Hersonissos is one of the most important holiday resorts in Crete. There are sandy beaches, a water park and a good base for water sports. In the evenings, numerous bars and clubs thrive in nightlife.
On the site of today's Hersonissos, the city of Chersonesos existed in antiquity. It developed from the Minoan times up to the Byzantine period. Today, in many places in the village, you can see archaeological excavations in the form of ruins of buildings from different periods of time. These include remains of an aqueduct, Greek temples and an early Christian basilica.
Today's Hersonissos is primarily an international tourist destination. There are numerous hotels and apartments for rent. The sandy beaches are well developed, and there are bars and restaurants nearby. On the beaches you can rent water equipment, there are also surfing and diving schools. Evening life is concentrated in bars and clubs that are open until late.
Among the attractions of Hersonissos is the modern water park Watercity Waterpark Crete, as well as the Labyrinth Park, which alludes to the myth of the Minotaur. There is also a private open-air museum Lychnostatis in the city, where you can learn about the life of the inhabitants of Crete before the tourist boom.
From the land side of Hersonissos, it is mountainous and cut by ravines. The most famous of them is the Roza Gorge, through which a picturesque hiking trail leads.
