Activities

Chania is a place where different civilizations have flourished throughout the centuries. Strolling around the Old Town’s maze-like alleys with the beautiful Venetian mansions, the fountains and the churches will guide you through well-preserved historical monuments. The city of Chania is built on the area of Minoan Kidonia, at the end of the homonym gulf between Akrotiri and Onicha peninsulas.

Chania lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion. At the westernmost side of Crete, Chania is a wonderful place for vacations. With a charming medieval town, some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, intriguing castles and a unique natural landscape.

The lagoon of Balos has white sand and exotic white, vivid blue, and turquoise waters. The sea is very shallow and warm. In many places the sand has a lovely pinkish color, because of millions of crushed shells. Beyond the rocks at the boundaries of the lagoon, the water is deeper and colder, ideal for snorkeling.

Eleonora falcons, shags, and cormorants nest in the caves of the area. Moreover, the area is a shelter for the protected monk seal and the loggerhead sea turtle. If you come to Balos, you can visit the small chapel of Saint George located in Tigani. North of Balos, in Cape Korykon there are remains of the small Roman town of Agnio with the temple of Apollo. Today, there is the picturesque chapel of Saint Sozon.

The Samaria gorge is the longest in Europe, and one of the most impressive gorges in Greece. It starts from Xyloskalo, at an altitude of 1230m. The width of the gorge is 150m at its widest point and 3m at its narrowest. Visitors can descend into the gorge and walk for about 8 hours.

Even though the path runs downhill it requires strong, comfortable footwear and some degree of physical fitness. Quench your thirst with mountain water running from the gorge’s springs. The steep cliffs here tower as high as 500m above sea level. This route also goes past Venetian castles of prehistoric settlements as well as remnants of many other historical periods.