Hersonissos

Once an ancient fishing village, today Hersonissos is the nightlife capital of Crete.

A little over twenty kilometres from Heraklion, the island’s capital, it is a favourite destination for young Europeans who want to treat themselves to a nightlife holiday or celebrate a special occasion such as a graduation or bachelor party.

In the morning you sleep in, in the afternoon you sunbathe and enjoy jet skiing or other water sports, at sunset you have an aperitif and at night it’s all music, drinks and pleasant encounters. Such is the typical day for young tourists in Hersonissos.

You don’t necessarily have to do the same. This lively resort in eastern Crete is also suitable for a couple or family holiday. To these types of travellers, Hersonissos can offer its beautiful beaches, many amenities, a wealth of shops and restaurants, but above all modern and cosy hotels at affordable prices. Also not bad is the presence of many free pools, swimming pools with free access after consumption.

We are still in Greece, so if anyone is looking for history and archaeology, they will find it close at hand: even near the noisy Hersonissos you can see ancient remains from the classical, Byzantine and early Christian periods and even some prehistoric remains.

Fun for the little ones is guaranteed with safe beaches with gently sloping seabed, tourist trains, aquariums, water parks and the interesting Lychnostatis Open Air Museum1 that reproduces a traditional village.

Hersonissos Beaches

The beaches of Hersonissos comprise a wide main beach and a series of small beaches set in small bays; they are all sandy, with a few stretches of pebbles or rocks.

At City Beach2 the seabed is shallow and it is therefore possible to swim and play safely. Almost the entire coastline is equipped and the bathing establishments offer numerous services.

The most famous beach of Hersonissos is probably Star Beach3: it is a narrow strip of fine sand with rocks at each end and is located close to the tourist village of the same name. During the day it is popular with families, but at night it turns into an open-air disco.

The best beach for families or couples around Hersonissos is Stalis4, a kilometre-long sandy beach.

Hersonissos is not far from Malia, another resort with similar tourism, fuelled by a beautiful sandy beach and plenty of nightclubs: for more beaches in the Malia area visit its page.

Other beaches not to be missed around Hersonissos are Anissaras5, Drapano6, Creta Maris7, Sarantari8 and Analipsi9.

Nightlife in Hersonissos

Leave the glamorous clubbing to Mykonos or Santorini: the nightlife on Hersonissos is young, wild and not at all snobbish.

Here, no exclusive clubs with dress codes and prohibitively expensive entrance fees: the nightclubs of Hersonissos are mainly discos, pubs, beach bars and cocktail bars designed for mass youth tourism. And this means free entry, cheap drink prices and lots and lots of music of all kinds.

The nightlife area in Hersonissos is a long street parallel to the beach where most of the town’s nightclubs are concentrated. If Hersonissos is not enough for you, you can go as far as Malia, Crete’s second young destination (only 7 km away).

Keep in mind that the nightlife in Hersonissos starts very late, usually after 1am, so if you show up at the disco before then you will find it deserted.

For a pre-evening drink you can take advantage of happy hour and other promotions in pubs and cocktail bars; for an even earlier start look for beach bars that start playing music from 4pm.

Where to stay in Hersonissos

Hersonissos is nowadays a resort devoted to tourism and can therefore boast a large number of accommodations. There are many proposals, suitable for different types of holiday and budgets: hotels and resorts are ideal for those who want comfort and services, while if you prefer freedom and privacy, flats are preferable.

Recommended Hotels in Hersonissos

Accommodation prices in Hersonissos are lower than in other popular Greek resorts, which means you can book a nice beachfront hotel or a magnificent resort without spending a fortune… or why not treat yourself to a 5-star hotel for once?

We have selected for you the best hotels in Hersonissos: quality proposals at affordable prices where you can experience your dream holiday.

Recommended flats in Hersonissos

Are the imposed hotel schedules and the proximity to dozens (or hundreds!) of other guests not for you? Look for your accommodation among the best flats in Hersonissos that we have selected: again, these are good value for money properties, suitable for different types of holiday.