Chania is a small, picturesque town worth exploring, where you'll almost certainly stay longer than you intended, enjoying delicious food, the beautiful harbour, and historic buildings. Excellent architecture, among other things.

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It's beautiful, in the sense that much of what you'll want to see in Chania is concentrated near the harbour - old buildings, museums, churches, and crafts shops (some with genuinely interesting and sometimes local products on offer).

 

In the city of Chania, Venetian, Turkish, traditional, and modern architecture coexist in harmony, creating a unique and appealing scenery for visitors. Archaeological sites, temples, squares, and one-of-a-kind structures adorn the beautiful city of Chania.

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The old city of Chania is a unique historical monument for which the State and local authorities have worked hard to preserve and project its historical character.

 

Despite the intense touristic development of the last few decades, interventions, disasters, and the influence of modern architecture, the old city has managed to retain much of its historical and architectural character.

 

According to archaeological research, the city of Chania is built on the ruins of ancient Kydonia, which was founded by King Kydon and was one of the most important cities of Crete, as mentioned by Homer, whereas Kydonians are thought to be a pre-Hellenic tribe. Chania is a wonderful blend of Eastern and Western influences.

The ancient Minoans used the old harbour as a crossroads for all five Continents during the ancient period (3.000-2.800 B.C.). Furthermore, this harbour hosted ancient Kydonia, one of the most important cities of ancient Crete, until the late 7th century A.D., while it was conquered many times in the past by Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Turks, Hebrews, Egyptians, and Arabs, until the end of the 19th century, when it was liberated. Finally, in 1913, Chania and the rest of Crete were united with independent Greece, thanks in large part to the great Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos.
 

Food is offered in great variety and sometimes in great similarity - there are many restaurants and cafes where you can reflect on the experiences of places you have just explored while enjoying some tasty food - we have restaurant suggestions further on.

 

The atmosphere combines the culture and character of Cretan people and traditions with a touch of Florence and Venice (a few years ago, when those cities still had some room to walk).

 

The Chania harbour is beautiful, and the light changes at different times of day, creating a "different place."
 

This is the best opportunity to see some of the old Venetian and Turkish-style buildings that Crete once had across the island; many have since been destroyed by the ravages of war and plunder.

 

Chania is surrounded by a wealth of opportunities for sightseeing, exploration, and discovery. Mountain villages offer a glimpse of "inner Crete." Hiking trails can be found in the Samaria and other gorges, and archaeological sites abound.