Chania is one of the most beautiful cities of Greece. The area has been inhabited since the Neolithic age and prospered during the Minoan years as well as in the Roman age, during which the city was called Kidonia. There followed the period of the Byzantine Empire. In the 9th century all of Crete was occupied by the Saraceans until reclaimed by the Byzantines under Nikiforos Fokas in 961 a.D. The Venetians occupied Hania in the 13th century. The Ottomans occupied Hania together with the whole Crete in the mid 17th century. In 1913, Crete was united with the Greek state.
In Chania, the influences from the different cultures appear today at every corner, any point, in the architecture of its buildings. The narrow streets of the city, with preserved traditional buildings from the Byzantium, Ottoman and Venetian eras create a romantic atmosphere. The Venetian harbour is the jewel of Hania. A visit to the Archaeological Museum, the Historic Archive of Crete and the Naval Museum are an absolute must. The prefecture of Chania harbours many monasteries, fortresses, archaeological sites and the Samaria canyon, which has been declared as a national woodland. Many beautiful beaches spread across the shores.
Hania is connected to Piraeus harbour by daily travel services of modern ferryboats. The city’s harbour is Souda. An airport located a few kilometres outside the city promotes daily national and international flights. All the prefecture of Hania is served by regular bus itineraries.
Situated to the west of the city of Hania, Kissamos is a small seaside town perfect for family tourism. It is connected by sea with Kythera and Githio. It is worth it to pay a visit the ruins of the ancient city of Kissamos. Take a walk through the Gramvoussa cape to enjoy the view. Then head down to the Balous lagoon for a swim on the white beach. Make a trip to the castle and the ancient city of Polirrinia and also the ancient city of Falassarna. The rest you will discover by yourselves...
