Χανιά

The west of Crete is the island at its most dramatic. Chania has the most beautiful Venetian old town on Crete, wrapped around a harbour with a lighthouse and a domed mosque. In the evening the narrow lanes of Splantzia and the old Jewish quarter fill up with tavernas and small bars.

Head west for the famous lagoons and pink-sand beaches of Balos, Falasarna and Elafonisi, some of the most photographed spots in Greece. The peninsula of Akrotiri, close to town, has quiet monasteries and the turquoise cove of Seitan Limania, and the Apokoronas villages to the east are green, peaceful and popular with people who live here all year.

To the south rise the White Mountains. The Samaria gorge is the classic hike, but Imbros and Aradena are shorter and just as beautiful. On the south coast, Sfakia, Loutro and Agia Roumeli are reached by road, on foot or by small ferry, and the island of Gavdos is the southernmost point of Europe.

Good to know: fly into Chania airport (CHQ). Kissamos is the best base for the western beaches, Chania town for food and evenings, and Sfakia for the gorges and the south coast.