The narrow streets, dancing in the taverns, museums, monuments, the old port - all this splendor will appear before you after a tour in Chania. A city of mystery and discovery, exotic and patriarchal, pleasure and delight. This is also Chania. Walk by day or by night - it is always equally great there. Because Chania is the best city in Crete, where you should be too...
If urban skyscrapers made of metal and glass lure you, then you are definitely not in Chania. Because medieval patriarchy and the measured rhythm of modernity reign in this beautiful city. It is also a place where you can dance with gusto, eat delicious food and enjoy the most colorful souvenirs, equal to none in Crete.
This is Chania where the West meets the East and the two get along amicably. Here people and times peacefully coexist, striking the guests of Crete with its mix of Minoan civilization, Venetian culture, Turkish motifs and modernity. Neither years nor crises have no power over it - Chania is charming in its pristine and original. And wandering through its narrow streets and lounging in the shade of oranges is the dream of everyone who has once visited the island.
If you prefer the urban giantism, the city of Chania is unlikely to meet your expectations. Despite being cozy and small, Chania is the second city in Crete - mysterious and legendary, like everything connected with Ancient Greece. Beautiful, like a "sliver" of Venice. Inscrutable, like the Saracen pirates that also left their mark on the fate of this city.
Of course, someone considers the main wealth of Crete to be its luxurious beaches. Chania is not an exception. A calm sea, without waves and sharks, fine sand and gentle entrances to the warm waters, heated to +25, is not it a paradise for recreation?
But just to lie in the sun, going to Greece, you know, it's not even funny. You're not a Navy SEAL, or a sloth seal, who see beyond the beach just ... food. So, go on an excursion to Chania! It's nice there, where Crete smells...
When all roads led to Rome, the Minoan culture thrived on the site of Chania. That was thousands of years ago. Today you're immersed in the atmosphere of the Venetian city of the XVI-XVII centuries. And in ancient times, at the place of today's Chania appeared the polis (settlement) of Kidonia, which rivaled on equal terms with Knossos.
In 1252 the Venetians captured the city, and in 1552 a certain pirate Barbarossa took it and ruined it. But even the conquerors, depraved by chic architecture, did not want to be trived of such a gem. They sent there their greatest contemporary, the architect San Michele, and ordered him not just to restore it, but to "make it better than it was". A man said, a man made: the city became the best in Crete. At least, that's what anyone who doesn't live in Heraklion will tell you.
However, neither the beautiful defenses nor the courage of the inhabitants could keep the glorious city safe from the new invaders - this time the Turkish armies. Understandably, the Venetian color began to be diluted by the Ottoman one and the townspeople, for different reasons, converted to Islam. In 1898 Chania became the capital of the Cretan Republic, and from 1913 it returned under the shadow of its beloved mother Greece.
This city is guarded by the Gods, otherwise how to explain that the horror of the Second World War bombing has not touched the historic part of Chania?
The old town is the most beautiful place on the island. Wander through its narrow streets, in some places a little wider than half a meter. Stop by one of the many taverns, restaurants or cafes and try the incredibly tasty national dishes. And in the evening dance Sirtaki with cheerful locals. In short, feel the flavor of Chania before you go to the historical sites and museums.
If you already have, it's time to wander around Venizelos (or Santrivani) Square, west of the center of the old city, Kastelli. There, nearby, admire the Janissary Mosque, a futuristic Muslim masterpiece from the Ottoman era.
Take a stroll through the Topanas neighborhood, wandering through the narrow streets and taking your mind back to Venetian times. Visit the Firkas fortress, built in 1629 and admire the old port with its magnificent view.
And of course, by any chance (once you're in the fortress ...), learn a lot of new and interesting things from the Maritime Museum. Check out the Jewish Quarter, just south of Topanas. And there, touch a part of the fortress wall and the bastion of Schiavo, a place of feats and glory, which the citizens are proud of.
And, of course, go to the local market, the shopping wonder of Chania. It was opened in 1911, lined up in the form of a cross and strictly oriented along the sides of the world. And now there, as it should be in Greece, the market has it all! Don't believe me? Go and see ...
Generally speaking, Chania is a paradise for shopaholics. For example, what other city can boast Leather Street, where you can find everything - from wallets to the most authentic (not fake!) chic Cretan boots.
The region of Chania also boasts the Turkish Lighthouse and the Botanical Gardens, the History and Archaeology Museums, the Cathedral and the fantastic surroundings. Only here you can see the Samaria Gorge and the largest canyon in Europe. The pristine beauty of the Ori Massif and the legendary Cretan forests.
And where else will you find... pink sand if not on the beach at Elafonissia? And of course, if you come in May, you will see at Frangokastello Castle (13th century), when at sunrise you will see the "men of dew", mysterious shadows and lights that, according to local experts, are just ... the souls of the defenders of the fortress.
So, if you are bored with the routine, it is high time to go to Crete, to Chania! Gain experience, touch the past, and bravely move into the future! You can't miss it, because this city, like no other, knows how to charm, impress, inspire...
