Forts & castles · Chania
Chania Old Venetian Harbour
Crete’s most atmospheric waterfront: lighthouse, mosque and Venetian arsenals.
Chania
Beaches, sights, villages and services in Chania.
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.
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Lagoons · Kissamos
Balos Lagoon
Turquoise shallow lagoon at the tip of the Gramvousa peninsula, framed by pink-tinted sand.
Sandy beaches · Kissamos
Elafonisi Beach
Famous pink-sand beach and wade-across islet on the south-west corner of Crete.
Gorges & hikes · Sfakia
Samaria Gorge
Europe-famous 16 km gorge hike through a national park, from the White Mountains to the Libyan Sea.
Sandy beaches · Kissamos
Falasarna Beach
Long, wide sandy beach on the west coast and Crete’s favourite sunset spot.
Hidden gem
Secluded coves · Chania
Seitan Limania
A dramatic zig-zag cove squeezed between sheer cliffs on the Akrotiri peninsula.
Sandy beaches · Apokoronas
Georgioupoli Beach
A sandy beach of more than 10 km that starts at a pretty river village.
Sandy beaches · Sfakia
Frangokastello Beach
A wide sandy beach with shallow water right below a Venetian castle on the south coast.
Sandy beaches · Platanias
Agia Marina Beach
A long resort beach west of Chania, with artificial coves that keep the water calm.
Sandy beaches · Platanias
Platanias Beach
A long sandy beach in front of the liveliest resort west of Chania.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Agioi Apostoloi Beach
Two small sheltered coves on a green little peninsula just west of Chania town.
Sandy beaches · Kissamos
Imeri Gramvousa Beach
The sandy cove on Gramvousa island, below a Venetian fortress and next to a shipwreck.
Sandy beaches · Kantanos-Selino
Paleochora Sandy Beach (Pachia Ammos)
The long sandy beach on the west side of Paleochora, loved by windsurfers.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Chrissi Akti (Golden Beach)
A golden sandy beach just 2.5 km from Chania town, with lifeguards and watersports.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Nea Chora Beach
The town beach of Chania, a short walk west of the old Venetian walls.
Secluded coves · Kantanos-Selino
Sougia Beach
A long pebble beach in front of a laid back south coast village with colourful stones.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Stavros Beach
A round lagoon-like bay under a big mountain on Akrotiri, where Zorba the Greek was filmed.
Hidden gem
Secluded coves · Kissamos
Kedrodasos
Wild coves backed by an ancient juniper forest, a short way from Elafonisi.
Hidden gem
Secluded coves · Sfakia
Glyka Nera Beach (Sweet Water)
A pebble beach under the cliffs of Sfakia, with fresh water springs bubbling up in the sea.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Kalathas Beach
A pretty sandy bay on the Akrotiri peninsula with a small islet you can swim to.
Sandy beaches · Chania
Marathi Beach
Two small sandy beaches by a fishing harbour on Souda bay, with fish tavernas.
Sandy beaches · Platanias
Stalos Beach
A kilometre of fine sand west of Chania, easy and popular with families.
Sandy beaches · Apokoronas
Almyrida Beach
Two small sandy bays in a friendly village in Apokoronas, with shallow water.
Sandy beaches · Apokoronas
Kalyves Beach
A sheltered sandy beach on Souda bay with shallow water and a relaxed village.