the lighthouse in Chania harbour

The Chania Venetian harbour is gorgeous any time of the day, as the sun light produces a different visual result, giving you the impression of a different place each time you visit it. You can leave you car hire at the nearby streets and enjoy a leisurely walk by the harbor, where you will indulge in the balanced mixture of Cretan, Turkish and Venetian architecture. The area around the Harbour enchants everyone and will definitely reward exploration with the crumbling masonry and the lovely side streets with the craft shops.

Halidon Street and Firkas Fortress

In order to reach the Harbour you will go down Halidon Street, one of the busiest streets in Chania. You will see Chania’s cathedral church of the Three Martyrs, a Turkish hamam, the Cretan Folk Museum and the Archaeological museum of Chania. At the top of Halidon Street you will see Stivanadika, the leather shop street.

If you are into museums, you can start with a walk towards the Firkas Fortress of the harbour and the Naval Museum of Chania, which features a large collection of naval findings that depict the rich history of Chania and Western Crete. A little further stands the Firkas Fortress, which offers you spending views to the sea and the inner harbor and the chance to take magnificent pictures of the old port. If you are visiting during the summer months you might get lucky and enjoy one of the many artistic events that take place in the Fortress.

The Mosque and the Venetian Arsenals in Chania Harbour

the Mosque and coaches waiting for tourists

If you go east from the Sintrivani Square you will see the great Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan Pasha built towards the end of the 17th century and close by the coach rank.

A little further on the Eastern part you will see the Venetian Arsenals of Chania, with the arched dockyards; the bigger one, the great Arsenal as it is called, is transformed into one of the most beautiful ornaments of Chania and houses the Architectural Centre of the Mediterranean Sea, where conferences and exhibitions take place.

Along the shore, close to the arsenals, you will see a vast array of taverns and restaurants, catering Cretan and Greek cuisine, and offering splendid views to the lighthouse of the harbor. At the end of Tobazi bay you will see a small side street next to Hotel Porto Veneziano, where you will find many cafés; it’s a meeting point for the youngsters and is really cute.

Kastelli Hill – Splantzia

A little further, walking again towards the interior part of the town, you will come across Kastelli hill, the first area inhabited in Chania in the Neolithic Era, and Splantzia, one of the most traditional and picturesque neighborhoods of Chania, which used to be a Turkish neighborhood, called “Ponte de Viari”.

Koum Kapi

If you continue your walk towards the Miaouli Bay, you will end up in Koum Kapi – which means the Sand Gate in Turkish. Here is the main meeting point close to the harbor, full of cafés and bars where the youths of Chania spend their time both in day and night. The traffic there is high and if you want to find a nice spot, you should come early in the afternoon.

The Interior Part of the Venetian Harbour – The Lighthouse

If you feel up to something more romantic though, you should opt for one of the cafés and ouzo shops located at the interior part of the Chania harbour, which gets even busier as night falls. The harbor is ornamented by the lighthouse, which you can reach following the sea wall around the harbour. The lighthouse looks from afar like a minaret and is one of the most photographed spots of Chania.

The Venetian port of Chania looks like a splendid maze, awaiting for you to explore and discover it; you cannot help it but fall inlove with this romantic and subtly gorgeous place and bring it back to your memory long after you leave Crete.

Akrotiri peninsula beaches

Some of the most gorgeous beaches of Chania are located on this area; Akrotiri features some coastal resorts and beaches which are usually quite busy and popular at weekends, but kind of slower during the week – although in high peak season all beaches close to Chania can be crowded as they are organized and nice.

Marathi beach

Marathi is one of the most known beaches in the area; it is popular among the locals, as it is a clean and long beach with shallow waters. It is usually packed with families during weekends, as waters are ideal for children. Marathi beach is well protected by the northern winds and waters are quite safe. The beach is organized with sun beds and umbrellas and there are restaurants and bars on the beach offering spirits, food and drinks.

Loutraki beach

Loutraki beach, is located near Marathi. Also well protected from meltemia, Loutraki is more of a family beach, although you will see couples and groups of friends enjoying the lovely waters.

Kalathas beach

Kalathas is also very popular beach, laying at the west coast of Akrotiri Peninsula. Kalathas is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, as it is long and sandy. Being on the west coast though, it is much affected by the summer winds called meltemia, thus, waters are usually quite wavy. The beach is though well organized and the nearby village has some nice and traditional restaurants, studios and apartments.

Tersanas beach

On the opposite side of Kalathas beach, lies Tersanas beach; it’s a small cove with a sandy beach, a place well protected by winds. Tersanas is a fully organized beach and it is usually less crowded than other beaches of Akrotiri, although couples and travelers who prefer pristine beaches are frequent visitors here; only a part of the beach features sunbeds and umbrellas and there are a couple of cantinas and café, serving cool drinks and refreshments. Waters are known to be splendid here.

Stavros Beach

Probably the most known beach in the area is Stavros, the beach where many scenes from Zorba the Greek were shot. Stavros is a small and quiet settlement, with few things to offer, but its beach is worldwide known due to the movie and the famous syrtaki dance with Antony Quinn. The little bay of Stavros is breathtakingly beautiful and popular among the tourists who flock here to enjoy the sea and take pictures “on location”. Reaching Stavros by bus or other means of transport is not possible, thus your car hire is absolutely necessary here.

Akrotiri Peninsula might not be the most upscale and cosmopolitan area of Chania, but it’s a delightful corner in the Peninsula that will reward your exploration, whether staying or visiting for a day.

Check all beaches in Western Crete on Chania Beach Guide

- Since you know that the indisputable beauties of Crete and Chania prefecture will not touch your children much, study the road map and check possible places to stop. Children usually like having a plan, or a goal, so if you tell them that you will stop at particular spots and place where they can see something, buy a juice, ice cream or just stretch and run a little, you will make the trip much more enjoyable. Avoid driving for lengthy periods, preventing tiredness and agitation for everyone. If you stop at beachside resorts, try to make the stop somewhat enjoyable and make sure that every stop has some sort of fun aspect.

- Inform your kids about unusual sites of tourist interest and get them excited about seeing something new. Talk to them about the places you are visiting and if you are well informed try to incorporate some of the numerous Greek myths in your travel stories, so as to make them more gripping and intriguing for kids. In Chania and Crete there are hidden gems in every corner, and you can definitely attract your kids’ attention if you give them some fun and interesting pieces of information about them.

- If you think that nothing will really help, try to find some in the car entertainment. If you have a hire car in Crete you will probably need to come up with a few fun ideas, such as music or video games that your children can play while you are driving. You can also give them a photo camera and charge them with the photo shooting of the places you pass by; if your children are small, you will need to have with you some toys and other things they like, in order to keep them under control and as quiet and calm as possible.

- Portable game consoles are quite common nowadays and although you may think that the natural beauties of Crete might be more interesting than Super Mario, your kids might not share the same opinion; if they have a gaming console at home, bring it with you, because you might need it while driving long distances in Crete.

- Play games; there are some games you can play in the car with your kids. The “Spot the plates or car” game is quite common and can keep your children’s attention for some time. Mineral and Animal spy can also be played in Crete since the natural environment is rich and diverse.

In any case try to incorporate things your kids like; do not engage in any sort of argument with them while driving, because you will compromise your driving and focusing abilities and you will probably spoil everyone’s time. Use your imagination and invent ways to keep your children safe and happy in the car while driving along the Cretan villages and towns.

Tips for safe driving in Crete

Tourists and visitors who come to Chania and Western Crete for the first time, should bring with them their portable GPS devices if they have at home, or ask for one from the car hire company in Chania. Crete features a large number of remote areas and villages and you should definitely visit them, ensuring that you won’t get lost and that you will be able to enjoy the picturesque and beautiful ride. Not all areas in Crete have detailed signs and the road map might not be that informative, especially if you are up to more adventurous and long distance rides. Whether you have a GPS or not with you, a good map of Crete is always helpful and you should have one with you just in case.

Start driving early to avoid the summer heat

If you want to enjoy a pleasant ride in Crete, make sure that you start your ride early in the morning, especially if visiting in July and August, which are by default the hottest months of the year. Although car hires have air condition, driving long hours under the sun is not the best experience you can have. Try to keep some cool refreshing drinks and bottles of water in the car and maybe a couple of snacks in case of a sudden craving.

Avoid the rush hours in Chania city

If driving in Chania or any other big city of Crete, you should be aware of rush hours; try to avoid them in order to be able to move faster and pleasantly in the city, or even better try to park your hire car somewhere and enjoy some leisurely strolls in the city streets: you will get to know the place better and you won’t have to deal with traffic jam or other annoying and frustrating driving happenings in the cities.

Other tips for safe and pleasant driving in Crete

The Cretan nature is gorgeous and most drives are scenic and gorgeous; you can make the drive and ride even better though, playing some soothing music, or even better some Cretan music, to spice up the spirits and get to know this unique genre of Greek Music.

Crete is an island that features quite many gas stations, both on the highways and smaller towns and villages, but no one really wants to find himself in a position to look desperately for a gas station, especially during the evening. Make sure that you have enough fuel so that you don’t lose time looking for gas.

If you don’t feel safe or comfortable driving in remote areas at night, due to low lights and visibility, do not do so. Try to avoid areas where road conditions are not good, especially if your car is small and low, or if you don’t have enough visibility and good feeling of the road.

Since you have a hire car, you should avoid all difficult and dangerous situations; not only you will have to pay for the damages, but you will also ruin part of your vacation time and of course your mood.

Hey guys! I hope somebody I talked to in Chania Airport Car Hire will read this. You guys rock! If you remember that thin guy with long curly hair who bugged you about switching already booked car to something else, that’s me! I am glad you made me stick to my first choice which was BTW your suggestion. It worked great while hopping the island. I was just spoiled by my SUV at home. Hope to see you sometimes in the future again!
Ralph (screaming blue shirt) Roy,
Denver

We were so happy with Citroen Jumpy you suggested when staying in Paleochora. My boyfriend doesn’t stop talking about best napping breaks he had when we were driving across Crete. He was the only one in our group that didn’t want to drive so he could benefit from rides.
Eelkje (and sleepy Henk),
Groningen

Hi! Just a short note – we were so happy with your service. Hope to visit Crete again and take your car!
Abelard, Derek, Folke and Macon,
Cologne

Were we lucky or what? We didn’t make any reservation but when we landed in Chania we just walk in Chania Car Hire and got the car, not whatever car! We asked for Citroen CS (since we drive one at home) and there was no one available at that moment. But we got one before that night – and in front of our hotel. You made our vacation a dream come true! Keep doing a great job!
Frida and Magnus Karlsson,
Upsala

We didn’t plan to rent a car. We stayed in Rethimno and thought we were in heavens. Somebody suggested driving around and visiting other beaches. We went to the Chania Car Hire place and people there started telling us about this and that, and ore this and that, and we finally decided to check as much places as we can. Awesome service. Thank you! Liz and Ron Brown,
London

What a vacation! What two weeks! What beaches. All with the beloved “bug”; cabrio, bien sur!
Anette and Liana,
Lion

We booked our Toyota before we left for Chania. It was waiting for us at the airport, clean and comfy, and made our stay much “beachier”. And we got a deal at the Chania Car Hire since we already had booked with them two years ago. Amazing!
Kirstine,
Frankfurt

Thank you for your professional service and friendly advises. We wouldn’t have seen so many things if you hadn’t informed us about all those options. We are really thinking of coming back again. We are sure we still haven’t seen everything. Hope we will keep our Clio for us!
Tom, Barb, and a paw of Rick

I knew Crete is beautiful but if one can miss a lot without a car. We hired one at Chania Airport and got a pile of information, road-maps, flyers, and personal suggestions.
Brad and Laurd,
Eastbourne

The testimonials about your experience with Chania Arport Car Hire Services can be sent with the help of the comments form.

Free Chania Road Maps

With Chania Car Hire, when you hire a car from the company, you will get road maps for free and you can count on them with no problem. Maps are printed in both Greek and English so that you can gather information you need but still be able to read signs and names in Greek.

At the Chania car hire spots (airport, port, hotels) you can ask for a variety of maps, depending where you aim to go. And if you have particular questions that maps won’t answer for you, just ask Chania Car Hire personnel: they are there to serve you the best they can.

If you prefer to get familiar with a map, or a road map, before you even come to Crete (which is smart idea since it helps you navigate your hire car better on spot), there are many available options. Internet is definitely a place to start looking for some ideas. It’s hard to say that there is the best map ever about Chania and Western Crete. People look for different information and receive them differently.

Map of Western Crete
	One of the good maps is Map of Western Crete, published by Road Edition, 2006. The map printed in English has very useful details for drivers – accurate distances, street plans of Chania and Rethymno, even gas station locations. Many users of this map are happy with a very precise mapping of beaches.
Western Crete, Car Tours and Walks
	Another good and very useful map is Western Crete: Car Tours and Walks, by Jonnie Godfrey and Elizabeth Karslake, authors of several Cretan maps. This guide has 31 walking tours described into details but it also provides nicely explained eight car tours with a handy list of places where to take a break and why! This guide map as the whole is actually a great helper for car hire tours and excursions: it combines driving information and hiking/picnicking/beaching/relaxing suggestions. In addition, there is a precious online update option for this guide.
Rough Guide Map Crete
	The Rough Guide Map Crete, Rough Guides (produced by World Mapping Project), is one of the preferred maps of people who wear guides out travelling all over because of its paper/plastic made. It’s clearly written with an abundance of details. It covers both West and East side of the island which is also very practical for tours with a hire car.
Western Crete (Maps of Crete)
	Western Crete (Maps of Crete)Western Crete (Maps of Crete) map is also one of the good choices to learn more about Western Crete before you really visit it. It’s informative and detailed although some people complain about rather poor paper.
Crete – Lonely Planet Regional Guides
	And there is also  Crete – Lonely Planet Regional Guides, by Victoria Kyriakopoulos, the guide that carries much more than just directions and basic driving information. History, food, customs, outdoors, have their own chapters.

Chania Car Hire is a leading and respected car hire company with a long existence in Crete. The company offers an enviable choice of cheap car hires in Chania, at the Chania Airport, at Chania Port, and every hotel in Western Crete. The fleet is as diverse as customers’ needs are. In addition to quality and safety, when choosing from the company’s fleet, with Chania Car Hire you get prices affordable for all pockets and suitable for all needs. Company’s only goal has always been a satisfaction of customers and that policy paid back so many times. The company is praised by its excellent service, support and reasonable prices.

Chania Car Hire works with its customers from the moment of placing an inquiry, giving tips and suggestions on most economic and convenient car hire depending on your needs and requirements. We always recommend to our customers to hire a car for a week – or two weeks if that is the length of their stay – since it’s definitely cheaper and more convenient. Hires per day are always more expensive and sometimes, at the peak of the season, it’s not easy to get exactly the vehicle you want. Low season is always the customer’s best friend, both in terms of prices and choice, and if you really want to explore Crete on your own, with a cheap car hire, and have flexible free time, go for it. And one more suggestion – whenever you plan to come, when you check available options, always look for special offers. It could really be a bingo!

Chania Car Hire has many returning customers and awards their loyalty by giving them a discount every time they come back. That’s something to think about if you are coming back to Crete for the first time or if you are regular island’s visitor. A special deal for a cheap car hire is waiting for you.

With a large fleet, Chania Car Hire can afford to meet not only customer’s request for cheaper hire options but also to suggest adequate vehicles for particular needs. For example:

• If you are looking for a fast car since you like cruising along the island’s roads, try Toyota Aygo. Yes, it’s one of the urban “babies” but you will be taken by its performance. And plus, it’s very fuel friendly.
  
• If you want to explore some of the Cretan off-road beauties, go for Suzuki Jimny – it’s a small Jeep with a big heart.
  
• If you have a group of five or more people, Chania Car Hire recommends its newer and more and more popular fellow – VW Caddy.
  
• And if you are a company of two, our romantic suggestion is – VW Beetle Cabrio. Small but powerful, good looking and great driving.
  

Cheap Car Hire in Chania is a possible and realistic option for all visitors today.

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Falassarna – Elafonissi

The beach of Falassarna

On the west coast of Crete lies one of the most beautiful beaches of the island, a beach that has been repeatedly included among the best in Europe, Falassarna, an old harbor that was covered by land after a destructive earthquake and ground erosions.

Driving from Falassarna towards Elafonissi will give you the chance to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in Crete. The route is scenic and diverse, as you will come across the Chrissoskalitissa Monastery, dominating on a huge rock that overlooks the Sea of Crete.

Continuing along the road you will end up in Elafonissi, one of the most infamous and popular beaches in Crete. Shallow waters, pinkish sand that takes funny colors due to the fragments of seashell, small beaches and an islet standing amidst the sea compose a unique setting you shouldn’t miss.

Paleochora

Paleochora town in south-west Crete

* Photo of Paleochora by Szymon Porwolik

Starting from Chania to the direction of Kissamos you will reach the Town of Paleochora, a very cute little town located on a small peninsula. Paleochora features nice beaches, such as the Grammeno Beach known for its oak woods.

Instead of returning back to Chania the same way, you can drive towards the Omalos Plateau one of the three highest large plateaus of Crete, standing at 1,500m. The plateau, which is usually covered by wild flowers in the spring and summer, offers you the chance to enter the famous Samaria Gorge or drive back to Chania from the scenic mountain route.

Chora Sfakion – Frangocastello

Frangocastello

* Photo of Frangocastello by chericbaker

Starting again from Chania, heading towards Rethymnon you can drive to Chora Sfakion, or as it mostly known Sfakia. The route is again wonderful, as the mountain scenery offers you amazing views to the sea.

Reaching Chora Sfakion, the capital of Sfakia County, you will see one of the most picturesque and cute harbors you have ever seen. Sfakia is an area known for its great food, but also because this was one of the few places in Crete that was never occupied by Turks, due to the fighting courage of its residence. Having a meal here and enjoying the famous cuisine is absolutely mandatory.

In close proximity to the East stand the Venetian Fortress of Frangocastello and its famous beach. The legend has it that in May, with the morning Dew, the shadows of the legendary warriors appear on the rocks. This is the myth of Drosoulites.

Balos

the amazing colour of the sea in Balos

* Photo of Balos by Captain James

If you are up to some off road adventure, you should definitely visit Balos, a shallow beach west of Chania, to Kissamos direction. The road is rather harsh and you are advised to drive only if you have a jeep and you are experienced in off-road driving; the trip might be adventurous but it is really worth it, as Balos is a lovely sandy beach, with crystal clear waters and amazing scenery.

The Western Coast and Mountain Area of Crete is well worth visiting; these recommended small trips from the city of Chania will give you an idea of the rich landscape of the Cretan land and will make you fall in love with it. Make sure though that your trips are safe and comfortable; check the availability and prices at Chania Car Hire and choose the vehicle that suits your requirements the best.