TaipeiAccommodation
Great · #15 of 62
8.2/10
If you are visiting out of the main tourist seasons (before May) you should have your pick of a vast array of options for a great price.
GreeceVisited Mar 2023 · 1 month
Heraklion
A lot of potential, but best left for holidays.
Great for a holiday
This guide was written 3 years ago
Prices, opening hours and recommendations may have changed since my visit, so double-check anything important before you book.
Crete's capital and largest city, nestled on the northern coast of the island.
The Venetian Harbour was constructed during the Middle Ages, while the Koules Fortress stands as a remnant of Ottoman rule, which lasted from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Additionally, the Heraklion City Walls offer a glimpse into the city's defensive structures throughout history.
Too quiet for me as a destination to work from for a month. Would work better as a stop on a month-long tour of Crete or for a week-long stay.
At a glance
Coworking
Good · #43 of 62
7.1/10
Not an enormous selection of options, but I particularly enjoyed my time at Comeet, situated just out of the historical centre. There are an absolute glut of coffee shops dotted around all areas of the city if you are just passing by.
Value
Good · #53 of 62
7.0/10
Eating out is good value but being such a tourist hotbed, probably not as good value as Thessaloniki and Athens.
Excitement
Ok · #53 of 62
5.1/10
While technically a city, the centre of Heraklion feels more like a large town in the UK, with very little going on during the week. This may change during the peak of summer, but visiting out of season, it felt noticeably sterile with a lack of real excitement in any area.
Plan
Summary
After a bitterly cold couple of months in Tbilisi, I was on the search for warmer pastures and having never visited Crete, a month in it's largest city seemed to tick a lot of boxes.
Cost of living
$1,181a month, before rent
Basic living costs, rent not included
Day-to-day spending for a month: two meals out and a coffee every day, three taxis and two nights out a week, a gym and a coworking desk. Add your rent on top.
Moderate- Meal in a casual restaurant$11
- Speciality coffee$3.15
- Pint of local beer$3.71
- Cocktail$8.44
- Taxi for 2 miles$6.30
- Men's haircut$17
- Women's haircut$37
- Gym membership, monthly$49
- Coworking, monthly$186
Prices as of Oct 2026. Confidence: medium (gym & coworking verified; other prices restated at 2026-10-07 exchange rates). Sources: numbeo.com, coworker.com. Always check locally before planning around them.
Duration & season
Even with it's southernly positioning, Crete is not immune from the rotations of the seasonal calendar with temperatures routinely dropping under 10 degrees throughout winter. During March it was pleasantly mild, with some stand out days of heat in the mid 20s. Sunshine and high temperatures is of course assured during the summer months.
If you are looking for beaches, the city itself wouldn't be my number one pick, with the better beaches to be found to the East of the city towards Malia.
By month
| Month | Low °C | High °C | Rain mm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 | 16 | 73 | wet month |
| February | 9 | 15 | 78 | wet month |
| March | 9 | 23 | 47 | |
| April | 12 | 23 | 50 | |
| May | 15 | 29 | 42 | |
| June | 22 | 33 | 1 | peak season |
| July | 25 | 35 | 2 | peak season |
| August | 24 | 33 | 4 | peak season |
| September | 19 | 30 | 10 | peak season |
| October | 15 | 27 | 18 | |
| November | 13 | 24 | 31 | |
| December | 11 | 17 | 78 | wet month |
Wettest months Peak season
Typical daytime highs and overnight lows, from the last two years of observations (Open-Meteo). Rain icons mark the wettest months.
- Visitors a year
- 2.5M2024
- Crowds
- High
- Peak season
- Jun–Sep
- Low season
- Nov–Mar
Remote work visa
Digital nomad visa available
Greece introduced a Digital Nomad Visa in 2021, allowing remote workers to reside for up to two years. From January 1, 2024, applications must be submitted through Greek consulates abroad, not in-country. The visa provides access to 26 Schengen countries but requires spending at least six months in Greece. Digital nomads can bring family members.
Working hours
Greece is based in Eastern European Time, perfect if you are used to working in European hours, one hour ahead of CET.
Live & work
Where to stay
Heraklion is a small city and easy to get around on foot. I wouldn't put too much emphasis on staying in the immediate centre.
Leof. Ionias
RecommendedIf i was to return I would consider staying in this area just south of the old town which has a great selection of cafes and brunch spots. Only a 10 minute walk to the centre of town.
Old Town
The venetian walls form the perimeter of the old town where most of the town's food and drink options are.
Where to work
Not an enormous selection of options, but I particularly enjoyed my time at Comeet, situated just out of the historical centre. There are an absolute glut of coffee shops dotted around all areas of the city if you are just passing by.
Comeet
Good coffeeCommunity
Situated just a 10 minute walk from the boundaries of the City Walls, Comeet provides a peaceful and calm location to work from with both fixed desk and hot desking options. I opted for a fixed desk on the first floor where you have access to the meeting room downstairs for calls if required.
A fully stocked kitchen as well as an espresso machine is provided, with numerous lunch options and grocery shops available close by. A great option if you are looking for a peaceful and professional working environment whilst working from Heraklion.
Louka Petraki 3, Iraklio 713 06
Food & drink
Coffee
Monk's
Top ratedLaptop friendly
Variety of coffee beans on offer for brewing alongside sweet and savoury snacks. Comfortable indoor seating.
Food
Το Πιτόσπιτο
I wouldn't dare to pronounce the name of this place, but they did undoubtedly the best pies i encountered on the island, alongside a range of fresh juices.
Afthentiko
I ate their Souvlaki skewers for 4 consecutive weeks for lunch. Tasty and friendly service.
Off the clock
Off work
Visit Malia
The coastal walk from Heraklion takes you through several beachside towns and resorts, finishing up in the former British party retreat of Malia. No longer littered with British 19 year olds necking Jägerbomb, the town was surprisingly pleasant and easily reachable via bus from the city centre.
Walk the Venetian Walls of Heraklion
The ancient city walls actually falls well short of what they could be with some extra investment but still provide a great (if not interrupted) unique skyline walk around the perimeter of the city.
Take a day trip to Rethymno
Nearby Rethymno is only an hours drive away by bus but features an old town bustling with tavernas and bars. I found it a more of an interesting destination than Heraklion and would consider retiurning there for a short stint.
Hike up Mount Juktas
Visible from anywhere in the the city centre, this mountain is reachable on foot by just walking straight at it for a couple of hours. The village of Archanes is worth a pitstop to refuel before or after the ascent.
Exercise
Run
City Walls Run
Could be an amazing route but the path is incredibly disjointed and poorly maintained forcing you up and down at various points. Still well worth checking out.
Cycle
Heraklion - Rethymno
Achievable in a morning, the ride out of Heraklion offers several challenging climbs. Some small towns for coffee en route.
Walk
Heraklion - Malia
Coast line walk which takes you to the next major town along the coast to the West. Lots of opportunities for swimming stops.
People
The demographic make up of the city is likely to swing massively depending on the time of year you visit. In the off season you're likely to see predominantly locals with the swathes of tourists making their presence felt from April onwards. The coworking space was mainly Greek's from either Crete or the mainland, with a few international remote workers present.
I stayed for one month which was plenty and one of the rare occasions where I would have been happy to have moved on early.
Notes
Positives
A very relaxed feel.
As to be expected from a touristy destination out of season, there was a very calm ambience across the entire city.
Moderately priced.
Whilst it's not particularly cheap, eating out is relatively inexpensive compared to many other destinations.
Very safe and secure.
In part due to how quiet a season it was.
Great value accommodation in the off season.
Airbnbs in the run up to the summer months were some of the best value I had seen across the whole of Europe for that period.
A good base to explore the rest of the island from.
It is easy to get around to the other towns via public transport, making them ideal for day trips.
Great for cycling.
The quiet mountain roads are ideal for weekend rides, with no shortage of elevation.
Negatives
A distinct lack of ambience around the city.
Even though it is the largest island in Crete and 4th largest in Greece, it doesn't feel like it. I've mentioned in other articles some cities being a pleasure to simply walk around. The opposite was true in Heraklion.
Not the widest array of international food.
Whilst I love Greek food the Taverna and Meze culture isn't particularly ideal for a grabbing a quick meal by yourself.
Tips
Consider incorporating Heraklion into a wider tour of the island.
There wasn't quite enough for me to justify spending a month in Heraklion, but it would be ideal for a week long trip as part of visiting the other cities on the island like Chania, Rethimno & Agios Nikolas. If i had to pick any of them for a return trip, it would be comfortably Chania.
Planning a trip to Heraklion?
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