27 Destinations
Areas & Villages of Chania
From mountain gorges to car-free southern villages — a complete guide to every corner of the Chania region.
Venetian harbours, Ottoman mosques and narrow alleyways — Chania's old town is one of the most beautiful in Greece. Walk the waterfront at sunset, eat in a harbour-front taverna, get lost in the backstreets.
The Egyptian lighthouse, the Mosque of the Janissaries, the Venetian arsenal — all around one of the most beautiful small harbours in the Mediterranean. The evening light here is extraordinary.
A real Cretan village with a real beach. Tavernas on the waterfront, a river lagoon, olive groves behind, Souda Bay in front. The kind of place that extends your stay.
A small seaside village with a sandy beach and a genuinely relaxed pace. Souda Bay views, good tavernas, and a base for exploring the Apokoronas villages inland.
A beautifully restored stone village that became a model for agrotourism in Greece. Tavernas in medieval buildings, cobblestone streets, olive groves everywhere.
A village of Venetian mansions and Byzantine churches, with a small folk museum that tells the story of Cretan rural life better than any guidebook.
A tiny village in the olive groves between Vamos and the coast. One of the best tavernas in western Crete (Dounias) is here, in an organic farm setting.
A small clifftop village above Almyrida with some of the most dramatic views of Souda Bay. The island of Souda (with its Venetian fortress) is directly below.
A tiny cove below Plaka, accessible by a steep road, with a small pebble beach and crystal-clear water. Almost always quiet even in high season.
The peninsula east of Chania has it all: Seitan Limania fjord, Stavros cove, Marathi beach, three monasteries, the airport, and enough tavernas to justify a full day trip.
The circular cove where Zorba the Greek was filmed. The calm water, the dramatic cliff, the small taverna — it's one of the most perfect spots on the peninsula.
The narrow fjord-like cove cut into white limestone cliffs. The electric-blue water and dramatic setting make it the most photographed beach on the peninsula.
The main beach resort area west of Chania. Long sandy beach, water sports, beach bars, restaurants and nightlife. Everything organised, everything convenient.
The closest proper beach resort to Chania. 3km of sandy beach, Theodorou Island offshore, bus from the city every 20 minutes. Perfect for a day trip without a car.
A proper working Cretan town without the tourist polish. The place to stay to reach Balos by boat, Falasarna by car, and Gramvousa island — the most intact Venetian fortress in Crete.
Five wide sandy beaches at the western end of Crete, with the best sunsets on the island. The ruins of the ancient city of Falasarna are right beside the beach.
The pink-sand lagoon beach at the southwestern tip of Crete. Also here: Kedrodasos wild cedar forest, Chrysoskalitissa monastery perched on the sea cliff.
The main town of the south coast — a laid-back, genuinely local place with two beaches, a ruined Venetian castle, and the best fish in western Crete.
A remote south coast village at the end of a mountain road. Long pebble beach, total quiet, a handful of tavernas, and the Lissos ancient ruins a 45-minute walk west.
The tiny port of the Sfakia region — where the Samaria Gorge gorge-walkers arrive by ferry, and the place to catch boats to Loutro and Agia Roumeli. The people here are legendary for their fierce independence.
A car-free white village accessible only by boat or foot. The horseshoe bay, the white houses, the absence of noise — Loutro is one of the most peaceful places in Greece.
A 14th-century Venetian fortress on the beach. The castle, the flat plain, the Lefka Ori mountains behind, the turquoise water — one of the most dramatic coastal settings in Crete.
A small mountain village at the head of a dramatic gorge, 24km from Chania. The site of the 1905 Theriso revolt against Ottoman rule. Famous for its lamb dishes.
The high mountain plateau (1050m) where the Samaria Gorge walk begins. In April–May the plain is carpeted with wildflowers. The drive up from Chania through the mountain villages is spectacular.
Europe's longest gorge (18km). The walk from Omalos to Agia Roumeli takes 5-7 hours and is one of the great hikes of the Mediterranean. Walls rise to 600m at the Sideroportes gates.
