Chania in Greece

Turks, Jews, Venetians, British, Egyptians passed by Chania, leaving their marks. For this reason, the charming old town is inexhaustible. You will encounter different enviroments and atmospheres passing from one neighborhood to another. But always, the history of the city and the smell of the basils from the yards will accompany you. Chania is one of Crete's big cities and is located in the west part of the Island. Its multicultural enviroment and the wealth of the sightseeings attracts many tourists, especially in the summer period. You will find many many hotels and guesthouses (Porto Veneziano Hotel in the Old Port is the coolest hotel in Crete), tavernas, shops and cafes. Nice beaches are within a close distance from the city. In Platanias Beach there are a lot of hotels and beach bars, but the famous beaches are a bit farther: Falasarna and Elafonisi.

The city is served by Chania International Airport (IATA code: CHQ) on the Akrotiri Peninsula. The airport is named after Daskalogiannis, a Sfakiot hero who was skinned by the Turks in the 18th century.

There are several flights a day from Athens to Chania, with Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airlines. From April to early November, there are many direct charter flights to Chania from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia and other European countries.

Ferry services from Athens (Piraeus port) to Chania (Hania) Crete island

Visit www.Ferries.gr and search through all ferry schedules to/from Chania and the rest of the Crete island.

If you are on Crete to see the 'real Crete', as opposed to the night clubs for tourists, then visiting the villages of the island is a must. All Cretan culture can be seen, heard and tasted in the villages. The Cretans at work or at leisure will always welcome visitors and show you how to do things the correct way. All villages have a central kafenion (coffee shop) which is where all people eventually end up. The kafenion, apart from being a place to meet friends for a coffee or a game of tavli, is used as the main information centre of the village. Be aware, however, that the kafenion is still very much a male dominion and women are generally not welcome inside (as opposed to a kafeteria or regular cafe). Most villages have war memorials and the locals will willingly fill in any missing information. Gavalohori has a wonderful Folklore Museum where much about village life can be learned.

Chania city is beautiful throughout the year. It is a big city so even in the winter, the center of the city is alive, partially due to the students from other cities. It will be better to avoid the crowd in July and August. So if you want to swim and see the monuments and the old city at your own pace, choose May-June or late September-early October. Chania have a sunny and nearly hot weather also in spring and fall.

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Kastelli Hill in the city was the first place that was inhabited. After that the village started to grow and the port of Chania became an important stop for the sea transports. Trade was developed and the Minoan civilisation was present here too. The Romans came at 67 b.C., then the Arabs, then the Byzantines and the Venetians.The Ottoman Turks conquered Chania in 1645 and stayed there untill 1912.

In 1913 Crete was united with Greece. The Cretans played a dramatic role in the Second World War. The battle of Crete is one of the most well known battles in the war. On the 20th May 1941, germans launched airborne invasion and the Cretans resisted for more than 9 days, but the Nazi Germans finally made their way in the island. Nevertheless, the people of Chania and generally Crete kept fighting the troops of Germans in every way.