The port of Heraklion in Crete is the third busiest in Greece. The passenger and cargo port handles around two million visitors a year, with many visiting the nearby island of Santorini.

The 16th century Koules Fortress, a name which which translates as fortress in Turkish, dominates the harbour. The Venetian castle is also known as Castello a Mare or Rocca a Mare. The sea fortress stands on the site of an earlier castle that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303. It was primarily built to store military supplies but also served as officer accommodation and a prison.