Crete, Greece
Heraklion
Heraklion is a city in Crete, Greece, close to the sea. It has a population of about 145,440 (2021). The climate is classified as hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa), with dry, sunny summers and mild, wetter winters.
Now23°C
Best timeApr–Jun
Population145,440
Local time17:56
35.33° N, 25.14° EElevation 60 mUTC+3 · Eastern European Summer Time
October: high / low24° / 17°
Rain this month56mm
Sea this month23°
Best timeApr–Jun
Best: Apr–Jun. Warmth, sunshine and dry days, month by month.
Heraklion at a glance
Sunrise · sunset07:32 · 18:3711 h 05 min of daylightThe moon tonightWaxing gibbous85% · Moonrise 16:53Next holiday28 OctoberOhi DayNext eclipse21 Feb 2027Penumbral lunar eclipse
Best time to visitApr–Jun
The months with the highest weather score
Warmest month30°C
Average high in July
Coolest month9°C
Average low in January
Wettest monthJanuary
120 mm of rain
Driest monthJuly
2 mm of rain
Warmest sea25°C
August
Monuments nearby10+
within 2 km
How Heraklion has grown
People living in the built-up area (36 km² today), every five years since 1975; 2030 is the projection.
+85%86k in 1975 → 159k in 2025Weather in Heraklion
Now and the next ten days. The 14 and 30-day outlooks are one click away.
23°C
Today hour by hourSunny · wind 29 km/h · humidity 56%
Today22 Oct26°17°
Fri23 Oct22°17°
Sat24 Oct21°16°1.6 mm
Sun25 Oct21°15°0.5 mm
Mon26 Oct19°15°13.2 mm
Tue27 Oct22°15°3 mm
Wed28 Oct20°14°4.4 mm
Thu29 Oct19°17°3.9 mm
Fri30 Oct18°15°
Sat31 Oct19°14°2 mm
When to go to Heraklion
Each month's weather score (warmth, sun, dry days) with its temperatures and rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 51 | 53 | 76 | 86 | 90 | 83 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 73 | 57 |
| High | 15° | 16° | 17° | 20° | 24° | 28° | 30° | 30° | 28° | 24° | 20° | 17° |
| Low | 9° | 9° | 10° | 12° | 16° | 20° | 23° | 23° | 20° | 17° | 14° | 11° |
| Rain (mm) | 120 | 94 | 66 | 31 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 56 | 98 | 123 |
| Wet days | 16 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 15 |
| Sea | 16° | 16° | 16° | 17° | 19° | 23° | 25° | 25° | 25° | 23° | 20° | 18° |
What's on in Heraklion
Concerts, football matches, the public holidays ahead and the town's festivals through the year.
Monuments and museums in Heraklion
2 km
Rocca a MareBuilt 1523
1.6 km
Hagios Titos churchBuilt 1869
1.3 km
Fortifications of HeraklionBuilt 1462
1.6 km
Agios Minas CathedralBuilt 1862
1.5 km
Agios MarcosBuilt 1239
1.6 km
Morosini FountainBuilt 1628
Museum1.4 km
Heraklion Archaeological MuseumBuilt 1883
Museum1.9 km
Historical Museum of CreteBuilt 1953More museums: RAM Rulers · Αγία Αικατερίνη · Μουσείο · Christian Art Museum
Outdoors around Heraklion
Hiking routes from the town, and what there is to do within 15 km: huts, viewpoints, climbing, camping, ski areas and dive sites.
CretaquariumAquariums
0.8 kmDinosauria ParkTheme parks
1 kmVenetian City wallViewpoints
1.1 kmWatercity WaterparkWater parks
1.3 kmBethlehem GateViewpoints
1.5 kmBravo WaterparkWater parks
1.5 kmLygariaDive site
13 kmMononaftisDive site
14 kmNature around Heraklion
Wildlife in October
The birds and mammals of Greece seen most this month, compared with the rest of their year.
The sky over Heraklion
Earthquakes around Heraklion
The last 30 days within 300 km, and the record since 1950.
Last 30 days6magnitude 2.5+ within 300 kmSince 1950132magnitude 5+ within 150 kmSignificant earthquakes on record75within 300 km
Strongest nearby since 1950
6.5Myrtos 92 km ↓2020 · 138 km
6.5Matala 69 km ↙1952 · 120 km
6.4Palekastro 5 km ↙2021 · 99 km
6.4Psari Forada 92 km ↓2009 · 133 km
Tsunamis · Heraklion
Ancient sites nearby
Sites: 2
Cities and settlements
Temples and sanctuaries
Universities and research institutes
Labyrinth Musical WorkshopUniversity or college · founded 1982
Hellenic Mediterranean UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1983
FORTH Institute of Computer ScienceResearch institute · founded 1983
FORTH Institute of Electronic Structure and LaserResearch institute · founded 1983
FORTH Institute of Molecular Biology and BiotechnologyResearch institute · founded 1983
Foundation for Research and Technology HellasResearch institute · founded 1983
FORTH Institute of Applied and Computational MathematicsResearch institute · founded 1985
Centre for Technological Research of CreteResearch institute · founded 2001
FORTH Institute of AstrophysicsResearch institute · founded 2019
Towns and villages around Heraklion
Each with its own page: weather, climate and the best time to visit.
Bendevi0.9 kmMastambás1.2 kmNéa Alikarnassós1.9 kmThérissos2.1 kmFortétsa2.3 kmDeilina2.5 kmKaminia2.9 kmÁno Fortétsa2.9 kmHeraklion Airport Terminal2.9 kmTreis Vagies3.1 kmKallithea3.2 kmGiofyros3.3 kmKnosós3.6 kmMakritoíkhos3.6 kmKolymvitirio3.7 kmSemeli4.2 kmMarathitis4.2 kmPrasás4.4 kmAyios Ioannis4.4 kmVlychiá4.4 kmLofoupolis4.6 kmÁgioi Theódoroi4.7 kmAgakou Metoxi4.9 kmSpília5 kmAyía Marína5 kmAyia Irini5.5 kmKarterós5.7 kmGoúrnai5.8 kmAmnissos5.9 kmFoinikiá6.2 kmAmmoudára6.2 kmAmpela6.3 kmVassilies6.4 kmSkalánion6.4 kmKera Eleousa6.5 kmSílamos6.6 kmKollyvás6.7 kmYiofirákia6.8 kmMetóchi Katecháki6.9 kmGazi6.9 kmMaládhes7.2 kmPatsides7.5 kmSkafidáras7.5 kmZervoú Metóchi7.9 kmÁgios Vlásis8.2 kmAthánatoi8.3 kmStavroméno8.4 kmEliá8.5 kmKampos8.8 kmKáto Arkhánai9 kmDrakouliáris9 kmKavrochóri9.1 kmAno Kalesia9.1 kmArolithos9.1 kmKato Kalesia9.2 kmÁgios Ioánnis Epáno Vatheiás9.2 kmVatheianós Kámpos9.2 kmLinoperámata9.2 kmÁgios Geórgios Methystís9.4 kmAitania9.5 kmPantánassa9.6 kmÁyios Síllas9.8 kmKáto Vátheia9.9 kmMetóchi Kapetanáki9.9 kmTímios Stavrós10 kmVrachókipos10 kmEpano Vatheia10 kmKokkini Chani10 kmPalaiokastro10 kmVoútai11 kmArchanes11 kmKounávoi11 kmAno Arhanes11 kmAnópolis11 kmÁgios Dimítrios Rodiás11 kmStamnoí11 kmPlaítis11 kmStavrákia11 kmZagouriánoi11 kmKomes11 km
Heraklion from above
Around Heraklion37 places to see, do and reach nearby
GiofyrosNature3.0 kmAlmyrós PotamósNature7.5 kmKairatos RiverNature2.1 kmStravomytiNature8.7 kmNeraidospiliosNature12 kmSkotino caveNature14 kmAmmoudara 5Nature5.3 kmAmmoudara 4Nature5.4 kmMount IdaMountain36 kmMount AgathiasMountain35 kmSpathiMountain40 kmMount Megali KopranaMountain32 kmMikri KopranaMountain32 kmMount KarfiMountain32 kmLygariaDive site13 kmMononaftisDive site14 kmRocca a MareMonument1.9 kmHagios Titos churchMonument1.6 kmFortifications of HeraklionMonument1.3 kmAgios Minas CathedralMonument1.6 kmAgios MarcosMonument1.5 kmMorosini FountainMonument1.6 kmSaint Peter of the Dominicans, HeraklionMonument1.9 kmLoggia of HeraklionMonument1.6 kmHeraklion Archaeological MuseumMuseum1.4 kmHistorical Museum of CreteMuseum1.9 kmNatural History Museum of CreteMuseum2.2 kmMuseum of the Battle of CreteMuseum1.4 kmMuseum of Visual ArtsMuseum2.2 kmHeraklion · ferry portFerry port1.6 kmHeraklionFerry port1.6 kmGaziPlace6.9 kmArchanesPlace11 kmEpiskopiPlace12 kmArkalochoriPlace23 kmKhersónisosPlace21 kmKastelliPlace22 km
Getting to Heraklion
Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis AirportHER
3.6 kmSitia AirportJSH
88 kmChania International AirportCHQ
93 kmWorldchampion Jet & Champions League Jet 1Θήρα - Λιμάνι Αθηνιός
1.6 kmHeraklionSitia · Ανάφη
1.6 kmPlaces near Heraklion
Places with a climate like Heraklion
Matched month by month on temperature, rain and sunshine.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Heraklion?
Based on 30-year climate normals, April, May and June offer the best balance of comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and sunshine in Heraklion.
What is the hottest month in Heraklion?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30°C and lows of 23°C.
What is the coldest month in Heraklion?
January is the coldest month, with average highs of 15°C and lows of 9°C.
What is the rainiest month in Heraklion?
January is the wettest month with about 120 mm of precipitation on 16 wet days.
How warm is the sea near Heraklion?
The sea is warmest in August at about 25°C and coolest in February at about 16°C.