Karteros starts right next to Heraklion airport and is reachable by city bus. It is sandy and organised, with beach bars and cafes, and it is home to the Karteros beach sports centre where international beach volleyball and other tournaments are played. The planes coming in to land are part of the show.

The beach is wide, sandy and organised, with ramps for wheelchairs and lifeguards in summer. Planes take off and land right overhead, which is part of the experience. It's a good choice if you're staying in Heraklion without a car, or if you have a few hours before a flight.

Heraklion is the capital of Crete and its biggest city, with a busy port, the island's main airport and a lively old town inside massive Venetian walls. The Archaeological Museum and Knossos make it the centre of Minoan Crete, and the city's markets, cafes and restaurants are some of the best on the island. Around the city, the coast has long sandy beaches like Ammoudara and Karteros, and the wine villages of Archanes and Peza are a short drive south.

Around Heraklion

North coast, on the Cretan Sea
Nearest town: Heraklion, about 7 km by road
Nearest airport: Heraklion airport (HER), about 3 km by road

Heraklion is the heart of Minoan Crete and the island’s busiest region. Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum are the two places almost everyone visits, and they work well together on one day. In the south, the wide Messara plain holds the palace of Phaistos, the Roman ruins of Gortyna and the famous caves above the bay of Matala. More about Heraklion