This was our last stop on an island-hopping holiday which started from Piraeus and finished in Herakleion, and it turned out to be the best place of all!
First of all, the location is ideal, no more than 5 minutes' walk from the centre of Herakleion with all its tavernas and bars. From the ferry port we had a fairly easy 15 minutes' walk, mostly along the seafront, passing the Venetian fort and harbour. If you have a lot of luggage, or don't enjoy walking, there were lots of taxis waiting at the ferry port, and it is only a short drive.
We arrived from Santorini in the early evening and were met by Giorgos at the entrance to the apartment. We have stayed in many Airbnb properties, and have never met a kinder host! Giorgos was charming, courteous, friendly and informative. He had put water in the fridge to cool, gave us a huge plate of grapes which he had grown himself, and even treated us to some delicious raki - what a welcome! We immediately felt at home, and as well as explaining the ins and outs of the apartment, Giorgos took the time to tell us about the town and surrounding countryside.
The apartment has two great balconies, with brilliant views over the rooftops to the mountains in the distance. Being higher up there was usually a cooling breeze, and it was very pleasant to sit outside and watch the sun going down in the evenings.
The kitchen has everything you need if you are planning to cook, but if you are eating out, as we were, there is a brilliant restaurant called Peskesi just a couple of minutes' walk from the flat. Reserve a table, or get there early, it is very popular.
Having arrived by ferry, we departed by plane: there is a bus station close to the archaeological museum (don't miss that, by the way!) about 15 minutes' walk from the apartment, through the centre of town. From there you can get a No. 1 bus to the airport. Tickets cost 1 euro 20 cents from the kiosk at the bus station. I can't think of many other places where you can get from the centre of a large town to its airport for about £1 !
Our only regret was that we had only allowed for a two-night stay in Crete. We could happily have spent the entire holiday in this apartment.