Chania

Chania is thought to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world and has often been called the Venice of Crete thanks to its beautiful Venetian architecture. Different civilizations have flourished here over the centuries; all have left their mark in the little alleyways which wend their way through the Old Town. This part of Chania is built around the Venetian harbour; you'll find Turkish buildings here as well dating from the time when Chania was the first Cretan city to fall to the Turks. Around the crescent-shaped harbour you'll find many excellent restaurants, bars and little shops, as well as the famous indoor market, with its fascinating array of provisions.

South of Chania lies the famous Samaria Gorge, the longest in Europe, which begins just below the Omalos plateau. Its width varies from 3m to 150m and its vertical walls reach 500m at the highest point. The gorge has an incredible number of wildflowers and is also home to a large number of endangered species, including the Cretan wild goat, the kri-kri. Definitely worth a visit (the gorge is open seasonally).