EXPLORE / CRETE
CHANIA
SPELLBINDING TIMELESS BEAUTY The vibrant, cosmopolitan destination of Chania offers visitors some of the most authentic and fulfilling experiences in Greece that are sure to be cherished forever.
CINEMATIC BEAUTY With a history spanning over four millennia, the stunning city of Chania is one of the oldest settlements in the world, which has blossomed into a cosmopolitan bucket-list entry that's celebrated as an alternative to jet-set favorites Ibiza and Mykonos. Once Crete’s capital (from 1898 to 1971) and hands down the island’s most evocative urban area, Chania is split into the old and new city by ancient Venetian walls that define the border between the
two, with the old town consisting of five districts surrounding the Venetian port. Vestiges of the city’s past can be seen in its dozens of Venetian and Ottoman buildings and architectural details, with mosques, Turkish bathhouses and beautiful mansions given a new lease of life by ongoing restoration works. Some of the city’s old townhouses have been transformed into atmospheric restaurants and boutique hotels. Meanwhile, the Byzantine era is also highly visible, evident in Chania’s frescoed
chapels and churches. Walking through the old town is a fascinating experience. To name just a few of the most important attractions, there’s the picturesque Venetian port whose 16th century lighthouse, seawalls and buildings have featured in many films, Firka Fortress, Giali Tzami, the highly interesting Maritime Museum and Grand Arsenal, the old Venetian shipyard which now houses the Centre of Mediterranean Architecture, the Archaeological Museum and the buzzing Municipal Market, where
Chania's old harbor was built in the 14th century by Venetian rulers of the island. Now it's buzzing with social life (top). Snapping a shot at the lighthouse, at the entrance to the town's harbor (left).
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