Time to Visit Chania ?
Well, that's kind of a general question, don't you think? There are lots of reasons why one should visit Chania. I think the right question is why should I stay in Chania? So, let's see.
Chania is the second biggest city of Crete after Heraklion. It's divided into the Old town and the Newer one. Chania's Old Town is considered the most beautiful urban district on Crete, especially the Venetian harbor. The picturesque Old harbor has preserved its traditional architecture and most of its monuments from Venetian and Turkish times . You will be thrilled by the romantic atmosphere walking through the very small streets of the Old city but also the Newer part of Chania has many spots to be visited. While walking through the City you will find many restaurants with great Cretan dishes and bars .
Places to visit at Chania
In the region of Chania there are many possible places to visit according preference such as magnificent beaches , breathtaking gorges, monasteries with great historical imprortance , venetian fortresses and many other things.
The best example of a gorge to be visited is the Samaria Gorge.The beauty of the nature to be discovered and a hiking experience you will never forget ( 16 km walking) are some reasons to put this gorge on the top visiting list in Chania. Another possible ‘’must see’’ is of course the Old Town which is a beautiful jewel.Many things to do there such as small boat trips with glass bottom boats and a visit to the Venetian Quarter is the town's real source of pride. Also the Splantzia quarter is a picturesque area of the old town, northeast of the market, caressed by the Turkish culture, with atmospheric backstreets and interesting churches.
Chania has three important monasteries, the monastery of Agia Triada, the Gouverneto monastery and the Katholiko monastery. The monastery of Agia Triada, its style influenced by the Italian Renaissance. There's a museum at the entrance that has a collection of Byzantine icons you should see. The beautiful and imposing church of Kyria ton Angelon stands in the courtyard of the Gouverneto Monastery that looks like a fortress. As for the Katholiko Monastery, it was founded by Saint John, a church at the rock of a cliff.
Lastly you can pay a visit to the archaeological museum and the naval museum that is housed in the Firkas Sea Fortress.
Finally, there are the Public Gardens that were laid out in the 19th century by a Turkish pasha and include a modest zoo, and you will be sure to find the famous Cretan kri-kri there.
The best example of a gorge to be visited is the Samaria Gorge.The beauty of the nature to be discovered and a hiking experience you will never forget ( 16 km walking) are some reasons to put this gorge on the top visiting list in Chania. Another possible ‘’must see’’ is of course the Old Town which is a beautiful jewel.Many things to do there such as small boat trips with glass bottom boats and a visit to the Venetian Quarter is the town's real source of pride. Also the Splantzia quarter is a picturesque area of the old town, northeast of the market, caressed by the Turkish culture, with atmospheric backstreets and interesting churches.
Chania has three important monasteries, the monastery of Agia Triada, the Gouverneto monastery and the Katholiko monastery. The monastery of Agia Triada, its style influenced by the Italian Renaissance. There's a museum at the entrance that has a collection of Byzantine icons you should see. The beautiful and imposing church of Kyria ton Angelon stands in the courtyard of the Gouverneto Monastery that looks like a fortress. As for the Katholiko Monastery, it was founded by Saint John, a church at the rock of a cliff.
Lastly you can pay a visit to the archaeological museum and the naval museum that is housed in the Firkas Sea Fortress.
Finally, there are the Public Gardens that were laid out in the 19th century by a Turkish pasha and include a modest zoo, and you will be sure to find the famous Cretan kri-kri there.
Beaches of Chania
Elafonissi itself is an endless sandy beach with crystal clear waters which remind you of the Maldives!!Falassarna is an exotic sandy beach, ideal for children, with tavernas above it. As for Gramvousa, it's a sandy beach with a Venetian fortress above where one can only arrive by sea but it's 100% worth the effort.
But Chania has a lot of beaches that are also near to the city center and very popular too such as Agios Pavlos with its sapphire-blue waters, the small but popular beach of Stavros, Platanias and Marathi.
But Chania has a lot of beaches that are also near to the city center and very popular too such as Agios Pavlos with its sapphire-blue waters, the small but popular beach of Stavros, Platanias and Marathi.
Cretan Food - Gastronomy
The Cretan nutrition is well known for being rich in vitamins and nutritious components from the nature’s ingredients. Fresh salads, meat and fish, cheese and local specialties all made and cooked with exceptional olive oil of local production. A Research that is known as "the seven years Study", showed that the Cretans, compared with 16 other populations from seven other countries, showed the lowest percentage of mortality in the heart sicknesses and the lowest generally mortality independently from the cause of death .All of these studies showed that the “key” to living a long life for them was nutrition.
The weekly nutrition of a Cretan in 1960 (same almost from the Minoan times) was the home made bread, the vegetables and fresh fruits, once a week the meat, twice a week the fish and the mediocre consumption of red wine and olive oil.
Once you are in Chania you will definitely enjoy the food and of course our wine and raki which is our traditional fire drink!!!
The weekly nutrition of a Cretan in 1960 (same almost from the Minoan times) was the home made bread, the vegetables and fresh fruits, once a week the meat, twice a week the fish and the mediocre consumption of red wine and olive oil.
Once you are in Chania you will definitely enjoy the food and of course our wine and raki which is our traditional fire drink!!!
