Guidebook for Chania
Food
Bougatsa Iordanis (only in the morning until noon for breakfast)
Bougatsa is a dish made with filo pastry and with fillings that can change from region to region. In Chania (Crete), the most famous pastry shop, Iordanis Bougatsa has been baking fresh bougatsa on a daily basis since 1922. Through the years, the uniqueness of his shop has been published in endless food and travel magazines.
Address: Apokoronou 24, Chania Center, tel: +30 2821 088855
37 paikallista suosittelee
Bougatsa Iordanis
24 ApokoronouBougatsa Iordanis (only in the morning until noon for breakfast)
Bougatsa is a dish made with filo pastry and with fillings that can change from region to region. In Chania (Crete), the most famous pastry shop, Iordanis Bougatsa has been baking fresh bougatsa on a daily basis since 1922. Through the years, the uniqueness of his shop has been published in endless food and travel magazines.
Address: Apokoronou 24, Chania Center, tel: +30 2821 088855
This is by far the most successful tavern for the last 20 years, located in an old hammam, amazing interiors and a wide range of yummy mezedes at a fairly good rate. It is easy to find in the old harbor on Zampeliou which is the street behind the road that lines the harbor, on the west side of the port near the Jewish quarter. The phone number is +302821096080 in case you want to make reservations which is not a bad idea! My favorite dish is hunkar begendi and giaourtlou.
Address: Zampeliou 49 Chania tel: +30 2821 096080
173 paikallista suosittelee
Tamam
This is by far the most successful tavern for the last 20 years, located in an old hammam, amazing interiors and a wide range of yummy mezedes at a fairly good rate. It is easy to find in the old harbor on Zampeliou which is the street behind the road that lines the harbor, on the west side of the port near the Jewish quarter. The phone number is +302821096080 in case you want to make reservations which is not a bad idea! My favorite dish is hunkar begendi and giaourtlou.
Address: Zampeliou 49 Chania tel: +30 2821 096080
Open all year round, from the afternoon till
late at night. A renovated building dating
back to the Turkish Domination and located
opposite the Minaret on Splantzia Square,
houses a special restaurant offering excellent
cuisine from different countries of the
Mediterranean, as well as inspired meals
of the local cuisine, all supervised in the
“Mediterranean” way by its owner and chef.
Order the dishes of the day in a beautiful
environment, served with good wine. We
advise you to call to make your reservations
before leaving for the restaurant.
51 paikallista suosittelee
Mesogiako Restaurant
32 Chatzimichali NtalianiOpen all year round, from the afternoon till
late at night. A renovated building dating
back to the Turkish Domination and located
opposite the Minaret on Splantzia Square,
houses a special restaurant offering excellent
cuisine from different countries of the
Mediterranean, as well as inspired meals
of the local cuisine, all supervised in the
“Mediterranean” way by its owner and chef.
Order the dishes of the day in a beautiful
environment, served with good wine. We
advise you to call to make your reservations
before leaving for the restaurant.
Getting Around
One of the best things to do in Chania is wander through the maze of narrow, pedestrian-only streets in the historic old town. An architectural style jumps out at you around every corner. Shops lining the streets and stairways sell souvenirs, and cute restaurants and cafés are tucked into shady patios.
As you walk around, you'll come across four distinct areas, each with its own look and feel: Kastelli is hilly and quite old with very narrow, twisty walkways. If you come across a group of tourists, it's often too tight to pass. Topanas is just back from the old port and has narrow roadways. The Jewish District is easily identified by its wider streets. The Splantzia District has the greatest number of outdoor cafés and restaurants, mostly located around a huge plane tree in front of the Church of St. Nicolas.
73 paikallista suosittelee
Old Town
36 Emmanoil VernardoyOne of the best things to do in Chania is wander through the maze of narrow, pedestrian-only streets in the historic old town. An architectural style jumps out at you around every corner. Shops lining the streets and stairways sell souvenirs, and cute restaurants and cafés are tucked into shady patios.
As you walk around, you'll come across four distinct areas, each with its own look and feel: Kastelli is hilly and quite old with very narrow, twisty walkways. If you come across a group of tourists, it's often too tight to pass. Topanas is just back from the old port and has narrow roadways. The Jewish District is easily identified by its wider streets. The Splantzia District has the greatest number of outdoor cafés and restaurants, mostly located around a huge plane tree in front of the Church of St. Nicolas.
Walk the Seawall to the Lighthouse
One of the best views of the old port and Chania's old town can be found by taking a pleasant stroll along the Venetian seawall to the 19th-century lighthouse. The walk takes about 15 minutes one way, at a leisurely pace. This walk will also take you by some of the main sights in the old port, including the Yiali Tzami mosque and the Venetian arsenals.
You can see the lighthouse from everywhere along the harbor. Follow the seawall all the way along until you come to the start of the breakwater, leading to the lighthouse. From here, you can either take a lower walkway or upper walkway. The upper path looks like the easiest, but quickly becomes narrower and then very rough and uneven. It's best to take the lower walkway. Beyond the first set of stairs, there is no easy way to get down from the upper walkway.
Although the lighthouse is not open to visitors, you can still climb the set of stairs to the first level at the base for views back to the city and out to sea.
184 paikallista suosittelee
majakka
Walk the Seawall to the Lighthouse
One of the best views of the old port and Chania's old town can be found by taking a pleasant stroll along the Venetian seawall to the 19th-century lighthouse. The walk takes about 15 minutes one way, at a leisurely pace. This walk will also take you by some of the main sights in the old port, including the Yiali Tzami mosque and the Venetian arsenals.
You can see the lighthouse from everywhere along the harbor. Follow the seawall all the way along until you come to the start of the breakwater, leading to the lighthouse. From here, you can either take a lower walkway or upper walkway. The upper path looks like the easiest, but quickly becomes narrower and then very rough and uneven. It's best to take the lower walkway. Beyond the first set of stairs, there is no easy way to get down from the upper walkway.
Although the lighthouse is not open to visitors, you can still climb the set of stairs to the first level at the base for views back to the city and out to sea.
With its warm, sunny climate and rich, fertile soils, Crete grows olives and grapes, and even farms tropical fruits, such as avocados and bananas. In this carefully tended park, at the foot of the White Mountains, a meandering two-kilometer path takes you through a garden planted with exotic flowers and fruit trees from all over the world, with everything clearly labeled.
Shady spots with benches amid fragrant herbs such as sage, mint, and thyme offer places to relax and escape the sun. You can borrow a walking stick and hat at the entrance, and a free bottle of water is included with the ticket. There is also a café-restaurant serving traditional Cretan dishes prepared from the park's own seasonal products.
The Botanic Park is accessible by bus from Chania and is a must for plant lovers.
Address: Fournes, 18 kilometers southwest of Chania, Crete
Official site: www.botanical-park.com
219 paikallista suosittelee
Kreetan kasvitieteellinen puutarha ja puistot
Eparchiaki Odos Chanion-OmalouWith its warm, sunny climate and rich, fertile soils, Crete grows olives and grapes, and even farms tropical fruits, such as avocados and bananas. In this carefully tended park, at the foot of the White Mountains, a meandering two-kilometer path takes you through a garden planted with exotic flowers and fruit trees from all over the world, with everything clearly labeled.
Shady spots with benches amid fragrant herbs such as sage, mint, and thyme offer places to relax and escape the sun. You can borrow a walking stick and hat at the entrance, and a free bottle of water is included with the ticket. There is also a café-restaurant serving traditional Cretan dishes prepared from the park's own seasonal products.
The Botanic Park is accessible by bus from Chania and is a must for plant lovers.
Address: Fournes, 18 kilometers southwest of Chania, Crete
Official site: www.botanical-park.com
Balos beach
Crete's most spectacular beaches are often the hardest to reach, and Balos is certainly one of them. Excursion boats depart from Kissamos (40 kilometers west of Chania), but it's more fun to hire a vehicle, preferably a 4WD jeep, and visit independently.
You'll need to negotiate a challenging, seven-kilometer, rough track, running along Gramvousa Peninsula-be sure to go slowly and carefully. The local municipality is working on improving the road, but at the moment, the trip on the dirt road takes about 30 minutes. It's an adventure complete with steep drop-offs, goats, and lots of dust. A small fee is charged per person to use the road.
From the car park, hike down a steep footpath (20 minutes), to arrive at this enchanting white-sand beach, which extends to a stunning turquoise and emerald-green lagoon.
From here, you can wade through the knee-high sea to the tiny islet of Gramvousa, crowned by a 16th-century Venetian fort. The beach is blissful after 5pm, when the excursion boats leave, and you're at one with nature. Prince Charles and Princess Diana swam here during their honeymoon in 1981.
11 paikallista suosittelee
Balos Beach
Balos beach
Crete's most spectacular beaches are often the hardest to reach, and Balos is certainly one of them. Excursion boats depart from Kissamos (40 kilometers west of Chania), but it's more fun to hire a vehicle, preferably a 4WD jeep, and visit independently.
You'll need to negotiate a challenging, seven-kilometer, rough track, running along Gramvousa Peninsula-be sure to go slowly and carefully. The local municipality is working on improving the road, but at the moment, the trip on the dirt road takes about 30 minutes. It's an adventure complete with steep drop-offs, goats, and lots of dust. A small fee is charged per person to use the road.
From the car park, hike down a steep footpath (20 minutes), to arrive at this enchanting white-sand beach, which extends to a stunning turquoise and emerald-green lagoon.
From here, you can wade through the knee-high sea to the tiny islet of Gramvousa, crowned by a 16th-century Venetian fort. The beach is blissful after 5pm, when the excursion boats leave, and you're at one with nature. Prince Charles and Princess Diana swam here during their honeymoon in 1981.
Elafonisi beach
On Crete's isolated southwest coast, this stunning beach lies about a two-hour drive from Chania (73 kilometers). The colors here are amazing-the sand takes on pink hues in certain light as it is made up of tiny pieces of shells and coral, and the sea is turquoise-blue.
You can wade through ankle-deep water to an islet, which is a conservation area, being the last stop for birds migrating from Europe to Africa. Complete with sunbeds and umbrellas to hire plus a canteen for snacks, Elafonissi is ideal for families with kids due to the warm, shallow sea.
If you don't want to tackle this yourself, you can take an organized tour to Elafonisi from Chania, which includes transportation and stops at caves and a village along the way.
It can get very windy here, so be sure to check the forecast before heading out and perhaps consider another beach, unless you are looking to kiteboard or windsurf.
362 paikallista suosittelee
Elafonissin ranta
Elafonisi beach
On Crete's isolated southwest coast, this stunning beach lies about a two-hour drive from Chania (73 kilometers). The colors here are amazing-the sand takes on pink hues in certain light as it is made up of tiny pieces of shells and coral, and the sea is turquoise-blue.
You can wade through ankle-deep water to an islet, which is a conservation area, being the last stop for birds migrating from Europe to Africa. Complete with sunbeds and umbrellas to hire plus a canteen for snacks, Elafonissi is ideal for families with kids due to the warm, shallow sea.
If you don't want to tackle this yourself, you can take an organized tour to Elafonisi from Chania, which includes transportation and stops at caves and a village along the way.
It can get very windy here, so be sure to check the forecast before heading out and perhaps consider another beach, unless you are looking to kiteboard or windsurf.
Day Trip to Hike the Samaria Gorge
Crete's mountains are cut by deep gorges, the longest of which is the 18-kilometer Samaria. It makes a challenging hike, which you can do independently or as part of an organized day trip from Chania. This is a one-way hike, so you need to consider transport back to your starting point before doing this hike. It can be complex, so a tour is your best option. Entrance to the gorge is at the village of Omalós, 42 kilometers south of Chania.
The path is steep and uneven at first, descending through dense pinewoods. Deep inside the rocky gorge, the footpath winds around large boulders, and at its narrowest point, the "Iron Gates" (Síderoportes), the Samaria is only four meters wide. Look out for kri kri, wild goats unique to Crete.
One of the great aspects of this hike is the fact that it is almost all down hill. The gorge opens out to the sea at the village of Ayía Rouméli, with a black-sand beach where you can swim at the end of your hike. From here, catch the ferry to Sfakia, then the bus back to Chania (75 kilometers).
517 paikallista suosittelee
Samaria Gorge
Day Trip to Hike the Samaria Gorge
Crete's mountains are cut by deep gorges, the longest of which is the 18-kilometer Samaria. It makes a challenging hike, which you can do independently or as part of an organized day trip from Chania. This is a one-way hike, so you need to consider transport back to your starting point before doing this hike. It can be complex, so a tour is your best option. Entrance to the gorge is at the village of Omalós, 42 kilometers south of Chania.
The path is steep and uneven at first, descending through dense pinewoods. Deep inside the rocky gorge, the footpath winds around large boulders, and at its narrowest point, the "Iron Gates" (Síderoportes), the Samaria is only four meters wide. Look out for kri kri, wild goats unique to Crete.
One of the great aspects of this hike is the fact that it is almost all down hill. The gorge opens out to the sea at the village of Ayía Rouméli, with a black-sand beach where you can swim at the end of your hike. From here, catch the ferry to Sfakia, then the bus back to Chania (75 kilometers).
Kaupunkia koskevat ohjeet
Tavat ja kulttuuri
Historical overview of Chania
http://chaniahistory.gr/index.php?lang=en&Itemid=1472
Tätä ei kannata jättää väliin
Visit Daliani Street
Visit Daliani Street, a narrow street with a minaret, in the old town. It is full of small beautiful taverns with good food.
Liikkuminen
PUPBLIC TRANSPORT and TAXI
CHANIA URBAN BUSES
http://chaniabus.gr/en/#main
LONG DISTANCE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
https://www.e-ktel.com/
Radio Taxi Hermes Chania
+302821098700
https://www.chaniataxi.gr/