We got to spend 3 days in Chania, a magical little place nestled on the island of Crete in Greece. Initially, it was supposed to be only a day trip but when we arrived we immediately made up our mind to spend as much time as possible in this city. To sum up, Chania will transport you to the most authentic Greek experience you have ever had.
Chania is a must-visit destination for various reasons. Firstly, it is strategically located close to the airport and also next to a lot of beautiful beaches that you can easily visit by public transport. Secondly, it has innumerable great places to stay as well as amazing restaurants right in the heart of the city. Thirdly, there are plenty of unique activities like riding a horse carriage and more right in the center. Lastly, you can easily walk around the city and the promenade to visit some picture-perfect places that will clearly not let you down.
Contents
Best Time to Visit
Chania is best enjoyed in the spring and summer seasons. However, the summer months of July and August could be very busy. Therefore, I would suggest you visit in the shoulder months of May, June, or September. As a matter of fact, we visited Chania in the middle of September and the weather was almost perfect and the crowds had mostly left. Most souvenir shops and restaurants start closing by the end of September.
Getting there
Chania has its own Airport and therefore it is very well connected with the rest of Europe. However, if you are coming from outside of Europe, you could easily fly to Athens and then take a flight to Chania. In addition, it is also possible to arrive at Heraklion Airport which is better connected, and then drive or take a bus to Chania.
In fact, we flew to Heraklion and took a bus from there to Chania. The trip was around 3 hours long and was extremely scenic.
You may also like: 4 Days in Santorini – Ultimate Budget Itinerary for Beginners
3 Days in Chania
We arrived in Chania, early in the morning with a bus from Heraklion and checked in to our Airbnb. Of course, we decided to explore Chania by foot which is the most authentic way to witness its beauty. There were a few points we wanted to cover in our walking tour of Chania. We started off with the lighthouse as it was the closest to our Airbnb.
Day 1: Walking tour of chania
The Lighthouse of Chania is separated from land by a strip of land. Most importantly, you can just walk right to it. It is definitely the most picture-perfect place in Chania, best for a relaxing walk. In addition, there are restaurants near the Lighthouse from where you can enjoy the view of the Lighthouse while enjoying a sumptuous meal.
After walking around the lighthouse for a while and taking many pictures, we had a delicious lunch. After that, we continued the rest of our walking tour. First, we walked to the old Venetian Port of Chania. The views from this place are amazing and there are plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops throughout the area. It is always bustling with people, live musicians, and artists. In addition, the dramatic Kyuchuk Hassan Mosque, or the Yali Mosque is an unmissable structure right on the port. In fact, it has now been turned into an art center so if you are an art enthusiast you can go inside and check out the art as well as the interiors of the place.
After that, we kept walking along the promenade toward the Firka Venetian Fortress. The entire way along the coast is dramatic and bustling with activities. Therefore, we kept stopping many times to take pictures.
After a while, we realized it was almost time for sunset. Therefore, we chose a spot near the fortress to enjoy the sunset over the sea. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets we had ever seen.
After sunset, we decided to go back to our Airbnb through a different route. We walked along the inner narrow lanes of the city. As a matter of fact, these lanes are a part of the old town of Chania. There are shopping and dining opportunities along these lanes. The lanes are beautifully decorated with flowers and souvenirs everywhere. You could also pick up some inexpensive swimwear for your upcoming adventures from this place.
We made our way through the old Byzantine walls and the Church of Agios Nikolaos before enjoying another wonderful meal at the port. After a satisfying walk along the city, we decided to call it a day and returned to our Airbnb.
Day 2- Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa
On our second day in Chania, we wanted to visit the elusive Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island on a boat trip. Therefore, we took a bus early in the morning to catch our boat. We, in fact, ended up spending a magical day at these spots. You can find out all the details about this trip in this blog.
Day 3- Elafonisi beach
On our third day at Chania, we decided to visit one of the most popular beaches of Crete. Elafonisi Beach is known for its crystal-clear waters and of course its pink sand beaches. We took a bus directly from Chania to Elafonisi and back. Read more about this experience in this blog.
You may also like: Cinque Terre, the Perfect Day Trip from Pisa
Where to stay
I would recommend you stay in the old town of Chania because you can easily walk to all the points of interest from here. In addition, there are many options for Airbnb as well as hotels for every budget. However, I would suggest you book as early as possible to get the most perfect option.
Activities and Budget
Must Do
Walk along the old port and promenade of Chania
Visit the Lighthouse of Chania
Unique Experience
Enjoy a sunset at the Firka Venetian Fortress
Shop along the narrow lanes in Old town of Chania
Budget
Hotel or Airbnb – 50 Euros and more per night
Food – 20 Euros and more for 2 people with drinks
In conclusion, you can customize your budget according to your taste. For example, there are definitely some amazing souvenirs you can buy for yourself and your loved ones from Chania. But it is totally up to you.
