Wandering Chania Old Town is one of the best things to do in Crete. Chania has a stunning harbour, one of the most beautiful in Greece, with magnificent sunsets out to sea in one direction and the imposing White Mountains in the other. The Old Town is the area behind the harbour.

One of the best things to do in Chania is to set the alarm clock and walk the backstreets in the early morning. Very few people are around, but plenty of street cats are, planning their morning nap for when the sun rises.

It doesn’t take long to delve deep back in time. Chania started out as the Minoan city of Kydonia, around 5,000 years ago. The Old Town also has substantial remains of its Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman past, a unique Cretan concoction that makes for such a compelling city.

It won’t take you long to see why Chania is one of the best places to visit in Crete.  The narrow, tight streets are packed with lovely medieval houses, many with shuttered windows and a display of flowerpots.  

The streets and alleyways are filled with cafes, shops and restaurants, which begin to open as the sun peers over into the hidden corners of Old Town Chania. Bougainvillea drapes down over walls, its delicate scent mingling with the Greek coffee that will be your reward for your early start.