Things to do in Chania

The old town

• The Venetian harbour and the lighthouse walk - go at dusk, when the day trippers have gone.
• The covered market and the leather lane (Skrydlof) - still functional, not only souvenirs.
• The Maritime Museum and the Firkas bastion at the harbour mouth.
• Splantzia quarter - the quieter half of the old town, with the best squares to sit in.

Gorges and mountains

• Samaria gorge - 16 km downhill, one way, finishing with a boat to Chora Sfakion. A full committed day.
• Imbros gorge - the short, manageable alternative, about two hours of walking.
• Therisso gorge - you drive through this one; a 30-minute trip from the city.
• Sfakia and Loutro - a village reachable only by boat or on foot, and worth the detour.

The famous beaches

Elafonissi (pink sand, shallow lagoon) is about 1h45 south-west on a winding but sealed road. Balos is different: the gravel track down to it is unsurfaced, and driving it in a rental car is not allowed and voids insurance - take the boat from Kissamos instead. Falassarna, on the west coast, is the easiest big beach to reach and the best place on the island for sunset.

Practicalities

Chania airport (CHQ) is 15 minutes from the city. The old town is pedestrian - park outside the walls and walk. Roads in the west are good but slow; assume mountain routes take a third longer than the map says, and fill up before heading south.