I will be visting Chania, Crete in September. Anything I can or must do while Im there.?

Question

Cruises, hikes, marathons, bars, ruins, restaurants, beaches?

Answer 1

Chania is a beautiful town and you will have a great time there.

It has an old Venetian harbour with lots of quaint waterfront bars and restaurants, well worth a stroll. It gets lively at night and very picturesque. There are even some horse drawn carriages on offer for a tour of the Old Town.

Another must visit is the old indoor market. Modelled after the market of Marseilles, it's said to be the best indoor market in Europe. Inside there are lots of local produce on offer with Cheese stalls, butchers, bakers, fresh fish and fresh fruit and vegetable stalls. There are and some restaurants too, with real traditional Cretan food on offer.

There are plenty of shops in Chania, and it is quite modern and fashionable. There are tourist shops too of course. Leather Lane is worth a visit for inexpensive leather bags and shoes.

Chania is a great place to eat. I recommend "Restaurant Ela" in the Old Town on Kondilaki 47 (turn into Baladinou off Halidon Street for the alleys of the Old Town). Ela is in the shell of an old Venetian building without a roof. The décor is rustic, with no plaster on the walls, exposing beams and lots of overgrown vines and flowers decorate the old stone walls. The food's great too!

There are lots of nice resorts near Chania with great beaches: Platanias to the west, Kalyves and Almyrida to the east - all with 15 minute bus rides.

It is near to Samaria Gorge which is the 2nd longest hike in Europe (16K downhill, but still a bit arduous). There are other gorges around the area like Agia Irini and the Imbros Gorge - both shorter than Samaria.

There is an ancient site near Chania at Aptera. Well worth a visit as it is quite spectacular and well preserved. Nearby is an 18th Century Turkish Fort with spectacular views over the Bay at Souda.

If you are willing to travel a bit, don't forget Knossos - the site of the ancient Minoan Civilisation - but it is near Heraklion, a two hour drive from Chania.

Hope you have a great time!