Hersonissos, meaning "peninsula", also transliterated as Chersonissos and Hersónisos, is a town and a local government unit in the north of Crete, bordering the Mediterranean / Aegean Sea. The town is about 25 kilometers east of Heraklion and west of Agios Nikolaos. What is usually called Hersonissos is in fact its peninsula and harbour. It is part of the Heraklion regional unit. It is situated 25 km from the Heraklion airport and 27 km from the Heraklion port. The seat of the local government unit is the village of Gournes.

The seaside resort of Hersonissos is officially the Port of Hersonissos, Liménas Chersónissou) in distinction to the village of Upper Hersonissos further inland. Through tourism, the port town developed from the small harbour which served the original village, now known as Old Hersonissos.