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Situated on the Greek island of Crete, Chania is a city that blends Greek and Venetian architecture. It has a unique beauty and is nestled between the snow topped mountains and the sea. If that wasn’t enough, the iconic lighthouse is the icing on the cake, especially at sunset.
This destination is perfect if:
- You want to combine a city break with visits to the beach
- You want a city with a bustling feel and is easy to navigate
- You love Greek food and the laidback culture
- You like to explore on foot
- You like to be based centrally and to explore the island through day trips or to do a multi-stop tour
Things to do in Chania Town
The Venetian lighthouse of Chania
The lighthouse is the emblem of Chania so it is a must-see on your visit. When you get there you will find a fantastic view of Chania and the Venetian port. It isn’t possible to go inside the lighthouse but it is worth the walk nonetheless.
From a practical point of view, the walk takes longer than you think so ensure you go to the bathroom before you set off. In the summer months, try to set off early because there is no shade, and take plenty of water with you. The route can get busy and there are quite a few uneven stones so ensure you have suitable footwear.
Wandering around the city
It is difficult to overstate how lovely it is just to hang out around Chania. Whether it is sitting having a coffee, browsing the many gift shops or just having a stroll. Bloggers are sometimes criticised for recommending ‘wandering’ as an activity, but in my opinion it totally is a legitimate activity. Relax, observe, do some people watching and take it all in! This may reflect my introverted personality and my love for being an observer of things, but it’s nice to slow down sometimes and not to have every moment planned.
Restaurants
There are so many wonderful cafes and restaurants in Chania. These are a few of my favourites:
Monogram coffee This place has the most delicious coffee and is very cool. I’d definitely recommend trying it.
Enetikon Restaurant I have been here on two separate visits to Chania and it was my favourite restaurant on both occasions. It is located in the small streets of the old town and is very traditional. Their moussaka really is really one of the best I’ve ever had. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that the bar is high with this.
Salis is an upmarket option on the port. The food here is out of this world and they have the most amazing selection of wines. This is a very special restaurant so would be great if you are celebrating something. It does get very busy so I’d recommend making a reservation.
Neoria Fish Taverna is right next to Salis but much more traditional. It is everything an old fish restaurant on a Greek harbour should be – not fancy at all but gorgeous fresh food, cooked simply and served with care and kindness. It is nice to try the upmarket restaurants popping up around Greece but a meal at a traditional fish restaurant is always a must.
Try to avoid restaurants along the front of the harbour, especially if they have someone outside trying to entice you in. Some of these places are tourist traps and you won’t get the most authentic food or value for money here.
Watching the sunset
There are many bars along the harbour where you can watch the sunset. You will probably find that the best one to go to is wherever you can get the best seats. Right at the water’s edge is obviously ideal but if you want this you will need to go a little early to get a space.
The other option for watching the sunset is to head west of the harbour. Lots of people gather here at sunset to do just that, and many people take their own drinks to enjoy the experience. Being away from the harbour itself you get a more natural view of the sunset with rocks and waves, so it can be a great place to take photographs.
Day trips from Chania Town
Wine tasting tour
I’d highly recommend this full day wine tour on your visit to Chania. I always advise taking a tour when you are doing any wine tasting rather than hiring a car, purely for safety reasons.
This tour was brilliant and so much more than we were expecting. As well as visiting to wineries, we were able to see the oldest olive tree in the world. I found this pretty cool!
Also we had lunch in a lovely traditional restaurant situated up in the mountains. It seemed like we were in the middle of the forest! We never would have found it without the tour.
Crete is known for great wines and the visits to the wineries did not disappoint. When we took the tour it was just us and another couple from Finland, and our guide, so felt very personalised. There is not much more to say about the wine tasting itself, other than we tasted wine and it was delicious. You get the idea!
Rethymnon
Chania has a very reliable bus network and it is easy to get to other places on the island. This includes taking a bus to Rethymnon, which takes around 2 hours each way.
Rethymnon is a medieval town and is very well preserved. It has a huge Venetian fortress and many other archaeological points of interest.
Aside from the historical sights, the streets are totally Instagram-able and there are a wide range of shops and restaurants. We noted a lot of French visitors staying, which (in my opinion) usually indicates the culinary standard is very high!
If I visited Chania again, I’d opt to stay overnight in Rethymnon before heading back to Chania Town. It is still worth going for a day trip, but I really liked it and would explore more if I had the option.
Elafonissi beach
This beach is known as the ‘Maldives’ of Greece and for good reason. I have travelled extensively around Greece and have never seen anything like it. The pink sand is really quite mind blowing!
To drive to Elafonissi it takes around 1 hour 15 minutes, although the parking situation in Chania Town is not the easiest. For this reason, I’ve never rented a car here although I have on other Greek islands. It is possible to get a public bus to Elafonissi also. The third option is to book an organised tour which saves some of the hassle and means that your spot on the coach is guaranteed. This is an inexpensive option with good reviews – Chania to Elafonissi bus trip. (Full disclosure as it is important to be honest – I have not taken this tour as I visited Elafonissi by boat from Paleochora and had a really bad experience. If I visited again I’d take the option of a bus tour from Chania instead).
Paleochora
If you have enough time, I would recommend combining your trip to Chania Town with a 2-3 days in Paleochora. This is a particularly good option if you are travelling as a couple or just want a quiet few days at the beach. This balances nicely with a few days in Chania Town because you get the best of both worlds.
Paleochora is on the South coast of Crete, and takes around 1.5-2 hours by bus. It is easy and cheap to get to from Chania Town.
The town is on a small peninsula with beaches on each side. It is packed with lovely traditional restaurants which really are great value for money. You’ll see lots of couples eating in the summer evenings, and it is a very laidback vibe.
There is also a little fortress that you can visit.
If you like a massage you have to try Massage Philosophy. I find that massages in Greece can be a bit hit and miss, but the signature massage here was amazing! I liked it so much that I went back a second time.
If you rent a car there is an amazing little waterfall and cove just North of Paleochora itself. Ask a local for directions here as it was not the easiest to find, but was well worth it. We visited in late May and you could tell the water was trickling down from the snow capped mountains as it was very fresh!
I stayed at On the Rocks Hotel which was lovely. It is a basic and inexpensive hotel and this is what I look for when I am going for a short beach break. I don’t need fancy for the beach!
The room was clean and comfortable and I enjoyed the breakfast each morning. I also made a lovely feline friend who joined me for sunrise yoga one morning. I hope you will meet him if you visit!
Where to stay in Chania Town
I’ve stayed in a few places in Chania Town and there is only one that I can recommend wholeheartedly, and that is Elia Bettolo Hotel. This hotel is as centrally located as it gets, so it is a great place to enjoy everything Chania has to offer.
The hotel is beautiful and I felt that I was staying somewhere that was both stylish and comfortable. The breakfast each morning was excellent.
Last but not least:
If you’re feeling hedonistic – Go for some gyros at Delish Food Streat Story Each time I have been to Chania I have arrived on a late flight, and this place is my ‘go to’ after I land and get into town.
If you want a sense of accomplishment – There are many hiking routes in and near Chania, so you have lots of options if you are someone who is active, enjoys nature and wants a sense of adventure.
Reasons to be optimistic – Chania has many traditions and festivals that continue to be celebrated to this day. As is the case for much of Greece, the traditional culture is honoured, and it is always lovely to see the ways of life that have remained the same for hundreds of years. For more on the traditions of the area, check out this excellent guide from the local tourist board.
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