Ferry from Koufonissi to Heraklion

Koufonissi Guide

The Greek island of Koufonisia is located in the Cyclades group of islands and forms part of the municipality of Naxos and Lesser Cyclades. The island lies to the south east of the island of Naxos and to the west of the island of Amorgos. Koufonisia is actually made up of three different islands: Kato (Lower) and Pano (Upper) Koufonisi and Keros which is uninhabited and is a protected archaeological site. Artefacts found on Keros during the 20th century include a large number of Cycladic pieces of art. Also uninhabited is Kato Koufonisia which is next to Pano Koufonisia, Shoinousa and Keros. Pano Koufonisi is the smallest and most densely populated island of the Cycladic island group. The small church of Panagia which has been built on a jetty above ancient ruins is perhaps the most popular sight on the island. The island's port is mainly used by tourist boats and fishing vessels. Visitors to the island are greeted by a white windmill which is located on the east side of the port. The main town on the island is Chora which is on the south west coast of the island and has many houses of typical Cycladic architecture.

Heraklion Guide

Located on the Greek island of Crete, Heraklion is the island's largest city and is one of the main urban centres in Greece. The city can trace its history back to at least the 9th century AD when its development began and then later came under the influence of the Arabs, the Venetians and the Ottomans. Popular sites in the city with tourists include the fortification walls that are essentially the boundary of the old city. These were first built by the Arabs and then reinforced by the Venetians. From the seven bastions, only the Martinengo bastion survives to this day and is where visitors will find the tomb of the renowned writer N. Kazantzakis, overlooking the city. The city was also a venue during the 2004 Olympic Games, and hosted games of the football tournament.

Located in the city's old port, visitors can still see the vaulted tarsanades where ships used to be built and also the 16th century Koule Fortress. From the port, ferries depart to destinations including Santorini, Ios, Paros, Mykonos and Rhodes. There are also ferry services to the Greek mainland port of Piraeus.