Last Updated on May 29, 2024 by
I already made quite clear that I have a love affair with Greece. For not-so-mysterious reasons, this country keep calling me for a visit every single year since my first trip to Santorini years ago. After all, who am I to say no when one of the best all-inclusive hotels in Crete knocked on my door? A 3-day itinerary to Chania turned out one of the best escapes one can book with Jet2 Holidays. In this blog, I will tell you everything about my first-timer trip to Crete and how I am now planning to return with my little ones! You will discover the best things to do in Chania, where to stay and which restaurants you’ll need to add to your itinerary. Πάμε!
Where is Chania?
Chania is a city located in the north-eastern part of Crete, the biggest of the Greek islands in the Mediterranean. Crete is famous for the Knossos Palace, crystalline waters, Venetian fortifications and tasty cheese.
Why you should put Chania in your holiday radar
Nestled in the heart of the Mediterranean, Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, still offer some beautiful unspoiled gems. Its north-western coast, in particular, boasts colourful villages, secret hiking routes and crystalline waters. Chania lies exactly in this area of Crete. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains contrasting with the bluest waters you can find in Greece. It was love at first sight.
Differently from others Greek islands such as Santorini or Mykonos, Crete, and more specifically Chania, has still that authentic Greek feeling I was searching for a summer escape. Something that I was able to find only in the Peloponnese until now. Indeed, there are still areas of the Old Town that are untouched by tourists. Here you can see local elderly ladies sipping strong Greek coffee in front of their houses. Moreover, the countryside flourishes with extensive olive tree fields, farms and picturesque tavernas serving the most delicious food. One can still observe the lovely slow living life that makes this part of the Mediterranean still so fascinating.
A brief history of Chania
If the leisurely side of Chania still didn’t convince you to book your flight tickets, you should at least know that this area of Crete is proud of hundreds of years of history. In fact, Chania was once known as Cydonia. This is famous enough to be mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey and nowadays this name still lives as a region of Mars (any Muse fans here?). For a period in history, Cydonia was ruled by the Byzantine Empire (395–824), by the Emirate of Crete (824–961) and then Byzantine Empire again (961–1204). During the Saracen rule, Cydonia became al-Ḵān. Name which eventually became Chania.
Venetians and Ottomans
With the sack of Constantinople in 1204, Crete was sold to the Venetians for 1,000 silver marks. They eventually founded the Kingdom of Candia. Nevertheless, it took almost 10 years to establish their full power over Crete due to their continuous wars with Genoa and several external incursions. Once established, the Venetian duchy influenced the architecture and life in Crete in a way that we still see today. Venetians divided the island in sestieri same as in the city of Venice. In Chania, which was renamed as La Canea, Venetians built their naval Arsenal. Moreover, the whole island was under the jurisdiction of the Venice government in Venice.
In 1645, the long-lasting Kingdom of Candia was about to come to an end. Indeed, the Ottoman fleet arrived in La Canea with great Venetian surprise sieging the city for over 56 days. This was only the first of a series of unstoppable events leading to the Cretan War, and eventually ending for good the Venetian dominion over the island in 1669. Crete would remain under Ottoman control until 1897 with Chania named as Hanya. In 1898 Chania became the capital of the semi-autonomous Cretan State. This until Eleftherios Venizelos pushed for a re-union with Greece that happened in 1913. Constituting the base for modern day Crete.
How to get to Chania in Crete
Getting to Chania from the UK is very easy. In fact, there are almost daily flights from London Stansted Airport that will get you to the island in about 4 hours! In particular, Flights to Chania with Jet2 are about 4 times a week in peak season. Therefore, it’s very easy to plan for an entire full-inclusive week or even for last minute holidays!
If you are flying from oversea, the best thing to do is to plan a stopover in London and board a Jet2 flight to Chania!
My experience with Jet2
I have to shamefully admit that I never flew with Jet2 before this trip. Not for any particular reason, it just didn’t happen. Therefore, I really didn’t know what to expect from my experience! I honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised about how smooth and nice was my flight, (and coming from a nervous flyer this says a lot!). Moreover, being this flight part of a press trip, I didn’t check-in in advance. I turned up to the airport without boarding pass. To me, this was very strange because other companies ask you to check-in 24h in advance or charge you more if you check at the airport. Nevertheless, with Jet2, if you don’t check-in at home, you can easily do it at the airport too. No fuss no muss!
Both planes looked very nice with the red leather seats and a design that made look the interior space very large. The outbound flight to Chania was perfectly punctual with operations being around the clock. The return flight was slightly late, but because a military exercise was going on at the Chania airport causing some delays to civil planes.
Meals aboard Jet2 Flight
Something I didn’t know about Jet2 is about their meal policy. In fact, for every flight lasting more than 2 hours 25 minutes you can pre-order meals for your flight. With “meals” I mean real meals like Roast Chicken or Penne Bolognese not just sandwiches. You can literally say goodbye to hungry children on the flight! The portions of course are not massive, but perfectly filling and the quality of food is good. As far as I know there aren’t many airlines out there providing meals for rather short flights, so this is a great pro for Jet2!
For personal preference, I prefer to stay light during flights. In fact, I tend to be nervous and I don’t want food to affect my stomach more than necessary. Therefore, I ordered just a sandwich and a pizza twist. Both of them have been served warm and tasted delicious.
If you want to discover what other meal options you can have on your flights, you can check them here.
How many days should I stay in Chania?
I think that Chania is one of those places where you can easily stay a week and don’t get bored. In fact, there are plenty of places to see and things to experience that time will fly by. Of course, if you want to just explore the city and a few surroundings 3-4 days are the perfect amount of time.
Best time for visiting Chania
Being an island in the Mediterranean, Crete features the typical climate of this side of the world with hot, dry summers and mild winters. This makes it a great destination all-year round. Similarly to Sicily, the best period to visit is between April to June for a warm shoulder season trip and July to September for a full summer holiday. October to November are also good months to visit. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that you can potentially encounter occasional showers.
Alternative tourism in Chania
To diversify the type of tourism in Chania and promoting the island as an all-year round destination, the City Hall organised the FESTIVAL 260kmemories. This aimed to spread awareness of the diverse type of experiences Crete can offer to tourists and local aside from its undoubtedly stunning beach spots. I really appreciated the initiative. In fact, the Chania area has certainly more to see than just its coast. Promoting the stretching of tourism throughout the year is the best sustainable option for both the environment and local residents.
Is Chania worth visiting?
100% yes! Chania has everything you can ask for a holiday and much more. I wish I had more days because there are so many things to do! Can’t wait to return with my hubby and little ones.
Where to stay in Chania
For this holiday to Chania, we stayed at the beautiful Pilot Beach Resort with Jet2Holidays. This is a five-star beachfront resort located in Georgioupolis, a lovely coastal location at 40 mins drive from Chania. Pilot Beach resort is divided into two parts. The upper part within the main reception are and the lower part, right on the beach side. The two parts are easily connected by an underground tunnel (3 mins walk from each other). The resort features 39 bungalows and suites that can host 2 to 4 people (can be also reserved for multi-families bookings). Regarding its leisure spaces, Pilot Beach Resort has 4 outdoor swimming pools and 2 indoor ones, 4 restaurants, 2 bars a spa and sport centre. In terms of meal packages, guests can book on B&B, Half Board and All Inclusive.
Is Pilot Beach Resort good for families?
Pilot Beach resort is an excellent hotel for family holidays in Crete. In fact, it provides family-oriented services and supervised children activities. Such as two kids clubs, one children playground and a splash pool with slides. They are also well-prepared for children meals and daily activities of which schedule guests can check from the resort app on arrival. Even at this time of the year, I saw many families with small children having a lovely time and I really missed not being there with the little ones!
My experience at Pilot Beach Resort
This was my first time visiting Pilot Beach Resort and I remained pleasantly surprised by how lovely it was. We arrived quite late at night (about 1 am) but the staff was there ready to welcome us and they even saved us a light meal and fruit in the room! My room was on the mid floor of one of the bungalows. This included a small terrace with beach view. It was quite spacious, perfect for 1 or two people. Bathroom amenities included hairdryer, bathrobe, slippers and toiletries. Unfortunately, the conditioner wasn’t provided so you should bring your own one or buy it at the resort’s small supermarket.
Breakfast is available from 7.30 am in the main restaurant (upper part of the resort) and from 8 am in the beach-front restaurant. My favourite place was the beach-front restaurant as I loved to watch the scenery of the beach and mountains while doing breakfast.
Because our schedule was quite packed with activities, I didn’t have time to check-out the spa, but each guest is provided with a 10% discount on arrival. They also do some special packages for short treatments during the week “e.g. Facials Mondays”. On the other hand, I loved how my room was quite close to the beach and the pool. It was very easy to get out before breakfast for a little relaxing walk.
Final thoughts on Pilot Beach Resort
Overall, I loved my stay at Pilot Beach Resort. I think it’s a great place for a relaxing holiday, particularly for families thanks to the plenty of family-friendly services they have. The location of the resort is also great to explore different parts of the island. Of course, a car is needed for this but that’s a small price to pay to have both a beachfront accommodation not too far from Chania and easy access to other incredible attractions around Crete. I would definitely return there with Alessio and the little ones.
Chania 3-day itinerary
For the scope of this blog you will find a Chania 3-day itinerary that follows the one I actually did in my press trip. I really liked all the activities we experienced for this trip and the balance between city exploration and relax at our resort. Please note that from these 3 days I am excluding the arrival and departure days that are counted as extra days. In my case, we arrived later on a Friday night and departed mid morning on a Tuesday day. So, the effective Day 1 is the day after the late night arrival.
Day 1 in Chania
Morning Exploration of the Old Town -Part 1
To facilitate your walking route in Chania, all the steps of the morning are saved in the map below. Just open this on your phone and click on Point A to start!
Start your day with a dose of history at the Archaeological Museum of Chania. This is the perfect place to learn about the history of Chania and its inestimable treasures. The museum is a new addition to the tourist scene as it opened just two years ago. Until then it was based on the Government House of Chania and then in the Venetian Monastery of St. Francis.
The Archaeological Museum of Chania is located in the suburb of Chalepa, the second most important district of the city after the Old Town. Covering approximately 6,000 m2 hosts about 4,100 finds from the excavations in Chania divided into 3 different galleries. On arrival, guests can collect the free audio guides and listen to the interesting history about the many different objects and collections displayed in the museum.
Gardens, street markets and Venetian heritage
Continue your day with a walk to Chania Municipal Garden and take the chance to admire the city’s oldest tree or take a break to the historic Kipos Garden Cafe’. This lovely retro’ cafe operates since 1870 and it’s part of the European Historic Cafes Association for its unicity and history. The municipal garden is perfectly located close to the Old Town (10 mins walk). If you are visiting on a Saturday, don’t miss the chance to visit the famous Minoos Street Market and have the chance to buy some fresh local products like honey and olive oil.
At the end of Minoos Street you will find the iconic Sabbionara Bastion dating around 1591. From here, you can easily proceed towards the Venetian Harbour and admire the still surviving Neoria. A copy of the Venetian Arsenal that was used to protect and repair the Venetian fleet in Creete. If you are passionate about navigation, don’t miss the chance to visit the Maritime Museum of Crete located right on the port. Complete your morning exploration with a long lunch at the lovely Apostolis Restaurant.
Afternoon – Relaxing at resort and beach time
After a morning packed with activities and exploration, take your first afternoon as an occasion to relax. Read a book on the beach or take advantage of Pilot Beach Resort’s All inclusive offer to sip a delicious iced coffee by the pool. To note in this part of Greece the iced coffee is called “frappe coffee”. Not sure why but it’s not an actual a frappe’, just a regular iced coffee. For the night, be ready to head towards the area of Chryssopigi. Here you can taste a delicious traditional Cretan dinner at To Stachy Chania Restaurant. Don’t miss out the fried feta with honey that is one of the most delicious starters you can try!
Day 2 in Chania
Morning Exploration of the Old Town -Part 2
Start your second day exploration with new walk in Chania Old Town. This time you will get deeper in the back alleys. Your morning will commence in the most traditional Greek way: with a Bougatsa and coffee. Bougatsa is a crispy filo pastry filled with custard or cheese and topped with sugar and cinnamon. In Creete this is made with local mizithra cheese which is similar to ricotta. The best place where to have this in Chania is a small unassuming shop in Apokoronou 37 called “Bougatsa Chanion“.
If you watched Antony Bourdain’s “No Reservation” you will recognise the place immediately . In fact, this was part of its Greek Islands episode aired in the far 2008. Not much has changed during these years as Bougatsa Chanion is still a much loved family business. We had the chance to visit the backstreet laboratory where the tasty pastry comes from. Here we meet Mr Addonis who creates the pastry magic since 1969.
Mid morning walk
Continue your walk towards the Ahmet Aga Minaret. This is the oldest of the two remaining minarets in the city. It dates back to the 16th-century and remains one of the most popular Chania’s landmarks to photograph. If you are into photogenic streets, I do recommend following the street until the intersection with Antonii Malmou. Follow this little street until you find yourself into Kallinikou Sarpaki (Sarpaki Street). This is one of the most photogenic streets in Chania, full of charming tavernas, little flowery alleys and nice hotels.
While here, take the chance to visit the very small church of Agia Irini (St. Irene Chapel). From here, follow the street until the famous Splantzia Square. Here you can find the Church of Agios Nikolaos. This building is very peculiar as it was transformed many times from church to mosque and to church again. For this reason it still features both a bell tower and a minaret. This will be your last stop for the morning. If you still have time and fancy an aperitivo, head to the lovely promenade on Akti Miaouli and stop at Fourogatos.
Afternoon Activities
A car hire or pre-arranged transfer is needed for the afternoon activities. If you don’t plan to hire a car or organise a transfer, you can simply return to your hotel in the afternoon or continue your visit in the Old Town. For those who will opt for the car, the afternoon activities include a driving to the famous Therisos gorge and a long lunch at the nearby Taverna Leventogiannis.
Tip: If you are renting a car, keep it at least for two days as you will need this also for the third day in Chania
After lunch, is time to explore the Ancient City of Aptera. With a beautiful view on the Souda Bay, Aptera was one of the most important city-states in Crete. Excavations on the site brought to light many interesting sites including a Roman cisterna, the ruins of the Paliokastro fortress, the city’s fortifications and the well-preserved ancient theatre made entirely of limestone. You’ll need to pay a 4€ ticket to enter.
While in the area don’t miss a visit to the imposing Koules Fortress of Aptera, which is one of the best preserved fortifications in Crete. However, please note you can visit only the ground of the castle as it is currently under conservation. After the visit is time to get back to the hotel for the remaining of the afternoon and night.
Day 3 in Chania
Morning Activities
Your last day in Chania will be very active. In fact, you’ll go hiking, wine tasting and ending your day with a sunset walk at the Venetian Harbour. Before starting all these exciting activities head up to one of the highest viewpoints in Chania to pay homage to Eleftherios Venizelos and his son at the Venizelos Tombs. From here, you can observe Chania from a different perspective and also learn the history of Venizelos, a prominent politician who helped shaping modern Crete as we know it today.
Gouverneto Hiking Trail and Wine Tasting
After your visit, jump in the car and head to Gouverneto. Here you can explore the Gouverneto Hiking Trail. One of the most beautiful and quite underrated areas of Crete. The entire trail cover a length of 8km. This start from Gouverneto and finish in Stavros. Along the route you can visit various scenic points and landmarks including the Gouverneto Monastery, the incredible Arkoudiotissa Cave and the Katholiko Monastery, which is famous as the oldest in Crete. The trail ends up in a rather incredible place. In fact, is better to bring with you a swimming suite as the Katholico Bay is one of the most secluded and breathtaking coves where to swim in Crete.
After your hike, jump back in the car and drive to the nearby Monastery of Agia Triada Tsangarolon. Built in 17th century by the Venetian family Zangaroli it’s famous for its rare books library and the exclusive production of wine and oil. In this regard, I warmly recommend to book a wine tasting. This is done in the 17th-century cellar below the monastery and you’ll have the opportunity to taste some of the best wines produced by the monks. They were so delicious that I had to buy a few bottle to take home with me! Complete your morning with a delicious lunch at Carte Postale surrounded by its incredible view on the Chania coast.
Afternoon and evening activities
After a morning packed with activities it’s time for a relaxing afternoon. Head back to your hotel and wind down for a couple of hours. I took this occasion for a lovely walk by the beach and some reading time by the pool. Of course with my unmissable iced latte. For the last night in Chania, head back to the Venetian Harbour for a sunset walk and end up your stay with a delicious dinner at Arismari.
Conclusion
I really loved to discover Chania, particularly learning that there is much more to do than just relaxing on the beach! Indeed, Chania is a beautiful destination all-year round providing plenty of activities for those who like hiking, history and stay in the nature. Jet2 Holiday is the perfect partner to plan a trip to Chania and Crete as they have great offers and plenty of options for both couple and family holidays. I would definitely check them out next time I’ll plan something with the kids!
This trip to Chania has been provided as part of a Press Trip with Je2Holidays and Chania Tourism. All opinions, as always, are my own.
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