Sightseeing in Chania - what to see. Complete travel guide

A pearl of Crete, this is a charming and a picturesque town, the rest in which will bring in a lot of new experiences. The old part of the town is particularly popular among tourists. Here you can walk along the port area and the waterfront, visit numerous restaurants and cafes, go to the eastern market or move to one of narrow streets, admiring old Venetian houses.

Agora market is one of main attractions of the old part of the town. The market was opened in 1911. The shopping rows here are covered and built in the shape of a cross. The market is strictly oriented to the cardinal. Another interesting market is called "Leather Quarter". As you might guess from the title, here you will find the largest choice of leather. If you have not found what you need, go to one of several sewing workshops located nearby and order clothing or shoes.

San Francisco Church is the main religious landmark of this place. Nowadays the church has been turned into Archaeological Museum. Just like many historic religious buildings of this town, the church was turned into a mosque during the Turkish conquest. Today bathing pools and a minaret remind of those times. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

You will also find several mansions and villas that once have belonged to the former Venetian nobility. The largest and the most beautiful palace is Renieri. This palace still keeps the atmosphere of those days, as well as the original interiors and furnishings. The port area is the location of Maritime Museum. In this museum visitors will be able to see a collection of navigational instruments, ship models and other attributes associated with famous navigators. Venetian port will be no less interesting for tourists. There is a Turkish mosque built in the 16th century on the territory of the port, as well as several churches and monuments.

The Mosque of Janissaries located near the Venetian Harbor is an interesting historical site. It was built in the middle of the 17th century. At that time, the significant part of Crete was under the Ottoman Empire. As archeological researches have shown, the mosque was built on the ruins of the destroyed Venetian bastion. Today, the construction impresses with its inimitable architecture. The mosque has preserved its initial interior. Nowadays, interesting art exhibitions are held in the mosque.

In the center of the historical district of Chania, there is the Cathedral of the Three Martyrs that is the main cathedral in the city. The history of the temple is very interesting. In the 14th century, the St. Blessed Virgin Church was built at its site. Its main relic was the ancient icon. In the middle of the 17th century, the city was conquered by the Turks. They reconstructed the old church and opened the soap factory here. The main relic of the church has been preserved and stored in a warehouse for several hundred years. In the second half of the 19th century, one of the factory workers dreamed of the St. Virgin. She specified a path to the icon. When it was found, the temple was restored. Now, it is one of the most beautiful religious monuments in the neoclassic style.

In the city and its surroundings, there are several old monasteries, one of which is the Orthodox Gouverneto Monastery. It was found in 1548 but the founder’s name is still unknown. According to one of the legends, the initiator of the monastery construction was one of the wealthy local residents. The initial building was used for defensive purposes, so it resembles an impregnable fortress. The monastery was damaged in the period of the Second World War. It was completely restored only a few years ago.

The Byzantium Museum of Chania is still one of the most visited cultural centers of the city. Its collection contains unique pieces of art of the Byzantium period, jewels, ceramic items and religious artifacts. In the museum, you also can admire unique wall frescoes. The building where the museum is situated now has an immense historical value. It was built in the 15th century. Initially, this building served as the monastery.