Venetian Fortress Rocca a Mare

A very nicely renovated and maintained fortress. Built during the Venetian Republic, the construction was completed in 1540, and then in 1669 it came under Ottoman control. The terrace offers a fantastic view of the sea and the city of Heraklion. It can be reached by walking for about 10 minutes from the city center. The entrance fee is 10 Euro/person, free for those under 25. I recommend it to everyone!

Here we have spent the most interesting part of our day! It is a very beautiful and extravagant fortress. For me this is a place where I would definitely come one more time in the future as it is very beautiful. For EU people that has no more than 25 years the entrance is free as for all the museums in Greece as I understood it!

It's absolutely breathtaking. So mystical and powerful as a structure and an experience. When the sun rises up seemingly directly over it at midday and one is standing on the battlements at the top it's easy to imagine what the original Cretans must have felt as they took up cannons to defend what is now Heraklion. Standing there looking out at the sea through the openings on the sides and hearing the howling wind and heavy surf, the sounds of yelling invaders, determined Cretans, cannons firing, just filled themselves in. It really was magical just being there. And the exhibits. Very detailed history of the Cretan War and the history of the fortress and surrounds from then until now. Including restoration efforts. Beautiful exhibits of pottery and other cargo from recovered ships, original gigantic anchors and other artifacts. It's really something to see if you're an ancient history buff and especially Bronze Age. And at just 10 euros, it's a bargain!

It is undoubtedly a historic place. The staff could be friendlier. When buying tickets and entering, I did not feel welcome. In my opinion, the 10 euro entrance fee is not justified. The information boards could also be made a little more interesting.

The Venetian fortress Rocca a Mare is definitely interesting, even though you can get through it rather quickly. A big plus: EU citizens under 25 get free entry. From the walls you also have a nice view of the harbor and the city. Overall, worth a visit, 4 stars.

Wonderful walkway from the town-center. Many people were making a relaxing walk in sunset time.

Worth the entrance fee of €10 to explore the incredible fortress. Great views from the top across the port of Heraklion. Lots of history inside with some great displays.

The place, the view on the city and the docks, the museum, this was extraordinary. The entrance was 10€ per person. You can append to this visit a walk on the venitian port and the breakwater. However, we paid 21€ for 2 sodas and 2 granitas on the fort cafeteria. A bit uselessly expensive, even for tourists.