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    • Chania Area
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    Chania area Holidays

    from £ 306 pp

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    Holidays to the Chania area serve up ancient sites, glitzy harbours and blue flag beaches in equal measure – it's one of Crete's top holiday spots.

    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.

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    At a glance

    • Sandy beaches
    • Traditional villages
    • Markets

    Destinations in Chania Area

    Top Destinations

    • Chania

      Holidays to Chania deliver the whole package of golden beaches, a historic old town and stress-free daytrips.

    • Maleme

      Maleme holidays sort you out with a lovely and peaceful beach, a short shuffle west from historic Chania Town.

    • Platanias

      Parties are on tap on holidays to Platanias, but the golden sands are also perfect for sunbathing – kick back or turn up as you fancy.

    • Aghia Marina

      Holidays to Agia Marina offer bountiful beaches and easy access to one of Crete's most buzzing party towns.

    • Kolymbari

      Holidays to Kolymbari serve up a slice of traditional Crete – you get laid-back village life, a quiet Blue Flag beach and some of the island's best seafood. And buzzy Chania is just down the road.

    • Gerani

      Holidays to Gerani take you to a lovely little spot tucked away on Crete's north coast. You get a long empty beach, lots of great walking, and lively Chania just down the road.

    • Almyrida

      Holidays to Almyrida strike the perfect balance between quiet seclusion, exciting activities and tasty Greek eats.

    • Nea Kydonia

      Nea Kydonia holidays are all about rustic tavernas, easy-to-do daytrips and top-quality beaches.

    • Horafakia

      Horafakia holidays feel like you've stepped back in time to a more peaceful Crete, although excitement isn't too far away.

    • Kato Daratso

      On a Kato Doratso holiday, you get a trio of blonde beaches, and tavernas dishing up pukka Greek grub. Chania's just down the road, too.

    • Agioi Apostoloi

      Agioi Apostoloi holidays offer a calm break surrounded by nature, hidden away from the hustle and bustle.

    • Tavronitis

      Nestled between the countryside, beach and lively towns, holidays to Tavronitis are jam-packed with classic Greek backdrops.

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    Top things to See and Do in Chania area

    • BEACHES
    • SHOPPING
    • NIGHTLIFE
    • FOOD & DRINK
    • 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.

    SIMILAR DESTINATIONS

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    Our destinations in Chania Area

    • Aghia Marina

    • Agioi Apostoloi

    • Almyrida

    • Chania

    • Gerani

    • Horafakia

    • Kato Daratso

    • Kolymbari

    • Maleme

    • Nea Kydonia

    • Platanias

    • Tavronitis

    Popular holidays

    • Family holidays in Chania area
    • Luxury holidays in Chania area
    • All inclusive holidays in Chania area
    • Last minute holidays in Chania area
     
     

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    DESTINATIONS IN Chania Areay