Holidays in Hersonissos

Practical information on holidays in Hersonissos

Anyone thinking of spending their holidays in Hersonissos can rest assured they will find everything they need here.

Banks, cashpoints (ATMs), a post office, pharmacies, doctors, dentists, petrol stations, supermarkets, souvenir shops, jewellers’, clothes shops….

You will even find shops in Hersonissos selling furs and leather goods, which apparently sell well with Russian tourists.

Most shops are along the main road through Hersonissos, leading to Heraklion (west) or Stalis and Malia (east).

Hotels in Hersonissos

You will find many hotels in Hersonissos large and small, cheap and expensive. There are also luxurious all-inclusive hotels, which are usually found a little outside the town or in neighbouring Anissaras and Analipsi.

There are also many apartments for rent in Hersonissos. Some of these are on or very close to the beach, and it’s hard to find one more than 10-15 minutes walk from the centre.

If you’re coming to Hersonissos on holiday, you’d better book before you arrive, as it’s a very popular tourist resort and you’ll have a lot of hassle looking around for a room, especially in July, August and September.

Nearly all the hotels in Hersonissos open at Easter or by the end of May at the latest, and close at the end of October.

Tavernas and Restaurants in Hersonissos

You will find many restaurants in Hersonissos, mainly on the beach road. Apart from the ones offering Greek dishes, you will also find Chinese and Italian restaurants, while occasionally more exotic Indian or Lebanese eateries appear.

Of course there are also souvlaki and fast food joints in Hersonissos (McDonalds and other, less well-known ones).

Cafeterias and Bars in Hersonissos

You will find far more cafeterias and bars in Hersonissos than you can possibly visit on a one- or two-week holiday.

Most bars have tables outside for a coffee or a drink, while the fun takes place indoors from dusk till dawn.

Most of the bars and cafeterias are on the beach road, although there are also some on the main road through town. Many of the bars have widescreen TV so you won’t miss your vital football matches or other sports events.

Karaoke is also on offer in many bars, so you can stun the audience with your angelic voice or send them home early with your tuneless croaks.

Almost all the bars offer cheap drinks at various happy hours, between 6 and 9 p.m., while they also often have other offers such as two cocktails for the price of one.

What to do in the area of Hersonissos

The following information applies to the wider area:

Kokkini Hani, Gouves and Gournes
Hersonissos: Hersonissos town, Anissaras, Ano Hersonissos, Koutouloufari and Piskopiano.
Stalis and Malia
Sissi and Milatos

Visit the neighbouring villages of Ano Hersonissos, Piskopiano and Koutouloufari. The latter will impress you, particularly with its traditional character and romantic atmosphere.

Visit coastal Hersonissos with its lovely beaches, lots of shops, the Star Beach Waterpark, go-carting, the Hersonissos aquarium with its fish and reptiles including turtles, and the Lychnostatis Folk Museum.

Visit the Minoan Palace of Malia, a few kilometres east of Hersonissos.

Dance the night away in the Hersonissos bars and enjoy partying till dawn, or as long as you last.

Go golfing at the Crete Golf Club, two or three kilometres from Ano Hersonissos, on the road to Kastelli.

Next door to the Golf Club is the Acqua Plus Waterpark, with lots of waterslides and other games for young and old.

Visit the farm at Potamies, with donkeys, ponies and other animals. There is also taverna at the farm, so you can combine sport with lunch.

Go horseback riding in Avdou, climb up to the Cave of Agia Fotini or stroll through the streets of this pretty village.

Visit Krasi village with its giant plane tree and rushing streams, and drive uphill to the village of Kera and the historic monastery of Panagia Kera (Our Lady).

A few kilometres further on is the Lassithi Plateau with its famous windmills and the Dictean Cave, the birthplace of Zeus (another legend has it that he was born in the Ideon Cave on Mt Ida or Psiloritis).

Half an hour’s drive east of Hersonissos are the villages of Sissi and Milatos with their fish tavernas. At Milatos you can visit the Cave of Milatos with its bloody history, and continue on to discover the unknown Lassithi with its picturesque villages.

For those who would prefer a longer trip, the picturesque town of Agios Nikolaos with its famous lake is about 40 minutes drive east of Hersonissos. You can combine it with a boat trip to Spinalonga, the lepers’ island, or a visit to lovely Elounda.

Half an hour’s drive west is the city of Heraklion, with its Archaeological Museum and the Minoan Palace of Knossos. Visit both on a guided tour so you can have your own guide. Without the guide’s knowledge, your visit will be a poorer experience.

Last but not least, let’s not forget the Crete Aquarium, the new aquarium in Gournes and one of the largest in the southern Mediterranean. Gournes is just 15 minutes drive east of Hersonissos.