Crete · Explore the Venice of the East
Chania
Chania is Crete's most picturesque town, a Venetian harbour city with a culinary scene that blends Cretan tradition and Eastern influence. We design private Chania itineraries pairing its old town with Elafonisi, Balos and the Samaria Gorge.
Enjoy the Venice of the East: a town of rare beauty and architecture, with an amazing culinary scene built on traditional Cretan cooking and Eastern influences.
Built on ancient Kydonia
The town of Chania stands on the site of ancient Kydonia, which Homer counted among the most important cities of Crete. The surviving remains include large buildings from Mycenaean times, when the city flourished greatly, and many ancient towns and temples rose in the region around it, such as the temple of Asklepios at Lissos. In 823 AD the city fell to the Saracens, and a few years later it was destroyed, sharing the fate of many Cretan cities of the era.
Explore Chania
Chania has been named among the top places to visit in Europe by international travel press, and we agree: it is a picturesque town absolutely worth getting to know. It earned its nickname for its beauty and architecture, and its food scene combines traditional Cretan recipes with Eastern flavours inherited from centuries of Ottoman rule.
Elafonisi
Make the trip to Elafonisi, also known as Pink Beach. The long shoreline never feels crowded, it sits beside a protected nature reserve, and the sand really does shimmer in tints of pastel pink.
Balos Lagoon
For an off-the-beaten-path adventure, visit the beautiful Balos Lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula. Book an organised tour or bring a four-wheel drive, because the road down is not for the faint of heart. The reward is one of the most photographed seascapes in Greece.
Samaria Gorge
The hike through Samaria Gorge National Park is truly epic. At sixteen kilometres, Samaria is one of the longest gorges in Europe, it runs through Crete’s only national park, and it serves up stunning views for the entire day.
Pairing Chania
Chania is the natural western anchor of a Cretan journey: Rethymno and its Venetian old town lie an hour east, with Heraklion and the Minoan palaces beyond.
Known first-hand
Our best picks in Chania
- Best Dining Glossitses
Greek food with a twist: superb seafood, lamb and desserts, served by super friendly staff. We have recommended it to everyone we know who visits Chania, and it has not received a bad review yet.
- Best Local Souvenir Armenis Cretan knives
Michalis makes traditional Cretan knives with mantinades, the island's short poems, engraved on their blades: pocket, hunting, diving and decorative pieces, with a workshop where you can watch him in action.
- Best Casual Table Kouzina
Technically a chain, in the sense that there is a sister restaurant in Athens, but always packed because the food is phenomenal. If pork ribs are on the menu, you will not be disappointed.
- Best Daytrip Samaria National Park
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the White Mountains, drawing tens of thousands of hikers a year to the spectacular gorge at its centre, one of the largest canyons in Europe. Start early and wear proper shoes.
- Best After Dark Kibar
Great cocktails in the courtyard of a former monastery, a genuinely unique experience, near the bar-lined Daliani street where the locals hang out.
- Best Activity Attikon Cinema
What can be better than a warm late evening watching a movie under the stars? The town's open-air cinema is a beloved summer ritual.
Chania has an international airport (CHQ) with seasonal European connections, plus overnight ferries from Piraeus arriving at the nearby port of Souda.
Design
Design your experience
Tell us the occasion, the season and who is coming. One of our Epicureans will come back with a first sketch of Chania, and will tell you if another corner of Greece suits your dates better.