Venetian Walls of Heraklion

Wonderful sunset walk with views of the sea. Minus one star for graffiti on historical walls and city scape which detract from its original old world charm.

Though disgracefully unattended, the walls of Heracleion remain massively impressive, and an enduring landmark in world history as far as fortifications are concerned. These walls repelled a Turkish host for no less than 21 (!) years of continuous attacks and bombarding, setting the global record for such a feat. Even after this punishment, the walls did not falter. Nor did the courage of its defenders. Alas, food is necessary even for the brave to keep the fight on. Thus, the city was finally surrendered. Pity that the current authorities have taken so little care of this treasure. So when you visit it, try to overlook the weeds and the littered corners. Look at the massive, imposing walls. Try to understand their masterful design, which ensures that anyone who dares to approach can always be hit by three sides. Feel the agony of the defenders, the despair of the poor lads ordered to attack. Enjoy the view, especially on the seafront.

This is truly disgraceful. The ruins of the Venetian fortress are undeniably impressive, which is no surprise given how significant the island of Crete, and especially the city of Heraklion (Candia), was to the Venetian Empire. With a bit of effort, the walls of the old citadel could easily become one of Greece’s most important tourist attractions. Sadly, the authorities seem uninterested in restoring this monument, leaving the walls in the state you see in the pictures: neglected, overgrown with weeds, and almost entirely overlooked by tourists. If the cost of excavation is prohibitive, even a few informational plaques placed here and there would be helpful. But instead, the authorities are doing nothing, and the walls continue to deteriorate year after year, especially given the frequent surface earthquakes in the area.

Just drove by/under, looks pretty amazing!

A big part of the walls is under maintenance, but there are a lot of secrets hidden around. Don't miss the theatres and the summer movie nights.

A lovely walking path in Heraklion with great city and sea views. Its free to walk here and it's very nice for a run or morning/evening walk.

We walked the walls from here clockwise around the old town until we hit the sea. Great walk with some amazing views of the surrounding area, almost no one else on the wall at about 9am while it is still relatively cool. It’s really awesome to see the outdoor theatres that have been established within some parts of the walls, I wish we had time to check them out.

Impressive old city walls, you can walk on them for some decent views and they'll take you to the tomb which makes for a good viewpoint. They're in need of some love though.