Chania in Crete, info about the City - Joss Travel

Chania is the second largest city in the island of Crete. If you haven’t visited Crete yet, this summer may be the time to come and discover this fascinating Greek island. In the following pages you can find some more info about this gorgeous island as well as some tour suggestions.

The City of Chania

next page: city of Rethymnon

Chania (Hania or Khania) is the capital of the Prefecture and the second biggest town in Crete, with a population of 60.000 inhabitants. It is the administrative, economical, communications and commercial center of the Prefecture.

Chania has daily sea connection with Piraeus via ferry boats. The bay of Souda that serves as the port of Chania, is the biggest and safest bay in the East Mediterranean.
Chania airport is located at Sternes, in Akrotiri, 14 kms east of the town. Chania is connected by air to Athens but there are also several charter flights from all over Europe during the summer. At the airport are car rentals and taxis for all parts of the island.

Chania is one of the nicest towns in Crete, with wonderful houses, parks and squares and a well designed town-plan.
The Public Market is an impressive building, in the town center, built at the beginning of the present century (1911) and houses grocery stores, butchers' shops, a fish market and vegetable shops.
The Public Gardens, next to the Market, are ideal for those in search of shade and tranquillity.
Northeast of the gardens is the beautiful neighborhood of Chalepa where the residences of Prince George and Eleftherios Venizelos were.

The old city has preserved to a great extent the distinctive atmosphere and charm of the Venetian and Turkish periods. Entire Venetian, Turkish and Jewish quarters are saved, with well preserved buildings in the narrow picturesque streets. One of the most significant buildings is the large Venetian church of Aghios Frankiskos which today houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania.
The old city leads at the harbor, where many Venetian and Turkish buildings are preserved. At the entrance of the harbor, at its northerst point, is the renovated fort "Firkas", built on 1629, that today houses the Maritime Museum of Chania as well as a summer theatre, where drama performances are presented.

Opposite the Firkas fort, is the magnificent Venetian lighthouse, built on the 16 century and restored by the Egyptians. The harbor is protected by a Venetian breakwater, built of huge stones. At the center of the breakwater are the ruins of a fortress.

Chania can be the starting point for a tour to the western Crete, a part of the island with magnificent natural beauty. There are lots of places worth seeing , within driving distance (two to three hours) , the most famous being the Samaria Gorge. This is a National Park of Greece that starts at the village of Omalos, at an altitude of 1227 m. and ends after a walk of approximately 18 kms to the beach of Agia Roumeli. The Gorge is open from May to the beginning of October and is definitely a must for everyone.

next page: city of Rethymnon

	Chania in Crete, info about the City - Joss Travel

	Chania is the second largest city in the island of Crete. If you haven’t visited Crete yet, this summer may be the time to come and discover this fascinating Greek island. In the following pages you can find some more info about this gorgeous island as well as some tour suggestions.

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	The City of Chania	next page: city of Rethymnon
	Chania (Hania or Khania) is the capital of the Prefecture and the second biggest town in Crete, with a population of 60.000 inhabitants. It is the administrative, economical, communications and commercial center of the Prefecture.
	Chania has daily sea connection with Piraeus via ferry boats. The bay of Souda that serves as the port of Chania, is the biggest and safest bay in the East Mediterranean. Chania airport is located at Sternes, in Akrotiri, 14 kms east of the town. Chania is connected by air to Athens but there are also several charter flights from all over Europe during the summer. At the airport are car rentals and taxis for all parts of the island.
	Chania is one of the nicest towns in Crete, with wonderful houses, parks and squares and a well designed town-plan. The Public Market is an impressive building, in the town center, built at the beginning of the present century (1911) and houses grocery stores, butchers' shops, a fish market and vegetable shops. The Public Gardens, next to the Market, are ideal for those in search of shade and tranquillity. Northeast of the gardens is the beautiful neighborhood of Chalepa where the residences of Prince George and Eleftherios Venizelos were.
	The old city has preserved to a great extent the distinctive atmosphere and charm of the Venetian and Turkish periods. Entire Venetian, Turkish and Jewish quarters are saved, with well preserved buildings in the narrow picturesque streets. One of the most significant buildings is the large Venetian church of Aghios Frankiskos which today houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania. The old city leads at the harbor, where many Venetian and Turkish buildings are preserved. At the entrance of the harbor, at its northerst point, is the renovated fort "Firkas", built on 1629, that today houses the Maritime Museum of Chania as well as a summer theatre, where drama performances are presented.
	Opposite the Firkas fort, is the magnificent Venetian lighthouse, built on the 16 century and restored by the Egyptians. The harbor is protected by a Venetian breakwater, built of huge stones. At the center of the breakwater are the ruins of a fortress. Chania can be the starting point for a tour to the western Crete, a part of the island with magnificent natural beauty. There are lots of places worth seeing , within driving distance (two to three hours) , the most famous being the Samaria Gorge. This is a National Park of Greece that starts at the village of Omalos, at an altitude of 1227 m. and ends after a walk of approximately 18 kms to the beach of Agia Roumeli. The Gorge is open from May to the beginning of October and is definitely a must for everyone.

		next page: city of Rethymnon