Chania Old Town Itinerary: How To Spend The Perfect Day

Chania might not be what you picture when you imagine a Greek Island old town. You probably think of whitewashed buildings, blue domed churches, and clambering down narrow stone steps to reach a dreamy warm yet gentle ocean. Ok I’m pretty much describing Santorini, but you get the idea. Chania is a city on Crete, the largest Greek island, it’s not dainty but it’s got something much more interesting- layers.

Old Town Chania has Venetian mansions standing next to Ottoman mosques, harbour cats sprawled across 500-year-old stone, and a history of occupation you can actually see rather than just read about on a plaque.

I spent a full summer in Chania, based in the old town. I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of the most beautiful old towns in Europe. It has a picture perfect Venetian harbour dotted with colourful building and framed by a lighthouse and old fort. Pink bougainvillea spill over stone walls, cute cats laze down alleys, it has cute cafes, family owned tavernas, cocktail bars and little boutiques tucked into the lanes behind it all.

This is my guide to Chania Old Town and how to spend the perfect day here. I’ll cover how to get here, where to park, and walk you through a fun, action-packed day. Plus the kind of inside tips you won’t find from bloggers who’ve only passed through for a couple of days

RELATED: 24 Best Things To Do In Chania →

Getting To Chania

For most people visiting Chania for a day, you will get dropped at the bus station. This is opposite from 1866 square, about a 4 minute walk to Old Town, 6-7 minute walk to the Venetian Harbour. You can book your bus tickets online through KTEL, it’s recommended to do this during the summer to ensure a seat.

Heads up if you’re driving, parking in Chania could be better.

• Municipal Parking garage Kydon S.A (multi level, security, €2 per hour)
• Municipal Parking (€2 per hour – need an app “i-Park Chania”)
• Parking Plaza (€3.50 per hour, security)
• Parking Apollon (valet style, staff drive your car to the spot, €4 per hour)
• Park and Ride – free, and a free shuttle to the centre is provided

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If you’re arriving with a cruise, you’ll be docked in Souda Port, which is 4 km from Chania. If a shuttle is not provided then Bus 14 goes from the port to old town. You can read about how to get around Chania here.

Chania Old Town 1 Day Itinerary

Traditional Bougatsa for Breakfast

Bougatsa in Chania isn’t the sweet custard thing you likely have had in Athens or Thessaloniki. Here it’s thin, crisp phyllo wrapped around warm mizithra cheese. It’s sour, a little tangy, with sugar and cinnamon dusted over the top and nothing else. It’s cut into squares in front of you and handed over hot.

Two places in Chania are institutions for Bougatsa and both have been doing this for decades: Bougatsa Iordanis and Bougatsa Chanion. Around €3.50 a portion, which makes it one of the cheapest filling breakfasts in Old Town.

When ordering she asked how hungry we were, we said not very, so she only brought down one. She judged correctly as sharing one between two we were stuffed. I also thought this was very fair of her.

Trimartiri Square

A few minutes’ walk from breakfast is Trimartiri, the square most people land at when arriving to Old Town Chania. Here you’ll find a lively square with an ornate Greek Orthodox church surrounded by restaurants and cafes.

The Holy Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary is a neoclassical Greek Orthodox church with gold embellishments, murals, and relics inside. It’s pretty small so you only really need 5 – 10 minutes to see it.

Across the street is another church you could easily walk past a hundred times without ever realising what’s inside (I did). Squeezed between two tourist shops is a stone door way with a carved coat of arms above it, which leads down a short tunnel into a Spanish style courtyard. The Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption is in here, along with the Folk Museum. The interior is plain white and there’s far less to look at than across the road, but the courtyard is the quietest corner in this part of Old Town.

If you’re visiting on a Saturday there is mass at 7 PM in English. Everything else during the week is in Greek.

Eleftherios Venizelos Square

Eleftherios Venizelos Square is a lively square just before the Venetian Harbour. It’s a meeting point with a small white marble fountain and lots of restaurants. You’ll likely pass by it countless times while in Chania Old Town.

You can get a really nice view from the balcony of Starbucks, it’s typically very busy but grab something small and head to the balcony to check out the views. It’s one of the cheapest elevated views you’ll find close to the harbour.

Zampeliou Stairs + Get Lost Down The Alleyways

From the square, head towards the Starbucks and turn down the alley beside it. A minute in you’ll hit the Zampeliou Stairs. These are a winding stone stairway between two bright yellow buildings. It’s the single most photographed staircase in Chania. It’s very pretty as the shops have some colourful ceramic pieces and painting displayed outside.

I suggest coming here early, ideally by 11 AM as there’s always a crowd of people, by afternoon it’s shoulder to shoulder.

From the stairs, keep wandering. The lanes between here and Firkas Fortress are the prettiest part of Old Town and the only real instruction is to get slightly lost for half an hour. The alleys have a mix of Greek, Ottoman and Venetian buildings, with plenty of vibrant pink Bougainvilleas creeping up their walls.

Firkas Fortress

Fort Firkas is the old Venetian fort at the western end of the harbour, later used as an Ottoman barracks and prison. In 1913 the Greek flag was raised here for the first time, marking Crete’s union with Greece, so it’s a historically significant place.

For a one-day trip, the reason to come is the walls. Entry to the fort is free, and you can walk the ramparts for one of the best views of the harbour and lighthouse you’ll get at ground level. The Maritime Museum of Crete is also inside and costs €5, but with just one day in Chania I’d skip it and spend the time in Splantzia later.

Check the day before you plan this. Firkas is open 9 AM to 4 PM Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays. If you’re doing this itinerary on a Sunday, swap in the Schiavo Bastion instead which is a short walk south, also free, also excellent views over the old moat.

Lunch Along The Venetian Harbour

The Venetian Harbour is Chania’s postcard spot, maybe even the picture that made you visit Chania in the first place. It’s a 1 kilometre curve of pastel buildings running from Firkas Fort to the lighthouse, and it’s where you eat, drink and people watch.

Typically harbour front restaurants are tourist trap territory. However, Chania is unusual in that the ratio of genuinely good restaurants to overpriced tourist trap is heavily skewed to the former. There are far more gems than rip-offs along here. A good rule is to avoid anywhere that won’t leave you alone with the menu. We made this mistake at a gluten free gyro restaurant, the guy wouldn’t stop pressuring us, they were the worst and one of the most expensive gyros we had in all of Greece.

It’s a scenic spot to enjoy your lunch, watch the gentle waves and enjoy the ocean breeze. These are some of the restaurants along the harbour that I recommend for lunch:

• Amphora Taverna: the all-rounder. Traditional Cretan, reliably good, order the boureki.
• Cafe Remezzo: more relaxed, good gyro plate, and the lemon drop cocktail is excellent if you’re making an afternoon of it.
• Canale: upscale but not pretentious, their Cretan salad is delicious, paired with calamari it’s a perfect lunch

Budget 90 minutes and don’t rush it. The afternoon stretch of this itinerary is the hot part, so sitting still in the shade between one and two is a feature, not lost time.

Visit The Küçük Hasan Mosque

By now, you’ll have seen the orange dome of Küçük Hasan Mosque from every angle. It sits right on the harbour, built in 1645, one of the oldest Ottoman buildings in Crete, and it looks completely out of place among the Venetian facades. It’s well-preserved you can still see the mihrab area with Quranic inscriptions.

It’s no longer a mosque for worship, local artists use it as a gallery and event space these days, so what’s inside depends entirely on when you visit.

Walk To The Lighthouse

Chania’s lighthouse breakwater runs about 500 metres out from the end of the harbour to the lighthouse, so a kilometre there and back, 15 to 20 minutes each way plus however long you spend at the end. You cannot enter the lighthouse but you do get some nice views of the harbour on the walk to it.

There is no shade whatsoever, and in July and August this walk in mid-afternoon can be sweaty. Although a flat surface the sun makes the walk seem so much more strenuous.

Which raises the obvious question, the lighthouse is one of the best sunset spots in Chania, so why not do it then, why suffer through the heat? Because it’s also the busiest, and this itinerary sends you somewhere better for sunset. Trust me on this one. We arrived a good half an hour before sunset, got a good place half way down the wall but it became so overcrowded with people squeezing past that it completely took from what was supposed to be a chill experience.

Cafe Stop (best gelato in Chania)

I assume you’re hot after that walk, so lets cool down with a freddo cappuccino and the best gelato you’ll find in Chania. There are some amazing cafes in Chania, make sure you visit at least one.

Sketi Glyka is a 10 minute walk from the lighthouse, it’s located down a shaded cobblestone alley, so it’s the perfect place to cool down. The pastries look like art, with a tiramisu that is shaped like a coffee bean, chocolate cubes with cocoa sourced from French chocolatier Valrhona, colourful pink mousse overflowing with a passion fruit caramel. Combine any of them with a scoop of authentic gelato, and you’ve got yourself the perfect sweet treat. The cinnamon apricot flavour was incredible.

RELATED: 19 Best Cafes In Chania To Visit →

Have a Ramble Around Splantzia

Splantzia, officially called 1821 Square, was the Turkish quarter of Chania during the Ottoman occupation. The square is covered by enormous plane trees, which means heavenly shade, and it’s ringed by a handful of tavernas rather than souvenir shops.

The landmark is the Church of Saint Nicholas, the only church in Greece with both a dome and a minaret standing together. It was originally a Venetian church, then an Ottoman mosque, then Orthodox again from 1919.

Explore the alleys running off the square which are quieter, more lived in and less postcard-esque than the western half of Old Town. You’ve likely noticed by now that Chania is home to many sleepy cat residents, with a larger density in Splantzia than other parts of Old Town. I guess they like their peace too.

Hit The Shops

Chania Old Town is one of the best places to shop in Crete. Although there are big name brands like Zara, H&M, Sephora and Pink Woman, the shops I’m talking about are the little boutiques and souvenir shops scattered around the alleys.

Crete is famous for their olive oil and honey, which I highly recommend you grab some for home. They also are known for high quality knives, olive wood items and natural skincare.

Stivanadika, meaning old leather street, this was traditionally a street where leather goods were made. However, nowadays the people are just selling local leather goods, not making it themselves. It’s 2 narrow lanes of leather goods like shoes, coats and bags but you’ll also find hat shops and non-leather goods. It’s worth a mooch around as there are some genuine good finds. I got myself two nice sun hats and a bag.

These are some boutiques in Chania Old Town that I recommend:

• XAMAM: clothes shop with local designers, the pieces here are so gorgeous, made from high quality fabrics
• Philly: quirky and colourful vintage dresses (think Zooey Deschanel’s style). All products are carefully selected by the lovely owner – she has great taste
• Vintage Rose: thrift shop with a wide variety of goods. Come here for some bargains.
• August Concept Store: stylish clothes, shoes and bespoke jewellery, all made in Greece
• Nikkos Sandals: handmade genuine leather sandals, this store dates all the way back to 1945. Very comfy and look good.

Cocktail Hour

You’ve been exploring for hours, now it’s time for a pre-sunset drink, and not just any drink.

Greeks take their cocktails seriously, some of the best cocktails I’ve tasted have been in Greece, and Crete is no different. Bars here come up with some of the most imaginative concoctions that are insanely delicious.

• Lime Sips and Bikes “pop my loli” with strawberry, pineapple, vodka and grapefruit
• The Boulevard of Broken Dreams self named house cocktail with dark rum, gingerbread, orgeat lime, and bitters.
• Majestic Mexican spicy Margarita topped with pomegranate foam and delicate pieces of saffron, it has a real kick to it. Skip the food at Majestic, the food massively underperforms.

If you’re looking for a good deal, many of the bars away from the Venetian Harbour have a happy hour. The Van Bar and Bar Del Doge have classic cocktails and spritz from €6 from about 5 to 7 PM.

Sunset From The Balcony of Chania

The last place to stop by in Old Town will end this day on a high. Skip the lighthouse crowds for a short climb to Kasteli Hill instead, sometimes called the Balcony of Chania. It’s higher than anything else in Old Town with views of the entire harbour laid out below you, which the lighthouse can’t give you.

This isn’t a super well known place, you won’t have it to yourself but it doesn’t draw the same crowds as the lighthouse. This area has actually been occupied by a group called “Rosa Nera Occupy” who are effectively squatting in the buildings to contest how much of this city has been given to major hotel groups. Additionally they wanted to give marginalised members of the community a place to stay.

Find a spot on the wall and just watch the sunset unfold. It ended up being one of my favourite parts of Chania. A few places nearby do a takeaway spritz or beer if you are thirsty. We got a little pre-made cocktail can and some oregano Lays, such a simple and cheap way to enjoy the sunset.

Where to Eat In Chania Old Town

As I’ve mentioned, Chania has no shortage of wonderful restaurants, they have everything and most places haven’t succumbed to just being a tourist trap. They are actually good places. Here are some of my picks.

• 9str – cheap, generously filled gyros
• Pallas – upscale rooftop restaurant, edges towards fine dining (very popular, booking advised)
• Arismari – Cretan dishes with a twist overlooking the lighthouse
• Pulse – delicious vegan dishes (try the moussaka and Korean croquettes)
• Throumbi – all things meat, down a lively alley

Where To Stay In Chania Old Town

RELATED: Where To Stay In Chania (Areas & Hotels) →

Chania 1 Day Itinerary Map

Chania Old Town FAQ

What to skip one day in Chania?

With 1 day in Chania I would skip anything outside the old town, including a boat trip. Enjoy Chania’s romantic alleys and harbour, rather than rushing them. I would also skip the beaches, although beautiful you’re likely going to be visiting many other beaches in Crete.

Can you swim near Chania Old Town?

Not in the Venetian Harbour, it’s a working harbour, not a swimming spot. Nea Chora beach is a 10–15 minute walk west of Old Town and is where locals go for a quick swim. It’s fine rather than spectacular, but if you’ve got a spare hour in the afternoon it beats melting on the breakwater.

Can you visit Chania Old Town as a day trip?

From Rethymno, comfortably, it’s about an hour each way by bus or car. From Heraklion it’s roughly two and a half to three hours each way, which turns this into a long day, so start early and book your KTEL tickets in advance in summer.

Is Chania Old Town Walkable?

Yes, Chania Old Town is entirely walkable. You can walk from one end to the other in around 15 minutes. It’s also car free, so you have no other choice but to walk it. For those with accessibility concerns, many of the streets are cobblestoned, there are stairs in some parts, but the Venetian Harbour and main streets are ok. You just might run into trouble down the alleyways.

Plan Your Chania Trip

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