Chania Holidays

Sitting in Crete's north-west crest, the Chania area's sheltered by a range of mountains that often remain snow-capped into June. It also hides a network of cave systems deep beneath its surface. Then there's Chania Town – the island's second-largest city, and home to three Blue Flag award-winning beaches.

The old town has history to spare, with a 14th-century harbour and a 16th-century lighthouse, plus reminders of the Venetian, Egyptian and Ottoman conquests of this pretty Greek port dotted throughout. There's still a thriving market culture, and the narrow streets are crammed with tiny trinket shops and tempting food stalls.

If you can bear to tear yourself away from the azure sea and golden sands, the nearby gorge at Theriso will reward you with impressive drops and lush foliage. Further inland you'll find the astonishing Samaria Gorge, a protected biodiversity site, where you can hit 28 kilometres' worth of walking trails.

The Akrotiri peninsula begins about 25 minutes’ drive away and is great for discovering tucked-away monasteries. There’s the 16th-century Moni Gouverneto, with its Venetian-style interior and nearby Bear Cave – the massive stalagmite inside gives a clue to its name. You also have the abandoned monastery of Katholiko set across a small gorge close to the sea. Or if you’re loving the Venetian-style architecture of Chania, there’s more at Rethymnon, about an hour away.