35.52° N · 24.02° E
A town of Venetian lanes around a harbour with a lighthouse, and two hours away, the Samaria Gorge and the lagoons of Balos and Elafonisi. You can see the old town in a day; western Crete needs four or five, and a car.
What to do
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
A 16 km, 1,200 m descent from Omalos to Agia Roumeli through the Iron Gates, with a boat back. Closed from 1 November to 9 April.
A day-long boat excursion from Kissamos to the island of Gramvousa, with its Venetian fortress, and to the Balos lagoon. Seasonal departures.
A shallow pink-sand lagoon in south-west Crete, about 75 km from Chania, which you cross on foot to the island. Protected area.
Plan the trip
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
In May, June, September and October. The Samaria Gorge only opens from May to October, and July and August bring heat above 30 °C, queues at Balos and Elafonisi and high-season prices. From November to March the town stays lively, but Samaria, the boats to Balos and many beach hotels close.
How you travel
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
What you do most here is outside the town: Balos, Elafonisi, Imbros, the wineries. With a car you do two excursions in a day; without one, one.
Sleep inside the old town or at the harbour and get around with KTEL. Samaria and Balos can be done without a car; Elafonisi and Imbros are better with an organised excursion.
Two ways to do it: the town, in a mansion in the old town with a spa, or the beach, in an adults-only resort ten minutes away.
Chania has its own airport (CHQ) on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 15 km from the city. From Spain the usual way is to fly to Athens and connect, about 50 minutes of flight; in summer seasonal direct flights to Crete appear, mostly to Heraklion, but they change every year. For the city the KTEL bus to the centre is enough; for Balos, Elafonisi or the gorges, pick up a car at the airport itself.
Who you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
With children under six, Chania works with mornings on the beach and afternoons at the harbour. Samaria and Balos on foot are for another trip.
With children of various ages, alternate a long excursion day with a town and beach one. Imbros is the gorge everyone can manage; Samaria, only those who already walk.
Sixteen kilometres downhill and a swim in the sea at the end: Samaria is what a teenager talks about on getting back. The rest of the trip can go at their pace.
Where to stay
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Why we like it: A mansion from 1835 on a street in the old town, with a cobbled courtyard, a spa and a rooftop with views of the harbour for sunset. From the door you can walk to everything.
Why we like it: A restored Venetian building on the quiet streets behind the harbour, twenty metres from Splantzia square. Two rooms connect, useful with children over 3. It has no lift.
Why we like it: On the eastern basin of the harbour, ten minutes' walk from the old town. It has room to park, something rare in the centre, and triple rooms. The area is noisy at night in summer.
Why we like it: A design hotel facing a sandy beach west of the town, with the beach on foot and the old town ten minutes by car. It works well with children: you go down to the sand without…
Why we like it: An Autograph Collection resort on Agioi Apostoloi beach, with suites with plunge pools, three pools, a spa and a signature fish restaurant. Adults only; reopens on 22 April 2027.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
What to order: grilled cuttlefish with kritharaki, fried cod and whatever has arrived from the market that morning.
What to order: Greek stewed dishes with a touch of the East and a Cretan wine from the list.
What to order: the seasonal menu with produce from small Cretan producers, and a wine from its long list.
Takeaway and markets
Map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
Tips
At 9 there is room on the sand; at 12, excursion buses. In August the difference is enormous.
The hotel groups arrive mid-morning. Starting at 7:30 means walking down in the shade.
Inside the walls there is no room. Park in the municipal car parks next to the walls and walk in.
Hot pastry with fresh Chania cheese and sugar. It is eaten in the morning, and by midday there is none left.
In July and August a north wind blows in the afternoon. It stirs up the sea on the crossing to Balos and on the north-coast beaches: the south is usually calmer.
Sleep the night before Samaria in Chania, not in a distant beach village: the early-morning bus leaves from the KTEL station in the centre.
The "easy Samaria" (easy way) that many hotels sell: you walk up from Agia Roumeli a few kilometres and come back the same way. You pay for the boat and the whole day to see the least spectacular part. If you don't fancy the 16 km, the 8 km Imbros Gorge is a whole gorge.
By plane, almost always with a connection in Athens: from there to Chania airport (CHQ) is about a 50-minute flight. In summer seasonal direct flights appear from some Spanish cities, but they change every year: look them up before taking the connection for granted. The airport is on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 15 km away; the KTEL bus to the centre costs €2.50 and takes half an hour.
If you are coming from Athens and are in no hurry, the overnight ferry from Piraeus to Souda, the port of Chania, leaves around 22:00 and arrives at dawn, after 8 or 9 hours. It is run by Blue Star and ANEK, with seat or cabin. With a cabin you save a hotel night.
For the town, no: the Venetian old quarter is covered on foot and there is hardly any parking inside. For western Crete, yes. Balos, Elafonisi, Falasarna or the Imbros Gorge are between one and two hours away on mountain roads, and the bus reaches few of them or runs on a timetable that doesn't let you come back late. Hire it at the airport for the excursion days and spend the town days without it.
If you don't drive, it can be done: the KTEL bus goes to Kissamos about ten times a day, the boats to Balos leave from there, and for Samaria there are early-morning buses in season and excursions with hotel pick-up.
The gorge is 16 km downhill from Xyloskalo, at 1,227 m, to the village of Agia Roumeli, on the sea. You can only leave from there by boat. Allow 5 to 7 hours of walking and a whole day with the transfers.
Questions
Four or five. One for the town, one for Samaria, one for Balos and another for Elafonisi or Imbros. With three you have to choose between Balos and Elafonisi.
From about 12 years old and if they already walk long routes. It is 16 km downhill over loose stone: for the little ones, Imbros or the beaches.
By KTEL bus to Kissamos and from there on the Cretan Daily Cruises boat, which stops at Gramvousa and Balos. With a car you can also arrive by a dirt track and walk down.
Elafonisi: the water stays knee-deep for many metres and you can drive up to the sand. Balos is reached on foot downhill or by boat, and there is no shade.
In July and August maximums go above 30 °C in town and more in the south. In Samaria the heat bites on the last stretch, by the sea. June and September are kinder and the sea is already warm.
The Samaria Gorge, from November to April; the boats to Balos; and many beach hotels. The town, its tavernas and the archaeological museum stay open.
Not directly. The fast boats to Santorini leave from Heraklion, about 140 km by road. To Athens there is a daily ferry from Souda.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/crete/chania
