Why Chania, Crete Should Be Your Next Mediterranean Escape
It’s early 2021. We’ve spent almost a year inside due to Covid, at the same time figuring how to be parents and navigate all things sleep, diapers and late night feedings. But things are starting to look up and we think, “hey, maybe let’s manifest the idea of being able to travel again by booking a trip.” So we do. We book a flight to Athens for August of that year with Kevin’s dad in the hope that quarantine would be over and we’d actually be able to leave the country.
As the date of the flight got closer and the world still hadn’t fully opened up, we talked to his dad, and since he was at a higher risk than we were, he decided to bow out. American Airlines was offering full credits at the time, so we decided to hold off and also go to Greece another time.
We always attribute our intense nomadic tendencies to our parents’ deaths in 2018, but I think Covid was also a large contributing factor. For someone who gets antsy sitting still and staying in one place for a long time, Covid and I were definitely at odds. The moment post-Covid when we first stepped off the plane in Ireland with Maeve, by then a 2 year old, felt like the beginning of the journey that has now taken us to multiple countries over the past several years and contributed to us enrolling her in Boundless Life.
Old Harbor Chania
We often book our long trips with the idea “this will be the last time for this for awhile.” It’s always “the last time before preschool…”, “the last time before kindergarten…” “the last time before we need to go back to Chicago and settle…” Yet the longer we are on this journey, the less we need those qualifiers at the beginning of our trips. The pre-preschool one was the reason for our 4 month journey through Vietnam, Spain, Italy and then Crete. We had friends that had visited Crete and recommended it to us, which is why we ended up choosing Chania as a wrap up in May of 2023. We booked an old monastery on Vrbo that was probably haunted, made friends with our widow neighbor who would bring Maeve cookies daily and slow-traveled our way through the town for 3 weeks.
Old Town Chania
WHAT TO DO IN CHANIA, CRETE
Stroll down the Venetian Harbor
When you visit Chania’s Old Town, you will inevitably make your way to the old Venetian Harbor, which takes up most of the area along the seaside. There are a wide array of restaurants (skip these as they are too touristy and not great) and shops, as well as the famous lighthouse and Küçük Hasan Mosque. Pro tip: stay on the harbor and get a drink while you watch the incredible Chania sunsets.
Chania Crete Harbor
Visit the Maritime Museum of Crete
Also located in the old harbor, the Maritime Museum of Crete is quite impressive and contains a large collection of naval instruments and model ships. There was also an entire room dedicated to Cretan war history, particularly involving World War 2. While Maeve would normally be bored by museums like this, she loved the replica of a submarine that she was able to walk through and the extensive set of shells and coral.
Maritime Museum of Crete
Maritime Museum Chania
Check Out the Center of Traditional Folk Art and Culture
Tucked away in a back alley in Chania, this heritage museum was really special. Artisans of all types have their work displayed here and it’s an excellent place to pick up some art and souvenirs from your trip. The art showcased at the museum depicts a variety of topics related to Greek culture, including agriculture and mythology.
Relax at One of the Local Beaches
If the weather is hot and you are looking to relax a bit, there are a few local beaches near to the Chania Old Town. Nea Chora is the closest beach at only 15 minutes from the center of Chania. Other nearby beaches include Falasarna Beach and Elafonisi Beach.
Book an Elafonissi Beach Trip from Chania
Stop in to the Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding
This small museum housed in an ancient ship yard will only take you about 20 minutes to walk through, but it does have a beautiful old Minoan ship on display.
Chania Crete Museums
Rent a Car and Drive to the Countryside
If you have an extra day or two, we recommend renting a car and venturing out of Chania into the countryside. There are many ruins nearby, including Ancient Aptera, a short drive away. Whether you are taking a coastal drive to a restaurant or driving up to one of the villages in the mountains above Chania, there are several day trip options. We attempted to go to Seitan Limania, a beautiful secluded beach nearby Chania, however once we got there we realized the challenging hike down would be too tricky with a 3 year old in tow.
Rent a Boat and Visit Thodorou Island
During our time in Chania, we also rented a small boat in the harbor for a 2 hour ride. We drove out to Thodorou Island, a small nearby island that is inhabited by native wild goats called kri-kri. Aside from the goats and a few men who help to protect the goats, the island is uninhabited. It is open for one day a year to the public on May 19, the feast of St. Theodore and the island’s namesake. While we couldn’t dock the boat, we drove around it and got some great photos and videos of the wild goats.
Chania Boat Rental
Thodorou Island Chania
Hit up the Chania Farmer’s Market
If you have an Airbnb or apartment, we absolutely recommend grabbing some food at the weekly farmer’s market in Chania. We loved the variety of food available there and even had our dedicated feta guy that we would buy from every week.
Chania Farmer’s Market
WHERE TO EAT IN CHANIA
To Maridaki
This was easily one of the best meals we had in Chania. It was just around the corner from where we were staying and had a counter service for lunch. Everything we tried was delicious, including the fish soup that they are known for. In true Crete fashion, they also gave us a whole bottle of raki and a free dessert to end our meal.
Book a Chania Food Tasting Walking Tour
Oasis Restaurant
I’m not sure if Oasis had gone viral before we got there, or if it’s always this crowded, but this to-go gyro spot near the old market had a constant line out front, and for good reason. The gyros there were next level and we had several during our 3 week stay.
Throumbi
This restaurant seemed extremely popular with locals and had a beautiful interior space. Also, the offerings were a bit different and more organic than some of the other restaurants we visited.
Best Chania Restaurants
Adespoto Music Taverna
This was our first dinner in Chania and it did not disappoint. They have live Greek music nightly, Cretan staples and a quaint terrace. Maeve made friends with some local girls and they danced the night away to the music.
Pork to Beef Wild
This pun-tastic takeaway restaurant was also close to our Airbnb and specialized in modern gyros and fries.
Chania Restaurants
Faka Restaurant
A bit more on the pricey side, we went to this harbor restaurant for a Mother’s Day brunch. They specialize in slightly elevated Mediterranean and Western brunch fare.
Ela
Kevin insisted we order this baked goat dish here that was covered in cheese and wow, it did not disappoint. If you go here, get the goat.
Chania Greece
