▁for ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁according ▁to ▁Eur omon itor , ▁with ▁an ▁ 1 1 . 2 % ▁growth ▁in ▁international ▁arrival s . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁ranking , ▁Her ak l ion ▁was ▁ranked ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁most ▁visited ▁region ▁in ▁Europe , ▁as ▁the ▁ 6 6 th ▁area ▁on ▁the ▁Planet ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁in ▁Greece ▁for ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁with ▁ 3 . 2 ▁million ▁visitors ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁in ▁Europe ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁with ▁ 3 . 4 ▁million ▁visitors . ▁ ▁Names ▁▁ ▁The ▁Arab ▁trad ers ▁from ▁al - And alus ▁( I ber ia ) ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁Em ir ate ▁of ▁Cre te ▁moved ▁the ▁island ' s ▁capital ▁from ▁G ort yna ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁castle ▁they ▁called ▁ra b ḍ ▁al - ḫ anda q ▁( , ▁" Cast le ▁of ▁the ▁Mo at ") ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 2 0 s . ▁This ▁was ▁h ellen ized ▁as ▁ Χ ά ν δ α ξ ▁( Ch ánd ax ) ▁or ▁ Χ ά ν δ α κ α ς ▁( Ch ánd ak as ) ▁and ▁Latin ized ▁as ▁Cand ia , ▁which ▁was ▁taken ▁into ▁other ▁European ▁languages : ▁in ▁Italian ▁and ▁Latin ▁as ▁Cand ia , ▁in ▁French ▁as ▁Cand ie , ▁in ▁English ▁as ▁C andy , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁could ▁refer ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of