CHANIA IS CRETE’S SECOND LARGEST CITY BEHIND HERAKLION. ONCE RULED BY THE BYZANTINES, VENETIANS, AND OTTOMANS, YOU’LL SEE TRACES OF THESE ERAS ALL OVER THE CITY.
WANDER THE CHARMING OLD TOWN, WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE VENETIAN FORTRESS, THE MOSQUE OF KIOUTSOUK HASSAN, AND THE ETZ HAYYIM SYNAGOGUE, ALL REFLECTING THE CITY’S DIVERSE PAST.
CHANIA'S OLD TOWN IS JUST 20 MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT. TAXIS, PRIVATE TRANSFERS, RENTAL CARS, AND BUSES ARE AVAILABLE (BUSES BEING THE SLOWEST OPTION).
CHANIA AIRPORT IS AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH DAILY FLIGHTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE. DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM VARIOUS EUROPEAN CITIES, INCLUDING LONDON, HELSINKI, AND BRUSSELS, ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.
FINAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES USUALLY COME OUT AROUND FEBRUARY EACH YEAR FOR THAT YEAR. CHECK THE FOLLOWING SITES
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50 MINUTE FLIGHT (PLUS TRAVEL TO/FROM AIRPORTS)
DIRECT FLIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ATH) TO CHANIA AIRPORT (CHQ).
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2 HOURS OR MORE (INCLUDING A STOP IN ATHENS)
LARGER ISLANDS LIKE CORFU, MYKONOS, AND LESVOS HAVE FLIGHTS TO CHANIA, BUT ALL GO THROUGH ATHENS. FLIGHTS ARE CONVENIENT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU PREFER NOT TO RELY ON FERRIES
THERE ARE ECONOMY AND BUSINESS CLASS SEATS, AS WELL AS CABIN OPTIONS FOR OVERNIGHT JOURNEYS. FAST AND SLOW FERRIES OPERATE.
YOU CAN BOOK FERRIES AT FERRY SCANNER
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DURATION: 6.5–9 HOURS (PLUS TRAVEL TO/FROM PORTS)
FERRIES FROM PIRAEUS (ATHENS) TO CHANIA ARE A RELAXING ALTERNATIVE.
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DURATION: 2–9.5 HOURS (PLUS 2 HOURS DRIVING FROM HERAKLION TO CHANIA)
IN 2024, THE ONLY DIRECT FERRIES TO CHANIA WERE FROM KYTHIRA, MILOS OR PIRAEUS (ATHENS)
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FERRY SCHEDULE WEBSITES AS THEY ANNOUNCE NEW ROUTES
ISLANDS LIKE MYKONOS, NAXOS, AND PAROS OFFER FERRIES TO HERAKLION. SLOWER FERRIES ARE A GOOD CHOICE IF YOU’RE PRONE TO SEASICKNESS.
YOU CAN FERRY TO HERAKLION AND THEN DRIVE OR ARRANGE A TRANSFER TO CHANIA (A 2-HOUR DRIVE).