wanted visitors to see what King Minos' Palace actually looked like.

The reconstruction has been controversial with many archaeologists, who believe ancient sites should be left as they were found. Most visitors, however, find Knossos fascinating - you don't have to use your imagination to envision what the palace's throne room looked like. Instead, you can walk through partially reconstructed buildings, painted in authentic colors (black and red were common), with copies of mosaics and other artifacts in their actual places. (Many of the original items are in the Archaeological Museum in Iraklion.)