Amnisos is located 7km east of Iraklion on the Iraklion - Agios Nikolaos road.

This seaside resort town was once the important port for Knossos. Homer also mentions it in the Odyssey as a difficult beach on which to land.

The Byzantine General Karteros landed here to fight the Saracens in 824. During the General's victory celebration, the Saracens attacked, chased and killed Karteros. This area bears the name Karteros now.