Chania Resort

Chania is a splendid romantic town called Venice of the east and the Beauty of the West, It is located on the north coast of the island on the south-east promontory of the Chania bay, washed by the waters of the Sea of Crete,

Chania historical sites

Chania owes its particular charm to the Venetian houses and the high peaks of the Lefka Ori mountains in the background. The beauty of Chania is also emphasized by the picturesque narrow streets in the town centre. The old town is surrounded by 3 km long ramparts from the 16th century, while the remains of the Venetian fortress Schiaco are currently being restored. Besides all that, you will find there a Venetian port including a lighthouse at the end of the wharf - La Laterna, an old armoury that serves partly as a docking facility and partly for exhibition purposes, and a Janissary citadel. Chania has three large museums - in the catholic church, you will find the Folklore Museum, in the gothic church of St. Francis there is an Archaeological Museum, and in the ancient fortress of Firkas, there is a Maritime Museum. In the centre of Chania, you can cool off in the building of the market from 1911 that was built in the form of an isosceless cross. After a walk through the town, you can have some rest inthe town park with a mini zoo.

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History of Chania

Chania was founded in the 13th century by the Venetians as La Canea in the place of the ancient town of Kydonia - its name is derived from mélon kydonion, meaning a quince. According to Homer, the original settlement of Kydon was founded by the grandson of the king Minos. In 1645, Chania became the first settlement on Crete to be conquered by the Turks. The Turkish occupation only ended in 1897. During World War II, Chania was quite destroyed, yet despite that, a great number of historical buildings has been preserved. As the Cretan capital until 1971, Chania is the second largest town on the island and the capital of the Chania nome/district.

Where is Chania located?

The nome/region of Chania belongs to the most beautiful regions on Crete: on the north coast, you will find three large peninsulas surrounded by the Sea of Crete: Gramvousa, Rodopou and Akrotiri (all of them located west of Chania). Near the resort of Platanias (west of Chania) , you can see the island of Agia Theodori. The middle and the south part of the Chania region is covered by the Lefka Ori mountain range with its highest peak of Pachnes (2453 m). In the south-east part of the mountains, there stretches the greek national park, Samaria. The Chania region also includes the largest Cretan island of Gavdos where the southernmost point of Europe is located.

How to get there?

Chania is located on the north coast of Crete, approx. 130 km west of the capital of Heraklion.

Where else to go on Crete?

Some of the most visited resorts on Crete are: Adelianos Kampos, Agia Fotia, Agia Galini, Agia Marina, Agia Pelagia, Agios Nikolaos, Achlia, Amoudara (West of Heraklion), Analipsi, Anissaras, Bali, Damnoni, Erimoupoli, Ferma, Fodele, Galini, Georgioupolis, Gouves (Kato Gouves), Heraklion, Hersonissos, Chania, Ierapetra, Kavros, Elounda, Kalamaki, Kissamos, Kokkini Hani, Kolymbari, Lygaria, Makrigialos, Maleme, Malia, Matala, Mirtos, Missiria, Paleochora, Panormos, Perivolia, Pigianos Kambos, Plakias, Platanias (Chania), Rapaniana, Rethymno, Sissi, Skaleta, Stalida - Stalis, Stalos, Stavromenos and Stavros,