Heraklion Crete

Venetian Fortress in Heraklion

Situated in a bay near the centre of Crete Heraklion was a Venetian port with Fortress. It is now the Capital city for Crete and a major port and commercial centre. It still has its artifacts and has a mixed commercial and leisure marina side to it.

We took the old Town walking self-guided tour that eventually led to the museum  and entered to see some beautiful sculptures and frescoes saved and partially restored. This was free!

Sculptures from Knossos Palace

2000BC Fresco

Then after wandering around we decided to go for  a late lunch and were lucky to have selected a Greek tavern that had only Greeks ( and us) in it. The food, virtually all fish, was excellent. The place is called Tabepna Oyzepi, and is on the corner by the Venetian castle and small traffic circle there. We had our favorite grape leaf wrapped cabbage roll type things with curry and sour cream, and Sandra had the Shrimp Saganaki and I had the Mussels Saganaki. Done quite differently from each other, both were excellent. The Mussels, the largest and most tender I have had were fabulous, and then they brought fresh watermelon for dessert and Grappa, a Schnapps’ type liqueur which you drink from a shot glass, with a refillable container, ice cold, while you eat the watermelon. Amazing! Did I mention we went back and had a long nap!