The west of Crete stands apart in so many ways. A land of giant mountains, grandiose legends and memorials to great battles past, it is presided over by the romantic port city of Hania, once Venice’s jewel of a capital and now filled with boutique hotels, interesting shops and some of Greece’s best restaurants. The region also boasts the grandest gorge in Europe, impressive west-coast beaches, Europe’s southernmost possession (tranquil Gavdos, a remote island nearer to Africa than to Greece), and mountain villages that are like a step back in time. The steep mountains that ripple across the west and into the southern sea guarantee that the region generally remains untouched by the excesses of tourism. If you want to see beautiful and traditional Crete, Hania and the west is definitely the place.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Hania Province.
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The ruins of ancient Lissos are a pleasant 3.5km hike from Sougia on the coastal (though not waterfront) path to Paleohora, which starts at the far end of Sougia’s small port. Lissos arose under the Dorians, flourished under the Byzantines and was destroyed by the Saracens in the 9th century. A port for inland Elyros (now gone), it was part of a league of city-states, led by ancient Gortyna, that minted its own gold coins inscribed with the word ‘Lission’.
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Tucked into Crete’s southwestern corner, this symphony of fine pink-white sand, turquoise water and gentle rose dunes looks like a magical dreamscape. As the water swirls across the sands, rainbows shimmer across its surface. Off Elafonisi's long, wide strand lies Elafonisi Islet, occasionally connected by a thin, sandy isthmus, which creates a lovely double beach; otherwise, it's easily reached by wading through 50m of knee-deep water.
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The ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, about 13.5km east of Hania, spread over two hills that lord grandly over Souda Bay. Founded in the 7th century BC, it was one of the most important city-states of western Crete and was continuously inhabited until an earthquake destroyed it in the 7th century AD. Aptera revived with the Byzantine reconquest of Crete in the 10th century, and became a bishopric. You'll need your own wheels to get here.
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The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from Neolithic to Roman times. Late-Minoan clay baths used as coffins catch the eye, along with a large glass case with an entire herd of clay bulls (used to worship Poseidon). Other standouts include Roman floor mosaics, Hellenistic gold jewellery, clay tablets with Linear A and Linear B script, and a marble sculpture of the head of Roman emperor Hadrian.
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There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings that punctuate a maze of narrow lanes lined with shops and tavernas. The eastern side is dominated by the domed Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan, now an exhibition hall, while a few steps further east the impressively restored Grand Arsenal houses the Centre of Mediterranean Architecture.
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Akrotiri Peninsula’s major cultural site, the impressive and beautiful 17th-century Moni Agias Triadas, is an active monastery with a rich library and is well worth a visit for its altarpiece, Venetian-influenced domed facade and Cretan School icon paintings. It was founded by Venetian monks Jeremiah and Laurentio Giancarolo, who were converts to the Orthodox faith. In the store you can do tastings of the monastery’s fine wine, oil and raki before picking up a few bottles to take home.
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Established in 2007, Charma was the first beer to be produced in Hania and you can sample the excellent brews at the slick operation here, set up by a local. There's a covered terrace where you can enjoy the range of beers, from a blond lager to an excellent pale ale, along with seasonal brews, or opt for a tasting flight of five beers (€5). There's good beer-soaking pub grub on the menu and you can join a guided tour of the brewery; book ahead.
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A family-run business for over 25 years, this pretty winery in the village of Vatolakkos – 16km southwest of the centre of Hania – is well worth a visit. Taste the Nostos wines (the rosé is made blending the Romeiko grape, which is indigenous to Hania), take a free 15-minute tour of the winery production, or simply settle in for lunch or dinner with a bottle on the tree-shaded terrace set among olive groves and citrus trees.
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The Firkas Fortress at the western tip of the harbour heads the best-preserved section of the massive fortifications that were built by the Venetians to protect the city from marauding pirates and invading Turks. The Turks invaded anyway, in 1645, and turned the fortress into a barracks and a prison. Today, parts of it house the Maritime Museum of Crete. There's a great view of the harbour from the top.