Chania, Crete
“Here in Crete, we make happiness” shared a Greek man at the local shisha (hookah) spot. We laughed, acknowledging the truth in his statement. My boyfriend and I have had the most relaxing, adventurous week in Chania, Crete. Beaches here are spectacular, the people are most hospitable and the food…. it absolutely never disappoints.
I will share the best places to stay, eat and visit in Crete.
But first, a bit of history…..
People have lived on the island of Crete for a long time (c. 130,000 years ago). The island was home to the first well known European civilisation, the Minoans. The Minoans were experts in art, architecture and international trade. Remnants of the Minoan’s palaces and plumbing systems (yes, they literally invented modern plumbing!) are still visible at the centre of Chania’s old town. If you are interested in learning more about the Minoan’s check out this article here.
Crete was ruled and influenced by pretty much every major power you could imagine. From the Romans to the Byzantines, Andalusian Arabs to Venetians and later the Ottoman Turks. In 1898 Crete finally achieved independence from the Ottomans and became the Cretan State. Crete only became part of Greece in 1913. Today Crete is the largest and most populas of the Greek islands. This unique history makes Crete’s food, art, architecture and people vastly different than other Greek islands.
Sold, so when is best to visit Crete?
For the best weather and atmosphere, visit Crete from April to August. If you prefer to experience Crete with few others, visit in September or October. Water in the Mediterranean should still be warm and the food still delish.
What part of Crete shall I visit?
Crete is no small island! Because of this, determining where to visit in Crete is important.
When visiting Crete, please consider the following:
1. Crete is a large island- If you were ever to attempt a drive across Crete (which I don’t recommend) it would take about 5 hours to drive from one side to the other.
2. Stay in one city- This is not the type of island where it is easy to hop from city to city! Pick one city for your stay. Many blogs recommend a long list of cities, but through people I’ve met traveling and locals, these are the main cities to consider on your stay in Crete:
a. Chania- I highly recommend staying here for a vibrant city, great restaurants, bars & shops and access to the best beaches. You will hear all about my travels in Chania below.
b. Heraklion- Several flights to Crete arrive in Heraklion. While I have not stayed in the city I have heard it is equally class. I chose not to stay here, as I heard it was much more urban and less of a holiday / island feel! Also, Heraklion is a bit farther from the beach towns we were recommended.
c. Kissamos: This town is close to the two best beaches in Crete: Balos Beach and Elafonisi. Beach lovers and adventurers should look to stay here, but you will need a car.
3. Choose North or South of the island- While the Cretans have developed roads from east to west, traveling north to south is difficult. For your stay it is important you choose to stay either north or south on the island to avoid long and stressful car drives.
4. Determine if you will rent a car- If you choose not to have a car, it is essential you stay close to town to leverage the bus and transportation systems. If you do have a car, you have more flexibility on accommodations.
Sleep?
Before any holiday, I develop a list of criteria and then spend hours scouring Booking.com, Expedia and travel blogs to determine where best to stay. Your accommodation criteria will vary and depend based on your preferences, travel squad, needs and length of stay.
For Chania my criteria was as follows:
1. Location- Location always matters. In Crete, I wanted to be as close to Chania as possible. Not more than a 10-minute walk.
2. Parking- To visit all the beaches in Crete requires a car. Prioritising this, the need for free and easy parking was essential!
3. Space- During this new era of remote working my boyfriend and I were keen to have space to work and be on calls. We had also been traveling in small hotels, so were looking for more space to relax not right on top of each other.
4. Longer stay available – We were considering extending for a longer stay, so thought an apartment with a kitchen and extra living space would be preferred.
5. Updated and clean – Traveling during a pandemic has improved my appreciation for cleanliness and so it was important we had a clean and updated aesthetic for our stay
6. Budget- We didn’t want to spend more than 60 - 70 euros / night due to our length of stay.
All this in mind, we were able to find a beautiful century old heritage stone house in Chania for two nights on Booking.com. The property is called Evans House. Our Greek host was most hospitable, meeting us at the flat on arrival and being available 24/7 via text for any questions or issues. He even brought by a traditional Greek pastry (honey & goat cheese wrapped in phyllo…!) made by his mother. Opa! After the first two nights we liked it so much, we called the owner to extend our stay for four nights.
Regardless of your criteria, if you want to visit Chania stay either east or west of the Old City. Staying in the city is equally cool, but there is less accessible parking and smaller, slightly pricier accommodations. The east and west side of the town is close to nice beaches making it more accessible for a quick dip. It also provides an easy walk to the main port for shops, restaurants and (of course) the sunset.
Eat & Drink
Remember the bizarre history of Crete that I detailed vaguely above? Sorry, I am NOT a historian…
These disparate cultures have influenced Cretans tasty and unique fare. This is not your average Greek island with gyros and baklava galore (although, we love these!), it’s so much better.
Food & Drink you must try in Crete:
1. Sarikopitakia (cheese pie): I am not totally convinced this should be eaten as an appetizer; it tastes more like a dessert. This must order dish is pastry dough filled with goats cheese topped with honey or sugar.
2. Dakos: Better known as Greek bruschetta is a must have appetizer. It differs from the Italian dish we know and love because this offers a slightly crunchier bread, a soft cheese topping and juicy tomatoes & herbs.
3. Cretian Salad: Similar to a Greek salad, the Cretians use soft cheese (often goats cheese) instead of feta.
4. Paximadi or Rusks- Hard bread used as the base in Dakos and often given at the beginning of a meal with olive oil.
5. Raki- TBH to me, this tastes like bad vodka from a frat party, but it is a Cretian digestive given after dinner to settle the stomach. When someone gives you a free shot, you say yes.
Going to dinner in Crete was the highlight of my days. I spent my mornings researching different restaurants and looking at reviews before carefully choosing the right spot. This allowed me to experience the Chania restaurant scene in all it’s glory, and now you can too!
Cretan waiters are charismatic, the food is unique and ingredients quality. What pushes the experience from great to fantastic, is the complimentary Raki and dessert. Every restaurant served complimentary 2-3 (sometimes 4…) shots of the Cretan liquor with a cake, tarte, ice cream, or sometimes all three. This is always sure to end the meal and evening on a high.
There are tons of vibrant restaurants that each have a unique approach to traditional Greek fare. All restaurants had a mix of Greek, Cretan and Turkish dishes. Many had fresh seafood. For seafood lovers, this is the place to get calamari, octopus or sardines.
My black book below, enjoy!
For good vibes:
- Amphora: The blue and white exterior immediately drew me in, but for those a little less easily convinced, we found the souvlaki to be excellent and the tzatziki class. Good portions and a great view of the old port, perfect for people watching.
For quick and quality:
- Spanakopita on the go at Neighbor’s Chania
- Amazing dessert from the oldest bakery in town at Bougatsa Lordanis
For Gyros (because TBH this is probably why you came to Greece)
- Oldest gyros stop in town at Oasis- 2 euros and no options, he makes it just how it’s intended.
- Rotating list of the best gyros in town… Check out this strip of three gyro spots, all are competition for your purchase, and all are fuego because of it!
For the best views:
· Coffee with a view: Nais Cafe
· Dinner for sunset- Pallas
· Dinner by the water – Portes
· Dinner with locals – Nantes Fish Shop
See & Do?
Traveling during a pandemic changed slightly our preferred activities. During this trip we decided to stay outside and only do activities without crowds.
For those traveling during or after the pandemic, don’t worry, you can’t possibly be bored in Crete. The island has museums, archaeological dig sites, boat cruises and beaches— tons of gorgeous, world class beaches.
Must see beaches of Crete:
· Seitan Limani- Time Required: Half Day
Only 30 minutes outside of Chania is this crazy beautiful beach cove. There is a parking at the top with a generous amount of spaces. Before hiking down, make sure to stop and take a picture, the view is best from up top. It’s a steep hike to get down to the beach, so tennis shoes are required. The beach is small and it gets crowded, so it’s best to visit on the weekdays if possible. While swimming, we nestled our things up in a rock for easy viewing. Steve even did a bit of cliff jumping, which many were enjoying!
· Elafonissi Beach- Time Required: Half to Full Day:
This beach isn’t close to Chania, so many would be inclined to skip… but don’t! While it is a 90 minute drive from Chania (or 2 hour bus), Elafonissi is truly the most spectacular beach. X has named this beach one of the best in the world and it is. The pink sand and warm water really forces your body into holiday mode. There are reclining sunbeds for rent at only €3 per person and a food hut with pretty decent spanakopita and other Greek delicacies. Visit Elafonissi!
· Balos Beach— Time Required: Half to Full Day
Also a 90 minute trek from Chania, Balos Beach provides a completely different feel to Elafonissi. This beach makes you work hard to earn your swim. The only way to Balos via car is an 8km drive along the cliffs on a rocky, dirt road. You can’t go more than 20mph and (as a passenger) it feels like you are riding on the edge of a cliff for most of the journey. It’s the longest, but most rewarding 8km I have ever driven. Once you park, there is then a steep 25 minute hike down to the beach. The reward comes last, when you arrive on the most western tip of Crete and settle into a perfect sun bed, where you really feel like you’ve left the world behind. Sorry to say, the hike up is harder than the hike down, so make sure not to drink too many Mythos before you trek back. We saw a few boat tours in Chania that venture to Balos from the town and (after our trek and drive) I thought those sounded lovely. For those that want to visit the beach but feel the drive and hike is limiting, try visiting by boat!
· Nea Chora Beach— Time required: Quick dip/ half day
This beach sits west of the old town and is easy to walk to from Chania. This is a great spot for a quick dip before dinner or to cool off from the day’s activities. We spent a few hours on sunbeds at this beach enjoying the people watching and relaxing. Sunbeds go for €3 / person.
· Koum Kapi Beach— Time required: Quick dip / half day
This beach sits east of the old town. It too is easy to walk from Chania. This beach is smaller and filled with locals. We stayed very close to this beach, so took many quick dips in the morning and afternoon. This beach doesn’t have sun beds, but still has some beach. Well, just about enough space for you to lay a towel and have a snack, but it works!
Where to watch the sunset?
Sunset views of Chania from Roza Nera
After eating at several fancy restaurants, I can say with confidence the best sunset in Chania is free. Overlooking the Egyptian lighthouse and beautiful port sits an old, abandoned government building with an open terrace view of the city. This building and terrace is available to anyone? Well yes, actually, it is inhabited by a settlement of squatters. These squatters have been living in the home for over 15 years and have had several disputes with the government who has tried to sell the land for hospitality and tourism. I know it sounds crazy, but you must check it out for yourself to fully appreciate this view and the story.
To get to Roza Nera you must enter through a cascade of stairs down behind Ta Chalkina restaurant. Once you reach the top of the stairs, make a right and go through a tattered iron gate. Through the gate you will see the abandoned building to the left and the most beautiful view straight ahead.
It gets better… up here they even have odd chairs for you to sit on to watch the sunset. Bring your favorite Greek beer (mine is Mythos) and enjoy watching Chania change from day to night and undoubtedly hearing a few Cretan musicians play the lire. It’s so spectacular that we came here every night for sunset.
Boating in Chania is a must!
We did a day excursion with Captain Nick in his glass bottom boat.
There are a few different tours available in the afternoon and evening, but we chose the Sunday tour which is a four hour excursion to two islands and includes a snorkel tour by Captain Nick himself. The captain is a gregarious Greek man who has one goal, to provide an excellent and entertaining experience for his guests. From the beginning of the tour, it is clear that this is his show, he is the star, and he will deliver at any and all costs. Captain Nick starts the journey, encouraging the ladies of the boat to “try a turn at driving the boat.” He is so insistent, literally every woman on the boat did sit and pretend to steer at one point. He provides one complimentary drink per tour, but especially enjoyed challenging people to guess facts or find obscure animals on cliffs with the reward of winning a second beer. We spent most of the day at a beautiful remote island right across from Chania. There, Nick took us on a snorkel and searched for fish and crustacean. It was a really beautiful and enjoyable way to spend a day in Crete.
For those looking for a different boating experience, I take no offence and recommend walking through the eastern side of Chania in the marina. There you will see tons of boats all with different signs detailing their boat excursions, hours and rates. Depending on the group and preferences, you are sure to find the right fit.
· Shisha Evening Activity
After a few nights in town, you will notice the favorite local activity is shisha (also known as hookah). There are dozens of bars that sell a variety of small and large contraptions with various flavors for you to enjoy blowing smoke up your friend or partners ^&(*@. Kidding! We went to a lounge by our apartment called Bonaire and spent €15 to try and blow some O’s. It was entertaining and a great way to meet and speak to locals. I would recommend.
Transportation
For ease of travel, I recommend any tourist rent a car. That said, if you are visiting for only a short time or do not feel comfortable renting a car, there are sufficient transportation options on the island. These include:
· Buses
o The busses in Chania are sufficient and for 2.30 can get you back and forth from the Chania airport
o There are several busses to the beach Elfaonissis, for those visiting without a car take the bus to get to this gorgeous site
· Taxi
o Taxi’s are affordable and easy, a taxi from Chania to the airport should cost c. 23 euro
· Bikes & Scooters
o Chania and Crete has a great bike sharing programme. Easy to rent and use to get around
o Lime and other electric scooters are available on the island for those feeling confident and interested in making moves quickly!
· Boats
o There are several boats that provide tours to Cretian beaches and sites. This can be an effective way to get around without a car
This is a special place that has left me tan and smiley. Put this on your summer 2021 “must visit” list and start planning your trip today.
