Guide to Chania & West-Crete + 7-day itinerary along the highlights

Seitan Limania beach

Seitan Limania is one of the best-kept secrets of Chania! This beach is unlike anything you’ve seen before: strips of water enter the rocky land, creating beautiful coves with emerald waters. The scenery will absolutely steal your breath. This beach boasts an amazing wild natural landscape. It is surrounded by steep cliffs, it has fine white sand and mesmerizing turquoise waters. If you are a seeker for interesting natural landscapes, this beach will blow your mind. Keep in mind that Seitan Limania is not organized, so you have to bring your own umbrella and beach essentials.

Monastery of Agia Triada

One of the most beautiful monasteries in Greece, Agia Triada (Tsangarolon) sits among its own vineyards and olive groves on the Akrotiri peninsula. Built by Venetian-Cretan monks in the 17th century, its ochre façade, twin bell towers and flower-filled courtyard are pure serenity; inside are a frescoed church, a small museum, and the monks' own organic oil and wine. A €2.50 entry, ten minutes from Chania airport.

Stavros Beach

Stavros is the round, lagoon-like bay at the tip of Akrotiri where the famous sirtaki dance scene from "Zorba the Greek" was filmed – a bare pyramid of mountain dropping straight to a shallow, sheltered cove of warm, glass-clear water. Calm and sandy, it is ideal for an easy swim and an arrival-day sundowner with the rock face glowing behind.

Venizelos Tombs

Little known by foreign tourists the graves of Eleftherios Venizelos (one of the most important political figures in modern Greek history serving as prime minister from 1910 to 1920), located in a small park on a hill overlooking Chania are very much worth a visit, if only for the superb view that you get. The graves of Venizelos are located in a very historic location of Chania, next to the Venetian church of Prophet Elias at position Froudia with panoramic views to Chania. The temple was originally dedicated to the Prophet Elisha, while in the 16th century the nave of the Prophet Elijah was added.

Carte Postale

Carte Postale earns its name with the view – perched by the Venizelos Tombs above Chania, it looks out over the whole city to the sea, best of all at sunset. Not the cheapest table in Crete, but fair for the setting, and the food genuinely delivers. Book the terrace edge and time it for the light.

Lake Kournas

Crete's only natural freshwater lake sits cradled in the White Mountains foothills, ringed by terraces of tavernas and rented pedalos. The water shifts from turquoise to deep green by season; in summer the wind-still bays are perfect for a slow lap by paddleboat, and there's a quiet hike around the south shore for views back across the basin. Pair with a long lunch at one of the lakeside fish tavernas.

Kourtaliotiko Gorge

The drive from Rethymno to Preveli cuts through Kourtaliotiko, a sheer-walled gorge carved by the Kourtaliotikos river. Stop at the chapel pull-off two-thirds in and walk down the stone steps to a waterfall that flows year-round; in autumn and spring it's a roar, in summer a clear deep pool. Wedge it into the Preveli day – fifteen minutes off the main road, half an hour to walk.

Preveli Palm Beach

Cradled between the Kourtaliotikos river and the Libyan Sea, Preveli is one of Crete's most distinctive beaches – palm trees lining a freshwater stream that empties straight into the sea. Reaching it is part of the magic: most travellers park at the cliff-top monastery and descend the 500-step stone path, the lagoon and the palms unfolding below as you go. Bring water and reef sandals – the riverbed is part of the experience, and the trees give the only shade.

Calypso Beach

Calypso is a stunning little cove sandwiched between high rock walls on the wild coast east of Plakias – crystal-clear, deep water that is a magnet for snorkellers and divers (there is a dive centre on the sand). Dramatic, sheltered and a world away from the organised resorts; bring shoes for the rocky path down.

Kleisidi Beach

Kleisidi is, by Sophie's reckoning, the most beautiful of the trio of secluded bays around Plakias – white sand and clear blue water tucked beneath low cliffs, quiet even in August. One of those small south-coast beaches you can have half to yourself.

Taverna Christos

Taverna Christos has the best sunset view in Plakias and the prices to make you stay for it – honest, cheap, delicious traditional Cretan cooking served as the sun drops into the Libyan Sea. The kind of unhurried south-coast taverna that turns a beach day into a long evening.

Frangokastello

Frangokastello is a near-perfect little Venetian fortress standing alone on a flat coastal plain on the south coast, completed in 1374 and still flying the lion of St Mark. The shallow, sandy beach beside it is one of the warmest swims on Crete. Local legend tells of the "Drosoulites" – shadowy soldiers said to march across the plain at dawn each May.

Loutro

Loutro is the postcard of the Cretan south coast – a crescent of whitewashed, blue-shuttered houses around a tiny turquoise bay, with no cars and no road in: you arrive only by boat from Chora Sfakion or on foot along the coast. Spend the day swimming off the rocks, lunching at the water's edge and doing gloriously little.

Falasarna beach

Falassarna beach is not only one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, but has also been voted the best beach in Crete and one of the 10 best beaches in Europe! It is a huge bay which actually consists of 5 exotic beaches. Falassarna beach has pink sand, cyan-hued water, and an unreal landscape. The main beach of Falassarna is named Pahia Ammos and stretches for 1 km. Thanks to its huge size, this beach almost never gets crowded, so it’s a top choice for those who seek freedom! In Pahia Ammos you can find facilities, such as umbrellas, a canteen, a beach volley court, and water sports facilities, for the water sport fanatics!

Balos beach

Balos beach in Chania is the perfect combination of an exotic landscape and wild natural beauty. No wonder why it’s the most photographed beach in Crete! Mesmerizing emerald waters, fine white sand and rock formations create a scenery of unreal beauty. You’ll want to sit there for hours, taking in the scenery. The waters in Balos are warm and shallow, while in some parts of the beach the sand is pink, due to the broken shells covering parts of it. Located near Kissamos, Balos beach can be reached either by car from Chania, either by boat from Kasteli or by a three-hour hike from Kaliviani.

To Maridaki

Komolithi (Potamida)

The Komolithi near Potamida are a genuinely surreal sight – pale, wind-sculpted clay pillars and ridges that locals call the Cappadocia (or Arizona) of Crete. Around seven million years old, the eroded hills have even given up fossils of 15-metre sharks. A quick, strange and photogenic stop on the drive west toward Elafonisi.

Elafonisi beach

The eternal rival of Balos competing for the prize "the best beach of Crete", Elafonisi is one of the most famous and upvoted beaches in Chania, which stands out for its exotic setting! Elafonisi is basically a sandy peninsula, with many beaches, both organized and unorganized. The eastern part of the beach is organized, thus more crowded, but there are also many quiet coves that reward the traveler with privacy and serenity. The sand in Elafonisi beach is fine and white (pinkish is some parts!), the water is turquoise and shallow, while the landscape is exotic and unbelievably beautiful. What else could one possibly ask for? Keep in mid that Elafonisi is a protected natural reserve, where many plants thrive and rare animal species find shelter.

Kedrodasos beach

Located 76 km south-west of Chania and 1 km away from another favorite Elafonissi beach. It is a secluded beach with white sand and juniper trees. It is ideal for campers and naturists. Kedrodasos is a very nice beach with white sand and some smooth and flat rocks in places. Fortunately, there are no facilities nearby, making this secluded beach (so you should bring a snack, water and an umbrella for the sun- if you are lucky, you will find shade under one of the juniper trees), one of the latest untouched paradises in Europe. That also means that you should keep it clean and not littered. The easiest way to find the beach is with a GPS. There is car parking at the end of the road, leave your car, go down the path, and you are there... in paradise. For those interested, the European path E4 crosses the beach (there are yellow and black signs on the way).

Old Town

One of the best things to do in Chania is wander through the maze of narrow, pedestrian-only streets in the historic old town. An architectural style jumps out at you around every corner. Shops lining the streets and stairways sell souvenirs, and cute restaurants and cafés are tucked into shady patios. As you walk around, you'll come across four distinct areas, each with its own look and feel: Kastelli is hilly and quite old with very narrow, twisty walkways. If you come across a group of tourists, it's often too tight to pass. Topanas is just back from the old port and has narrow roadways. The Jewish District is easily identified by its wider streets. The Splantzia District has the greatest number of outdoor cafés and restaurants, mostly located around a huge plane tree in front of the Church of St. Nicolas.

Old Venetian Harbour

Dating from the 14th century, the old harbor is ringed by a promenade lined with seafood eateries and cafés; it buzzes with visitors in summer, and is totally enchanting by night. As you wander to the east of the old harbor, you'll pass by the small mosque, erected by the Ottoman Turks after they took Chania in 1645. Today it serves as a small art gallery. Beyond the mosque, stand the arsenals, where the Venetians repaired their galleys, and a yachting marina. This entire stretch of coast is protected by a breakwater, and on its tip stands a lighthouse-it was designed by an Egyptian architect in 1839 and is strangely reminiscent of a minaret. On the point across the water from the lighthouse stands the Maritime Museum and the Firkas Fortress.

Tabakaria

Tabakaria is Chania's atmospheric ghost-district of old leather tanneries – tall stone shells right on the water, a ten-minute coastal walk east of the old harbour. Raw, weathered and quietly beautiful, it is wonderful to wander at golden hour, and a couple of romantic tavernas (Thalassino Ageri among them) have set up tables at the sea's edge.

Thalassino Ageri

Seafood eaten on the rocks of Chania's old tanneries district – the sea reaches the edge of your table. Thalassino Ageri sits in Tabakaria, the strip of 19th-century leather tanneries that line the sea just east of the old town. The dining room is open-air, the building shoulder-to-shoulder with the water; sunset turns the stone walls amber and the bay rose. The kitchen does seafood the Cretan way – whatever came in that morning, simply grilled or baked, dressed with lemon, oil, and not much else. Order the day's catch by weight, add a salad and an ouzo, take your time. Reservations are essential in summer; ask for a table on the edge. The walk in along the seawall is part of the experience.

Sinagogi Bar

Sinagogi is an open-air bar not far from the Venetian port in the old city of Chania. It first opened in 1995 and has since been serving cool drinks and cocktails. Upon entering the bar, you can feel how unique it is. Sinagogi is built next to Chania’s old synagogue and has no roof inside, apart from a few trees and reeds. The scenery is truly majestic. You will love the mix and variety of cocktails here. And if you appreciate music, you are in for a treat too! The only caveat is that the bar often gets busy with tourists and locals alike. Yet, this proves how special Sinagogi is.