Chania Town
Chania Town
Chania (or Hania) is the second largest city of Crete and the capital of the prefecture of Chania. It is situated in the northwestern part of the island, with a population of 70,000 permanent residents. It is known as one of the most attractive cities on the Greek islands.
Over the centuries different cultures had lived in Chania but the presence of the Venetians is dominating. The town was built over the ruins of ancient Cydonia and it is divided into two parts - the Old Town and the New Town. The old town of Chania is very charming with the Venetian fortress Castelli which stands at its center and the old Venetian neighborhood around the port with а lighthouse welcoming the ships. The new town, although not so picturesque and historic, is a place worth to see. You can visit the grave and the house of Eleftherios Venizelos, the palace built in 1882 to accommodate Prince George. Chania has also many churches but the most famous of them are Agia Magdalene and Evangelistriya. Other interesting places to visit are the archaeological and folklore museum, the Minoan ship in the Venetian port and the Mosque of Hassan Kuchuk.
The International Airport Ioannis Daskaloyanis is located on the nearby Akrotiri Peninsula. On Akrotiri is located the only US military base in Greece.
