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All Inclusive Chania area Holidays

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On Chania Area holidays, sandy sweeps spar with historic sites for your attention.

Superstar sands

The Chania Area plays a strong hand in the beach game. It’s got more Blue Flags prodded into its sands than Santorini and Samos combined – with the sun-splashed total standing at 12. They start at low-key Platanias, and tick off the likes of Aghia Marina and Kalamaki as you follow the shoreline towards a mushroom-shaped peninsula. The peaceful curve of Stavros Beach is the last of the bunch, but it’s anything but least.

Signature sights

This place is more than just a one-trick-pony, and the beaches have learned to share centre-stage with Chania Town’s heap of historic baggage. The old quarter’s neatly wrapped by weather-worn Byzantine walls, and there’s a Roman Catholic cathedral squirrelled away among the peach-coloured rooftops. Artisan crafts and teetering tables of food line the covered market. The port’s a real looker, too. A Venetian lighthouse – one of the oldest in Greece – peers down on the café-strewn promenade, and long-standing stone dock buildings huddle around the water’s edge.

Scenic Samaria Gorge

While the sands and city sights go hammer and tongs beside the coast, Crete’s big ticket attraction keeps things serene inland. The Samaria Gorge is the largest natural canyon of its kind in the whole of Europe, with Crayola-coloured flowers and glass-like spring waters threaded through it. If you’re going the whole hog, it’ll take between four and six hours to walk the route from start to finish. Less intense strolls are just as common, but there are two things which slip into the must-take tray – a sturdy pair of shoes and a camera.

Chania’s curves and coves

Chania is one of Crete’s heavy hitters on the beach front. This portion of western Crete has a coastline that’s scalloped with sandy bays and secluded coves. You’ll find most of the biggies around Chania town, but if you fancy things a little quieter, just head further along the coast and you’ll find no end of secret spots.
The Big Beach

The most popular stretch is Nea Chora at the west end of Chania’s Venetian walls. It’s loved by locals and holidaymakers alike, thanks to its soft sands and shallow, kid-friendly waters. And when you’re ready for lunch, there are a decent number of tavernas nearby dishing up freshly caught seafood.
The Secret Beach

OK, so at 16 kilometres long it’s probably not a secret, but if you’re looking for a spot to escape the crowds, Maleme Beach is right on the money. It’s a mostly sandy stretch that unfurls along the coast from Maleme Village to Kolymbia. The holidaymaking hordes tend to stick closer to Chania, so you’ll have more than enough room to spread out. Some parts are more developed than others, so it’s a good idea to pack a picnic if you’re heading for a more secluded patch.

Bargain Buys

The covered market in Mousouron Street in Chania has local produce coming out of its ears. Fresh olive oil, locally-made cheeses, thyme-flavoured honey and bottles of raki are all available for a song. It’s open Monday to Saturday between 8am and 1.30pm, and later from 5pm to 8pm. In Agia Marina, meanwhile, you can stock up on similar items in the souvenir shops on Main Street.
Mid-Range Buys

Skridolf Street in Chania Town is known as leatherworkers’ lane, thanks to the number of leather shops that show their face here. Pick up handmade handbags, purses, shoes and sandals for between 30 and 100 euros. Skridolf leads on to Halidon Street – one of Chania’s busiest – which stretches down to the harbour. The little shops here sell take-homes like Cretan honey and chunky ceramics.
Designer Buys

Skridolf Street in Chania Town is known as leatherworkers’ lane, thanks to the number of leather shops that show their face here. Pick up handmade handbags, purses, shoes and sandals for between 30 and 100 euros. Skridolf leads on to Halidon Street – one of Chania’s busiest – which stretches down to the harbour. The little shops here sell take-homes like Cretan honey and chunky ceramics.

Laid-back evenings

Chania doesn’t scrimp on the traditional restaurants. The low-lit old town takes the lion’s share of the best ones, though. If you need a starting point, you can’t go far wrong with Zambellou Street. In Maleme, after-dinner drinks are served up in the cafés on Maleme Beach Road and there’s a similar scene in the centre of Gerani village. Anyone looking for more than a frothy coffee, though, should catch a taxi to the bars and clubs in neighbouring Platanias.
Lively evenings

The old harbour has the monopoly on Chania’s nightlife scene. Head to Kondilaki Street and Soumerli Street to find live music joints and cocktail bars, or make your way to Enetiki Tafros Street to find clubs hosting live DJ sets. The sleepy-looking village of Agia Marina is a bit of a dark horse when it comes to after-hours action. You’ll find cocktail bars and karaoke joins beside the beach and on Main Road.

Cretan Pilaf

This hunger-busting dish is so popular in Crete that newlyweds have it at their wedding breakfast. It’s made by boiling rice in stock and mixing it with butter. Depending on where you are in Crete, you’ll get different meat or vegetables in the dish. In Chania, it’s traditional to include chicken and lamb.
Boureki

You might be able to buy Boureki all over Crete, but nowhere does the dish quite like Chania. On this part of the island, the vegetarian dish of potatoes, courgettes and cheese is wrapped in filo pastry and served as a packed parcel on top of fresh Greek salad.
Staka

This dish looks a bit like porridge, but its appearance is deceiving. Its recipe is complex, but the basic ingredients are goats’ milk and flour. It tends to be served piping hot as a side dish in restaurants, but some Chania locals like to spread it on bread or pour it over their chips.
Fennel

Fennel grows wild in the Chania area, so it’s a regular on seasonal menus. Two fennel recipes that crop up a lot are octopus with fennel and red wine sauce, and cuttlefish with fennel and mint. Fennel pies called marathopites are a popular fast food, too.
Tsikoudia

In most Cretan villages, there's a local who's licensed to produce Tsikoudia. The clear spirit is made from the skins of grapes and it's knock your socks off alcoholic. Most locals keep a bottle on ice in their freezer, and sip it slowly with dinner.

Places To Stay In Chania Area View all places to stay

Aghia Marina

Set on the northwest tip of Crete, Agia Marina is a friendly seaside village that comes with traditional tavernas and a nice line in bars. It’s got a bit of a resort share going on with close neighbour Platanias, which tops things up on the nightlife front. When it comes to the beach, though, this place would rather keep its Blue Flag winner all to itself.

Iolida Star

Gerani

Gerani is a little dot of a place sitting quietly on Crete’s north coast, in the foothills of the White Mountains. It’s a really understated resort, with just a clutch of hotels and tavernas – and that’s pretty much the appeal. But there’s lively Platanias down the road as well as bigger Chania on standby if you need them.

Solimar Aquamarine

Kolymbari

Kolymbari, on Crete’s northwest coast, takes a softly-softly approach to holidays. This laid-back fishing village leaves out the big, loud bars and clubs in favour of olive groves, traditional tavernas and real Greek charm. But there’s always buzzing Chania half an hour down the road if you get too relaxed.

SplashWorld Chrispy Resort

AT A GLANCE

Sandy beaches
Traditional villages
Markets

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Weather

TEMPERATURE (°C)RAINFALL (mm)

WHEN TO GO

Crete lays claim to the longest summers in the Med. Things start to hot up in April, and temperatures hover somewhere in the mid-20s until June. In July and August, though, temperatures can hit the 30°C mark.

Things To Do View all

Chill out on Nea Chora Beach

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Shoot down the slides at Crete’s waterparks

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Hop over to Spinalonga

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Swot up on history at the Palace of Knossos

Myth and legend are the bricks and mortar of the Palace of Knossos. Built in the Bronze Age, this complex was a key political…
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Spread out at Maleme Beach

Forget fighting for space at Maleme Beach. This stretch of pebble-dotted sand runs all the way from Maleme Village to Kolymbia,…
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Order a cocktail on Agia Marina Beach

Ten minutes from Chania Town, this beach has a real buzz about it. You can put it down to the lively beach bars, which run…
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Quaff a carafe of wine in Archanes

The mountain village of Archanes has been in the summer holiday business since the Bronze Age. Back then, the place was the…
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Pause for thought in Elafonisi Island

On the surface, Elafonisi Island, on Crete’s west coast, is an island paradise. But there’s more to this place than golden…
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Top 5 resorts in Chania Area

Top 5 hotels in Chania Area

1

Louis Creta Princess Hotel

From £439
2

SplashWorld Chrispy Resort

From £450
3

Althea Village Hotel

From £450
4

Mythos Palace Resort & Spa

From £871
5

Kiani Beach Resort

From £780

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All Inclusive Chania area Holidays

Superstar sands

Signature sights

Scenic Samaria Gorge

Things to See and Do in Chania area

Chania’s curves and coves

The Big Beach

The Secret Beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Cretan Pilaf

Boureki

Staka

Fennel

Tsikoudia

Places To Stay In Chania Area View all places to stay »

Aghia Marina

Gerani

Kolymbari

AT A GLANCE

Weather

WHEN TO GO

Things To Do View all »

Top 5 resorts in Chania Area

Top 5 hotels in Chania Area

Where we go in Chania Area Show on a map »

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