Chania

A Greek holiday in the delightful city of Chania is an experience you won't easily forget. Holidays in Chania, the 2nd largest city in Crete (which is the most southerly of the Greek islands) will entrance even the most sceptical visitor as Chania is truly evocative, utterly lovely and picturesque.

Steeped in history, the Kasteli area of the Old Town has been inhabited since Neolithic times; there is evidence of a Minoan settlement and, of course the iconic Venetian walls that surround the harbour exude atmosphere. Heavily bombed in WW11, it is said that it took the Germans as long to conquer Crete as it did to overrun several European countries! History buffs should take a trip to the village of Maleme (15k away) where graves of young German soldiers lie. This is allegedly the site of the first ever airborne attack in the history of mankind. Haunting indeed.

Chania still retains wonderful buildings and the Old Town is actually considered the most beautiful urban area in all of Crete. Some of the old Venetian fortifications remain around the crumbling harbour and mazes of narrow streets have traditional stone homes and, these days, some house trendy bars, cool clubs and elegant shops. There are even ruins which are renovated as open-air tavernas. A holiday in Chania can equally evoke a sense of times past and offer a jolt into the modern world.

Chania holidays can combine the standard sun, sea and sand holiday experience as the weather is wonderful from April to October and there are excellent beaches just 1k from the town centre (Nea Hora and Koum Kapi are the nearest), but the city also offers an intense cultural life and, incidentally, nightlife is legendary with many venues open 24 hours in high season. The Splantzia area of the Old Town is very atmospheric and the main square, Eleftherios Venizelos, is the heart of the city. Hire a horse drawn buggy to clatter round the cobble stones and just drink in the ambience.

A holiday on the island of Crete in the dreamy city of Chania will simply take your breath away. Charming and picturesque, modern and ancient, cool and traditional all at once, Chania has many faces. Holidays in Chania are extremely romantic as evenings on the harbour front in a typical taverna with reflections on the water and the strains of Bouzuki music in the distance could be straight out of a Mills & Boon novel!

Recommended as a heavenly honeymoon destination, holidays in Chania will also appeal to couples who enjoy a sense of history and tradition and it is an ideal holiday venue for groups who enjoy long lazy days on the beach and a hotbed of nightlife.

With direct flights from Dublin into Chania International Airport twice weekly, holidays in Chania are now easily accessible. We provide a good selection of hotels and apartments in the area.