Things to do in Hania
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Waves on the Rock
The unassuming fishing hamlet of Ravdouha Beach, on the western side of the rugged Rodopou Peninsula, is one of the area's hidden gastronomic treats. Follow the signs to Ravdoucha until you reach a fork in the road. To the left, a rough dirt road leads 700m to the Waves on the Rock run by fisherman Theodoris Falelakis, who serves excellent fresh fish. If you really feel like getting away from it all there are also five rooms upstairs with kitchenette and air-con.
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Thalassino Ageri
It can be tricky to find, but this solitary fish taverna in a tiny port amongst the ruins of Hania's old tanneries is one of the most delightful eateries in Crete. Apart from the superb setting they have fresh fish and excellent mezedes such as tender octopus in wine vinegar and melt-in-your-mouth calamari as well as a delicious fisherman's salad. Take a taxi or follow Venizelou around the coast turning left at Noel St as soon as you veer away from the coast.
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Koukouvagia
If you have wheels then take a 10-minute drive up to hill where the great statesman Eleftherios Venizelos is buried. This owl-themed café and bar (with an extraordinary owl décor collection) enjoys panoramic views of Hania. It's a cool place to hang on summer's nights. The pita creations are excellent, as are the large selection of cakes and desserts.
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Akrogiali
One of the best seafood restaurant in Hania, Akrogiali is on the beach side of the new town. The fish is fresh and the accompaniments are superb. The airy restaurant opens onto the seafront giving you a great view of the sunset.
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Blue Adventures Diving
This outfit offers a PADI certification course and daily diving trips around Hania, including beginner dives. There are also snorkelling trips and cruise options if you just want to go along for the ride.
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Imbros Gorge
The Imbros Gorge, 57km southeast of Hania, is less hiked than its illustrious sister at Samaria but is just as beautiful. Cypresses, holm oaks, fig and almond trees gradually thin to just cypresses and Jerusalem sage deep within the gorge. The walls of rock reach 300m high, while the narrowest point of the ravine is only 2m wide. At only 8km the Imbros walk is also much easier on the feet. Most people begin the walk in the mountain village of Imbros but you can also do it from the southern village of Komitades. Both places are used by gorge hikers and have plenty of mini-markets and tavernas to fuel up at. There's nowhere to stay in Imbros village.
At only 8km the Imbros …
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Archaeological Museum
Hania's Archaeological Museum is housed in the superb 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco that became a mosque under the Turks, a movie theatre in 1913 and a munitions depot for the Germans during WWII. The museum houses a well-displayed collection of finds from western Crete dating from the Neolithic to the Roman eras. Artefacts from 3400 BC to 1200 BC, to the left as you enter the museum, include tablets with Linear A script.
There is some exquisite pottery from the Geometric era (1200-800 BC) and a case of bull figurines. Among the Hellenistic and Roman exhibits, the statue of Diana is particularly impressive. There is a marble fountain in the pretty courtyar…
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Chapel of Metamorfosis Sotiros
At the entrance to the town a sign directs you to the Chapel of Metamorfosis Sotiros that contains 14th-century frescoes. The fresco of the Transfiguration on the south wall is particularly impressive.
The road from Hania to the beginning of the Samaria Gorge is one of the most spectacular routes in Crete. After heading through orange groves to the village of Fournes, a left fork leads to Meskla, twisting and turning along a gorge offering beautiful views. Although the bottom part of the town is not particularly attractive with boarded-up buildings, the road becomes more scenic as it winds uphill to the modern, multicoloured Church of the Panagia. Next to it is a 14th-cen…
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Kafeneio
Just above the small square you'll probably see local black-clad gents under the mulberry tree of the old-style Kafeneio, where apart from the local myzithropita (cheese pie) with honey you can normally get a basic meal like local sausage, or on weekends traditional wild goat or lamb tsigariasto or vrasto (boiled), charged by the kilo. And lots of raki.
For a glimpse of traditional Sfakian village life, it is worth veering right off the main road to arrive at a small square flanked by four kafeneia and statues of local resistance heroes.
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Naval Museum
The Naval Museum has an interesting collection of model ships dating from the Bronze Age, and naval instruments, paintings, photographs and memorabilia from the Battle of Crete.
It is housed in the Firkas Fortress, once the old Turkish prison.An authentic replica of a Minoan ship, which sailed from Crete to Athens as part of the Athens 2004 Olympics ceremonies, will be the star attraction of the museum's new Ancient and Traditional Maritime Museum annexe in the Venetian ship sheds being created at the far end of the harbour.
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Folklore Museum
The village of Gavalohori, 25km southeast of Hania, makes a pleasant stop. The main attraction is the Folklore Museum, which is located in a renovated building that was constructed during Venetian rule and then extended by the Turks. The exhibits are well labelled in English and include examples of pottery, weaving, woodcarving, stonecutting and other Cretan crafts, including the fine kapaneli - intricately worked silk lace. A historical section documents Cretan struggles for independence.
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Koumos
One of the more quirky attractions of the Apokoronas area is Koumos the huge stone fantasy of local builder Yiorgos Havaledakis. He has spent years collecting a hotchpotch of stones, pebbles and rocks of every shape colour and size from the surrounding mountains to create this bizarre sprawling open-air taverna and kafeneio. The grounds include a stone church, bridges, arches, sculptures, light poles - even the toilet block shows off his unique rock art.
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Kali Kardia Taverna
Kournas is a traditional village of white-washed houses, a few stone homes and a couple of kafeneia. You can get a delicious meal at the Kali Kardia Taverna on the main street. Owner Kostas Agapinakis is known for his award-winning sausages, excellent apaki (smoked pork) and meats cooked on the grill outside the taverna. If you are lucky you might get to try his delicious galaktoboureko (custard pastry) while it is still warm.
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Dourakis winery
Wine buffs will enjoy a stop at the Dourakis winery near the Alikambos turn-off on the road to Hora Sfakion. Winemaker Andreas Dourakis is happy to show visitors around the stone-built winery and there is a pleasant tasting room upstairs where you can sample some of his 17 excellent wines, including an organic red and his well-known Logari label. Dourakis produces more than 180,000 bottles a year using local and foreign varietals.
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Limnoupolis
If your five-year-old has lost interest in Venetian architecture, head to the public garden between Tzanakaki and Dimokratias, where there's a playground, a small zoo with two resident kri-kri (Cretan goat) and a shady café. Eight kilometres south of town the giant water park Limnoupolis has enough slides and rides to keep kids amused and cafés and pool bars for adults. Buses leave regularly from the KTEL bus station.
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Byzantine and Post Byzantine Collection of Hania
The Byzantine and Post Byzantine Collection of Hania is in the impressively restored Church of San Salvatore. It has a small but fascinating collection of artefacts, icons, jewellery and coins, including a fine segment of a mosaic floor for an early Christian basilica and a prized icon of St George slaying the dragon. The building has a mixed bag of interesting architectural features from its various occupiers.
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Vatsiana Museum
In Vatsiana, the island's priest has created a small private museum in an old stone house with items collected from the island, including agricultural and domestic tools, a loom and weavings. There is a small working traditional wood oven next door and the priest's wife, Maria, runs the quaint attached kafeneio, where you can try her ouzo and cake.
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Acropolis Taverna
If you're driving to Polyrrinia, take the perimeter road at the turn off for the Acropolis Taverna which has lovely views. Behind the taverna there is a path to the left about 100m before the Agios Pateras church which leads to the acropolis. You can do a full circuit around the hill to take in the views but the path can be overgrown.
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Apostolis I & II
In the quieter eastern harbour, this is a well-respected place for fresh fish and Cretan dishes in two separate buildings. Apostolis II is the more popular as the owner reigns there, but the other store has the same menu at marginally cheaper prices. Service is friendly and efficient, and there's a good wine list and harbour setting.
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Ela
This 14th-century building was a soap factory, then a school, distillery and cheese-processing plant. Now Ela serves up a decent array of Cretan specialities, such as goat with artichokes, while musicians create a lively ambience. The tacky board outside tells you it's in every guidebook but the accolades are not undeserved.
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Olive Wood Workshop
It's a scenic two-hour walk from Kissamos-Kastelli to Polyrrinia. To reach the Polyrrinia road, walk east along the Kissamos-Kastelli main road and turn right after the OTE (public phone company) office. You can reach the site through the village on foot, passing by the interesting Olive wood workshop of Giorgos Tsichlakis.
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Mat
A hobby that turned into an obsession for the late national chess champion Athanasios Diamantopoulos has put this tiny shop on the world map for chess enthusiasts. His wife continues to sell a large range of his original chess piece designs (from around €60 to around €1000), including the popular 'Athenians'.
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Miden Agan
Foodies and wine lovers will be delighted with the range at this excellent shop, which stocks over 800 Greek wines, as well as its own wine and liquors. There's a variety of beautifully packaged local traditional gourmet deli foods, including oil and honey and their own line of spoon sweets (try the white pumpkin).
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Kalamaki
The town beach at Nea Hora is crowded but generally clean if you need to cool off and get some rays. For better swimming, keep heading west and you'll come to the beaches (in order) of Agioi Apostoli, Hrysi Akti and Kalamaki . There are regular local buses heading there and all the way to Platanias and beyond.
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I Sterna tou Bloumosifi
The old stone taverna I Sterna tou Bloumosifi has a pleasant courtyard garden and is widely known for its excellent Cretan cuisine. For starters try the gavro (mild anchovy) wrapped in vine leaves, or the garlic and herb mushrooms, and then move on to the hilopita (tagliatelle) with rooster.
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