[June 2025] After enjoying lunch in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, we decided to explore the area.
Since our return flight was late that day, we still had time.
After considering the museum and the beach, we decided to visit the Venetian Fortress at the end of the harbour.
I remembered visiting it 16 years ago, but I don’t think we went inside then.
Apparently, it was reopened to the public after restoration between 2011 and 2016.
So this time, we paid €10 per person and went inside.
The fortress, called Koules Fortress, was built in the early 16th century.
Crete had been under the control of the Venetian Republic since the early 13th century, and Heraklion was its capital, known as Candia.
Nowadays, Italians and Greeks get along well, calling themselves “Mediterranean brothers,” but back then, Cretan rebellions occurred frequently, making governance difficult.
In fact, even earlier, Greece once ruled southern Italy, including what is now Sicily.
This fortress later became the front line of the war with the Ottoman Turks, which lasted for about 25 years in the 17th century.
Although Crete eventually came under Ottoman control, the fortress seems to have remained in use.
When we went inside, it was as cool as if the air conditioner was on.
After touring the remains of the chapel and other attractions, we headed to the rooftop observation spot.
There was a simple cafe here, where we took a break and had an iced coffee.
The ocean view was pleasant, and there weren’t many people around, so it was a relaxing place.
We finally got up around 5:00 PM and headed to the airport.
This time in Heraklion, we used the unmanned locker room.
I think it was called Heraklion Lockers.
It was better than I expected.
We were worried they’d be full, but perhaps because they’re not that well-known, we hardly saw anyone else using them.
Not only were they neat and tidy, but they were also very cheap at €4 per box per day.
We had two suitcases and two backpacks, so we used three boxes.
When we went to pick them up on our way back, they were still empty, which I thought was a real shame.
In comparison, Heraklion Airport was incredibly disorganised.
It was practically as chaotic as the bus station in Athens.
It was only June, but it was already packed with people, and finding a seat was a real challenge.
I was hoping the new airport under construction would open soon, so I looked it up and found out it won’t be until 2027.
