Naxos
Greece • June 20, 2026 • Day 10 of 16
A short but sweet post for the day. We took the Worldchampion Jet from Naxos to Heraklion (Crete).
Naxos to Heraklion
On our three-hour sailing which left just after 2PM, we stopped at Santorini to unload passengers, and then made our way to the island of Crete, and the city of Heraklion (its capital).
The Siege That Outlasted Troy
⦿ While most people visit Heraklion to see the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, the city itself holds the record for the second-longest military siege in world history—surpassed only by the legendary decades-long siege of Ceuta in North Africa.
⦿ When the Ottoman Empire attacked the city (then called Candia and ruled by the Venetians) in May 1648, they expected a standard campaign. Instead, the Venetians dug in behind their massive, state-of-the-art stone ramparts.
The siege lasted for 21 years, finally ending in September 1669. Children were born, grew up, and fought in the same war their parents had started
Restaurant Peskesi - Winner of 2025 EU Organic Farm to Table Restaurants
More to report on this experience later, but we are looking forward to our dinner this evening!
What's Next
Tomorrow we are scheduled to tour Heraklion's most famous place...Knossos!
— David