Fly from Nice to Chania

If Chania were a poem, the poet would rhyme culture with nature. These two worlds alone sum up the character of this part of Crete. However, you don’t need to be a Hellenistic expert or a daring backpacker to enjoy the treasures of the region. They are accessible to everyone, and whether you come as a family, with friends, or as a couple, you’ll easily find plenty to keep you happy, without looking for long or spending a fortune.
So make the most all life’s pleasures in Chania. Stroll through the streets and lanes of the old town, and listen to the old stones whispering their stories. Browse in the little shops and treat yourself to some local crafts. Sit outside a café and enjoy the flavours of raki and honey cake. Spread out your towel on the fine sand of a beach and bathe in crystal-clear waters. Venture to the Samariá Gorge to get up close with its fauna and flora, and feel the stresses of the year slip away. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy.

• Wander around the old port, the city’s loveliest asset. It bears the marks of Venetian rule and the Ottoman Empire. On one side, the Grand Arsenal, and on the other, the Mosque of the Janissaries.
• Get lost in the picturesque neighbourhoods of Topanas and Evraiki. With their narrow little streets dating back several hundred years, they are a fine tribute to Daedalus, the inventor of the labyrinth.
• Stop for a moment outside the church of Agios Nikolaos. In one glance, the city’s tumultuous past is clear to see. On one side, the bell tower, and on the other, the minaret: it says it all!
• Try the Cretan diet! Take a seat at a taverna and eat your fill of flavoursome vegetables, succulent meat, fresh fish, ripe fruits galore and the island’s famous olive oil.
• Have a drink. Are you a wine lover? Reds, rosés or whites: the island does them all excellently. For something stronger, try raki (also known as tsikoudia), a divine beverage made by distilling the remains from wine-making. 100% natural, 100% delicious, but to be enjoyed in moderation.
• Bring back a souvenir from your holiday by browsing through thousands of creations by local artisans: pottery, onyx tableware, jewellery inspired by antiquity, a knife, a leather belt, an embroidered tablecloth…
• Take a boat to the Gramvousa Peninsula and relax on Balos Beach, which is one of the most beautiful on the island, with its sands surrounded by turquoise waters.
• Jump aboard a bus to the beaches of Elafonisi, a peninsula attached to Crete by a thin strip of pink sand. Coves and lagoons, rocks and clear water.
• Go hiking in the Samariá Gorge and marvel at a magnificent landscape: 16 kilometres of canyon stretching out to the sea, 300 metre high cliffs, wild goats and an abandoned village.
• Travel to the Palace of Knossos. The journey will take at least two hours, but it’s worth it to see Crete’s most famous archaeological site, which is located a few kilometres from Heraklion, the island’s capital.