Hersonissos

Hersonissos sits on the north coast of Crete, about 25 kilometres east of Heraklion, and is the island's largest and most developed package resort. Tourism took off here from the 1980s, and today the seafront is a long, animated strip of hotels, cafes, bars, shops and clubs running behind a series of sandy and rocky beaches. It is unashamedly a holiday town, geared to sun, sea and nightlife, and its central strip is among the liveliest after dark anywhere on the island. For many visitors its great advantage is simple: it is close to the airport and packed with things to do.

The resort caters especially well to families. The nearby CretAquarium at Gournes, one of the largest aquariums in the Mediterranean, displays the marine life of the region, while water parks such as Star Beach and Acqua Plus, go-karting and boat trips keep younger visitors busy. The Lychnostatis Open-Air Museum on the eastern edge of town recreates traditional Cretan life with old houses, tools and crafts, offering a gentle counterpoint to the strip.

Behind the coast, the character changes quickly. The old villages of Koutouloufari, Piskopiano and Ano Hersonissos climb the hillsides just inland, their stone lanes, squares and tavernas keeping much more of a traditional feel than the seafront below. They make an appealing, quieter place to stay or dine within easy reach of the beach. Down at the harbour, a fragment of a Roman fountain and the remains of an ancient pyramid-shaped monument recall the town's classical past as the port of Lyttos.

Hersonissos is easily reached by the coastal highway and frequent buses from Heraklion, making it one of the simplest resorts to get to on arrival. It suits travellers wanting a busy, sociable, activity-filled base with reliable beaches and lively evenings, rather than seclusion or tradition, though the hill villages soften the picture. It is busiest and best in high summer, when everything is open, but shoulder-season visitors find it calmer and cheaper.