Korai Street in Heraklion

Korai Street, for coffee in Heraklion

Korai Street is in the centre of Heraklion, running parallel to Dedalou Street. To enter Korai Street from Eleftherias Square, turn right after the Astoria Hotel and take the second narrow street on your left (the first is Dedalou Street).

Korai Street is a pedestrian area, like the parallel Milatou and Dedalou Streets. All three lead to the Lions (Eleftheriou Venizelou Square) and are linked by small streets running at right angles to them.

What makes Korai and Milatou Street stand out is that here are concentrated most of the café-bars in Heraklion. The cafés are open all year round and attract the younger generation. They stand side-by-side in a long row along Korai Street, around the tiny Korai Square and along Milatou Street. The music ranges from modern Greek and foreign music to Eastern tunes with belly-dancers swaying to Oriental rhythms.

What impresses visitors, especially tourists from northern countries, is that you see young people enjoying their coffee or drink at tables outside, even in midwinter. Of course there will be a gas heater burning nearby, but it is still vastly different to northern cities.

The cafés in this part of Heraklion are by no means cheap, and you will probably find lower prices in tourist areas. At the cafés of Korai and Milatou Streets you can expect to pay (in 2008) €4 for a coffee, €4-5 for a small beer and €7 for spirits (e.g. whisky or vodka).

Other areas where you will find many cafes and bars in Heraklion are Chandakos street and the new coast avenue (Sofokli Venizelou avenue).