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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Chania
Χανιά
Base in Chania 4–7 nights: 2 days for the old town and harbour, then day trips to Balos, Samaria or Elafonissi by bus or car.
Chania is Crete's west-coast hub: a Venetian and Ottoman old town wrapped around a small harbour, with the island's best beaches and gorges within day-trip range. Most travellers stay 4–7 nights, using the city as a base and moving west along the coast for beach days. It is walkable, safe and bus-served, but a car unlocks the coast.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Χανιά
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and crowds), peak August ferry and hotel prices
- Stay
- 4–7 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–75 excl. bed · Mid €75–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Fire 199 · Tourist police 1571
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (Greek or freddo espresso) | €2–4 |
| Gyros or souvlaki | €4–7 |
| Taverna main course | €9–16 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | €3–5 / €1–2 |
| City bus ride | €2 or less |
| Airport taxi to centre | €25 |
| Museum entry (Archaeological Museum) | €6, €3 reduced |
| Etz Hayyim Synagogue entry | €2 suggested |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CHQ · Chania International Airport (Daskalogiannis)
- On the Akrotiri peninsula, about 20 min by taxi (€25) or city bus (€2.50) to the centre; bus stop in front of departures.
Typical fares
- CHQ airport → Chania centre, bus
- €2.50, about 20–30 min
- CHQ airport → Chania centre, taxi
- €25, about 20 min
- Elafonissi bus, each way
- €11, about one departure a day
- City bus in town
- €2 or less, card and phone taps accepted
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old town and harbour are walkable; much of the old town bans cars and parking is enforced with tickets. City buses are clean, frequent and cheap (€2 or less, card and phone taps accepted) and reach Nea Chora and nearby beaches. KTEL coaches from the central bus station cover the island and have luggage lockers. A car helps for Balos, Elafonissi and villages; hire with standard documents and get written permission before taking a car on a ferry.
See and do
Known for
- Venetian harbour and lighthouse
- Old town alleys and Splanzia
- Balos and Elafonissi beaches
- Samaria Gorge
- Cretan food and raki
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Balos lagoon and Gramvousa | Drive to Kissamos then boat, or a boat trip from Kissamos port | Full day |
| Samaria Gorge | KTEL bus to the gorge entrance, walk down, boat from Agia Roumeli | Full day, early start |
| Elafonissi beach | KTEL bus (about one a day, €11 each way) or car | Full day |
| Rethymno | KTEL bus or car along the E75 | About 1–1.5 h each way |
| Paleochora | KTEL bus or car south over the mountains | About 2 h each way |
| Hora Sfakion | KTEL bus or car south | About 1.5–2 h each way |
Sleep
- Old Town / Venetian harbour
- Venetian houses turned into hotels; walk to everything, but no cars in much of the old town and parking is hard.
- Splanzia (Rouga Square)
- Quieter historic Turkish quarter, 5–10 min walk to the harbour; good for dinner and tavernas.
- Nea Chora
- Beach neighbourhood 1 km (0.6 mi) west of the old town; sandy beach, cheaper rooms, easy walk in.Beach neighbourhood 0.6 mi (1 km) west of the old town; sandy beach, cheaper rooms, easy walk in.
- Chania Bay resorts (Platanias, Agii Apostoli, Kato Stalos)
- Beach hotels 5–15 km (3.1–9.3 mi) west along the coast; bus or car into town, best for families and package stays.Beach hotels 3.1–9.3 mi (5–15 km) west along the coast; bus or car into town, best for families and package stays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςYAH sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-kha-ree-STO |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-gha-ree-a-ZMO pa-ra-ka-LO |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;PO-so KA-nee |
| Can I pay by card? | Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα;bo-RO na plee-RO-so me KAR-ta |
| Where is the toilet? | Πού είναι η τουαλέτα;poo EE-ne ee too-a-LE-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Old-town streets are car-free and parking is ticketed; do not plan to drive to your hotel door.
- Summer heat waves and the Meltemi wind: carry water and shade on beach and gorge days.
- Samaria Gorge is a one-way walk with a boat out; check the season and the last boat before you commit.
- Balos and Elafonissi are long, winding drives or a single daily bus: check times before relying on public transport.
- Kafenion village coffee shops are traditionally male spaces; cafeterias are open to everyone.
Chania is a safe, walkable city; the real risks are summer heat, winding coastal drives and gorge or boat days where the last departure matters. Use 112 for any emergency.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chania yet. Suggested stay: 4–7 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Venetian harbour and lighthouse
- Old town alleys and Splanzia
- Balos and Elafonissi beaches
- Samaria Gorge
- Cretan food and raki
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Municipality of Chania: www.chania.gr/
- KTEL Chania-Rethymno bus company: e-ktel.com/en/
- Archaeological Museum of Chania: archaeologicalmuseums.gr/en/museum/5df34af3deca5e2d79e8c161/archaeological-museum-of-chania
- Wikivoyage: Chania, revision 5310491 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5310491
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ChaniaΧανιά
Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Chania; most countries have embassies in Athens and consulates in Heraklion or Athens. Check your country's list before you travel.
Tipping is not required; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/chania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.