Chanià, Crete

“It takes a lifetime for someone to disc over Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her” 

Henry Miller 

Chanià, a paradise in the Aegean sea

I know Greece as that ‘postcard perfect’ destination, where all travellers dream to go to at least once in their life. But there’s quite a lot more to it. Greece is actually at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa. While it is popular for its stunning beaches and shorelines, it is important to note that Greece is 80% mountainous and semi – mountainous, so there’s much more to see in this country than just beaches and clear blue water.

I visited  Chanià for a weekend in May 2018 , which is the second largest city in Crete. This ancient hamlet boasts a unique charm to its visitors, which is  clustered close to a magnificent harbour , old buildings, museums, churches and crafts shops.  Chanià  is also surrounded by numerous rich options for sightseeing, exploration and discovery .

The atmosphere has a touch of Florence and Venice  combined with the culture and character of Cretan people and traditions . Chanià is  known to be the multicultural place in Crete as the Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, Venetians, Ottomans and a whole lot more came here and left their own piece of culture behind. Here my personal tips about an exicting holiday in the South of Europe!

greece-travel-wine-blog-weloveitalyeu

How to reach Chanià

Chanià , can be reached by air as it has an international airport. The airport is situated northeast of the city, there’s one small and simple terminal. The distance from Chania airport to the centre of Chanià is 15 kilometres

There are two transfer options to get from Chanià  airport to its city centre:

  • The bus –Chania Airport transportation is the cheapest but slowest transfer option. It costs only 2.50€ for a one way ticket, but it takes 90 minutes, including waiting time;
  • Taking a Crete airport taxi will only take 25 minutes, but costs a flat rate fee of 30€.

It’s easy to fall in love with Chanià . This Cretan harbour town has a lot going for it: small local shops, waterside restaurants and lots of little alleys to get lost in. The best part is the historical old town as most of the sights are located there.

6 things to do in Chanià:

  1. Visit the Maritime Museum of Crete: the ‘Nautical Museum of Crete’ exhibits just about anything related to life at sea from the bronze age until the present. The collection includes ship models, nautical instruments and photographs, among other things. It’s housed in the ‘Firkas Fortress’, on the opposite end of the harbour from theVenetian Lighthouse’;
  2. Go shopping at the market hall:  if you’d like to try out some more typical Cretan food, head to the Market Hall. Here you’ll find olives, meat and typical Cretan pastries likekalitsounia’, a salty or sweet cheese pie;
  3. Visit Tabakaria’ a district with old leather processing houses found on the rocky eastern side of the city of Chanià;
  4. Visit the Greek Orthodox Cathedral’: the Greek Orthodox Cathedral’at Plateia Mitropoleos was built on the same spot where a Venetian church used to be. When the Ottoman Turks invaded Chanià , they’d turned that churched into a soap factory. Nothing was saved, except for one statue of the Virgin Mary. It may have been karma or not, but the factory went out of business. When it did, the owner decided to give the building back to the city of Chanià , and a new church was built, holding the Mary statue from the original church. The Cathedral is also known as the ‘Panagia Trimartiri’ , because it has three aisles, one dedicated to the Virgin Mary, one to Saint Nicholas and one to the Three Cappadocian Fathers;
  5. Walk along the ‘Venetian Harbour’: the ‘Venetian Harbour’ was built by the Venetians between 1320 and 1356. It doesn’t serve as a port for the large ships anymore now, you will find only fishing boats, yachts and sailing boats. There are many restaurants and cafes around the harbour where you can sit and enjoy the breath taking sunset;
  6. For beautiful photos: it’s best to walk to the other end of the harbour, from where you have a great view of the Venetian Lighthouse‘.

What to buy

For local food products like cheese, honey, olives and olive oil (Crete is famous for its olive oil) you can pay a visit to the market hall. From the numerous shops around the alleys, you can buy traditional local products like pottery, Raki (traditional alcoholic drink), leather goods and knives (many shops can engrave whatever you want in your traditional Cretan knife) and any kind. of souvenir.

Where to eat in Chanià 

Where to sleep

Here are different kind of accommodation in Chanià . The best way is  to give a look on booking.com. There are lots of nice hotels in the Old Town too. This  is the perfect  area where to stay,  because you have all around

chanià-travel-wine-blog-weloveitalyeu

Chanià ‘τα λέμε σύντομα’

Chanià is synonymous with perfect Mediterranean climate, clear sky, and blue seawater. The beautiful town captivates with its calm and relaxed atmosphere, and is an ideal place for relaxation and escape from the hustle and bustle of a big metropolis.

In addition, the varied landscape of the western part of the island encourages to go on excursions and explore not only the beaches, but also forests and the ‘Lefka Ori Mountains’ that tower over the city.

In conclusion, Chanià is a small village, which  lends itself to every type of holiday, from busy days filled with activities to slow, dreamy days where you spend your time sipping wine and watching life go by!

If you like my post, please subscribe to the socials of www.WeLoveitaly.eu :