Chania (City), Crete Island

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With markets selling all kinds and qualities of leather goods and a really interesting indoor food market Chania Town is worth a visit just for the shopping. The harbour is beautiful with an old mosque providing interesting architecture. Boats leave from here for trips and you can also catch a horse and buggy.

Have a wonder around the back streets, they are mainly pedestranised and the houses and shops are very colourful and pretty, with little resataurant tucked away in corners - very romantic.

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Chania is probably the most touristy place on Crete, but don't get discouraged. You must go and see Chania.
1. You have to see the old Cross Market (Municipal Market of Chania)
2. You have to see Chanias harbour and various museums on the eastern end of it.
3. You have to have nice coffee in one of the touristy harbour cafes.
4. You have to let yourself get lost in Chanias narrow streets.
5. If you are still in CHania after sunset you have to go far East fallowing the coast to what I call "NEW CHANIA" it is place where all young Greek go to hang out at night. It is a SOHO of Chania, it is a place to show your designed clothes and your expensive shoes. It is a place to drink, smoke, and mingle.

Look at all my Chania tips on my Chania page!!!!

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The pretty harbour area of Chania is a great place to be,day or night. There are many restaurants and bars the place has a lovely charm. 5 photos taken in May 2007%c A really nice place for holiday.

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You can go for a nice cruise from Chania - they all begin at Old Harbour Square and cost from EUR 10 (sunset cruise), thru EUR 15 (5 hour cruise) to EUR 20 (glass bottom boat cruise, nothing interesting, by the way).

It is absolutely for sure that some people with hands full of leaflets will do anything to sell you those trips. Beware - they'll say that they have a special price for you 'because you are my friend'. This of course is not true. Go to Halidon and find Attios Agency, it's not far from Skridlof. There you'll find professional service and lower prices, not to mention the ability of paying with your cards.

The trip itself is worth the money - you'll be able to see wonderful views of Chania and the isles of Theodorou and Glaronisi.

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Chania is the capital of the Prefecture of the same name and the second biggest town in Crete, with a population of 60.000 inhabitants.

Chania is one of the nicest towns of Crete with wonderful houses, parks and squares.

The old city has preserved the charm of the Venetian and Turkish periods. Entire Venetian, Turkish and Jewish quarters are saved, with well preserved buildings in the narrow picturesque streets.

Tip under construction!

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On the last day we took a taxi to Hania to do some shopping. We went to the indoor market, which was quite nice. I bought different spices for my daughters there. Then we walked to the suburb called Venice and it was very nice with lots of different restaurants there. We went to the Naval Museum, which was very interesting. There were lots of models of different ships and also lots of different sea shells. I'm interested in everything connected with the sea, so I found this museum a very nice one. If my son hadn't been there with me, I could have spent more time there and admire everything longer. Joni was getting nervous as he had some money left and he wanted to go to the shops. No problem with that. He found everything he wanted and my sister and and her aprtner bought something also. We visited a small zoo, too, and had a picnic lunch there before returning to Kalives. I wasn't very impressed with Hania, which I thought was quite an ugly place and far too busy for me. Back in Kalives we had dinner and afterwards walked in the village and found a small shop that sold handicrafts. We went in and looked at some really nice tableclothes. I ended up buying one and my sister bought two. They are very pretty and of good handmade quality. I have wanted that kind of a tablecloth for a longer time, but haven't found anything that I like before Crete.

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Chania is a very beautiful city with superb atmosphere. The mixture of the Venetian, Turkish and Greek architecture and the splandour of this mediterranean city enchanted me.
It's a city to enjoy. Stroll through the narrow streets, drink Greek wine and coffee, enjoy the excellent Cretian food and discover what the city has to offer.
Chania is a perfect place to explore the surroundings.

In almost every city in Crete a mosque can be found. Mosques remind us about Turkish occupation of Crete and about considerable impact Turkey had on Cretean culture and architecture.

Many mosques now serve different non-religious purposes, like this one in Chania, presently musical school.

This may not seem like a tourist draw or anything that is worth mentioning but when you go you will see why. As you are walking around the historic area of Hania there are many of these quaint little alleyways. The best is when they try to set out tables for a bit of outdoors dining.

Much of the Venetian era residences are still standing around the harbor area. Many have been converted into restaurants or were converted during the Turkish occupation. Some areas of Hania were badly bombed during WWII so some are just shells. But as you walk around the cobbled streets of Hania take a look up every now and again and you may see some older apartments that predate the hotels that now occupy them.