BEST OF WESTERN CRETE

Chania is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the Chania Prefecture. It lies along the north coast of the island, about 70 km west of Rethymno and 145 km west of Heraklion.

Kydonia Province

Includes the city of Chania, the peninsula of Akrotiri to the east and stretches westwards almost to Kolymbari. It extends to the south all the way to the White Mountains.

The coastal part of Kydonia is the main touristic area of West Crete. Along a very long beach, there is an almost uninterrupted line of hotels and apartments, one locality merging into the next one.
Moving inland, you will pass through very green lowlands. The main crop here is oranges and other citrus fruit. Further to the south, you start climbing onto the hills, the vegetation changes to olive groves. Eventually you reach into mountainous areas…

Kastelli Hill is a prominent landform within the city, which hill was a center of the ancient city of Kydonia. It covers a significant part of the small Plain of Chania.

Short Introduction

Nowadays the majority of the visitors prefers Chania for the narrow pedestrian streets and the old Venetian but restored houses.

On the north-western side of the port of Chania, the Venetians built the Revellino del Porto, a fortification able to prevent any hostile threat to the port. Its construction began around the 16th century, and was completed a few years before the fall of the Turkish city in 1645. It was also the headquarters of the commander of the city. Nearby, you will find the nautical museum of Chania.

Close to Chania:

Theriso

Theriso is a small village, situated about 12 km in the south of Chania in a nice green gorge.

The drive up the gorge is considered spectacular, due to the rich vegetation and is popular among the residents for the cooler temperatures during summer and grill restaurants of the village. Theriso is a historic village and the birthplace of the mother of Eleftherios Venizelos. In 1905, Venizelos organized the Revolutionary Assembly in the village that ousted Prince George of Greece and precipitated the independence of Crete and its union with Greece.

Agia Triada Monastery

Agia Triada Monastery or the Monastery of Agia Triada Tsangarolon is a Greek Orthodox monastery in the Akrotiri peninsula in the Chania regional unit. The monastery also has a library which contains some rare books, and a museum which contains a collection of icons and a collection of codices. Important exhibits include a portable icon of St John the Theologian dated to around 1500, The Last Judgment, work of Emmanuel Skordiles from 17th century, St John the Precursor (1846), The Tree of Jesse (1853), The Hospitality of Abraham and The Descent into Hades (1855), The Story of Beauteous Joseph (1858) and a manuscript on a parchment roll with the mass of St Basil.

The church is built in the Byzantine architectural cruciform style with three domes. The main church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is flanked by two smaller domed chapels, one of which is dedicated to the Life-Giving Spring (Zoodochos Pigi) and the other to Saint John the Theologian.

The monastery, whose name refers to “Holy Trinity”, was built in the 17th century by two brothers of the Venetian Zangaroli family on the site of a pre-existing church.

The monks produce and sell wine and olive oil on the premises.

If the starting point is Heraklion, we recommend the route Rethymnon (city tour and free time in the city) Tsangarolon monastery and visit of the city of Chania (a city tour, including the local central market, the highlights of the area around the Venetian port).

If the starting point is Chania, then for a full day tour, we recommend to include highlights of the surrounding area of Chania, even perhaps Rethymnon, always depending on your available time and your desire to explore.

The tour includes:

• The entrance fees of the sites per person.
• Bottle of water per person.
• Maps and plans of Chania and Crete.
• Transportation with our company car / van.
• The services of a qualified professional guide / archaeologist of our team.
• Pick up and Drop off from the port of Chania / Souda (or your hotel in the area of Chania or Heraklion).
• Any fuel and parking costs, all taxes and VAT 24%, invoice will be provided by our travel agency.
• Liability insurance by Interamerican.

The tours do not include:

• No lunch (Lunch can be arranged upon request in a local tavern).
• No personal expenses.

Other options / combined tours:

Other places of interest at Chania prefecture…

Ancient Falasarna

The site of the ancient Falassarna located on the western edge of Cap Gramvousa the west coast of Crete. In ancient times it was called Korykos Falasarna was one of the major ports of Crete, reached the highest peak during the 4th and 3rd century BC.

Ancient Aptera

The ancient city of Aptera was founded on the low hill Paliokastro in a place that remains unique for its natural beauty with beautiful Souda Bay to the north and the majestic mountains of the White Mountains to the south.

The strategic location of the city with two ports, Minoa (modern Marathi) and Kissamos (near Kalives today) at the entrance of the natural bay, which guaranteed the possibility to control the movement of trade, boosted its growth.

Representative findings of various periods from the city and the cemetery (pottery, coins, figurines, signs, sculptures, etc) are exposed in the Archaeological Museum of Chania.

The archaeological site of Aptera is open to the public daily from 8:30 to 15:00, except Mondays.

Lissos

Lissos is an ancient city, the ruins of which are located between Paleochora (west) and Sougia (east) on the south coast of Chania Prefecture, where the port of Dorian ELYROS was, located near the village Rodovani.

Both ELYROS and the two important ports Sougia and Lissos, flourished in the Hellenistic, Roman and the first Byzantine period and were destroyed by the Saracens Arabs who arrived on the island during 9th century.