Heraklion International Airport
Heraklion International Airport opened in March 1939 and it is located 5kms to the east of the city of Heraklion on the island of Crete. The airport is also known as the Nikos Kazantazakis airport after the local writer and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis. This is second busiest airport in Greece, Athens, the capital, having the busiest airport. The airport in Heraklion is due to be moved in 2015 to a new location in Kastelli as part of a €1 billion project which will replace the existing airport and create new Heraklion airport which will have facilities to cater for up to 10 million people per year. It is a very popular airport for tourists wishing to explore Crete and some of the island which can be easily access from there. Tourist come from all over Europe with many UK, Irish, German and Russian tourists enjoying Crete year after year.
More About Heraklion Airport
Airport Car Hire
Car hire in Heraklion is great when it is pre-booked, so you can get the driver to go queue in the car hire queue while the rest of the group gets the bags. Otherwise, leaving car hire until you arrive could mean chaos and not the fun kind, while you all wait for an hour or more in the queue, hoping that they have a suitable car left and wishing you were on the road already! There is a good selection of car hire providers in Heraklion airport and Car Booker compares the prices, car hire discounts and offers they have available. We then select the top deals so you can pick the hire car that suits your needs best for your trip. So for savings of up to 30% on any of these brands; include Auto Union, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Olympic Car Hires and Sixt rent a car; book now with Car Booker.
Getting there & Away
Crete is a hugely popular holiday destination and many people arrive on charter flights and as part of package holidays which means that their transport is already arranged for them. Many other people choose car hire as their preferred transport choice in Crete. However if you are organizing your own holiday and want to get public transport then you can avail of a bus, a taxi or an airport shuttle. There are no trains operating to Heraklion airport. If you are staying in a resort, town or hotel in Heronissos and Malia, then you can get a Resort Hoppa bus which is really handy. A taxi to Heraklion city costs roughly €12. Click herefor prices for other destinations.
Nearby Attractions
Crete is the biggest of the Greek islands with a coastline that is more than 1000kms around. It is a place of soft sand, warm clear water and endless sunshine where you can laze and soak it all up. But if you want to explore a little, then a hire car is your best choice. Driving around and finding the perfect beach for a morning or afternoon swim should be a priority! So depending on your mood on any given day, go to Malia beach for a bit of lively fun, or for quiet go to Aghios Nikolaos or Rethymnon. For rock climbing, biking, canoeing in gorges or anything that involves mountains and adrenaline, then this is a great place to explore. Make sure you check out the Samaria Gorge. Or for some laidback driving and exploring head to Ayios Nikolaos, one of the prettiest towns in Crete with twin harbors, or Hania with its Venetian harbour and great shopping, eating and museums.