Chania Old Town private walking tour

Pick up from Souda port or meeting at your centrally located hotel in Chania. Also, you can meet with the guide at the Agora central market.

The tour begins with a visit to the Muslim Quarter, the Splantzia. Splantzia during the Ottoman era was predominantly a Turkish neighborhood. It extends south and east of the walled hill of Kasteli, in the old town of Chania. Here used to be the Turkish mahalas of the town, with its central square, that has now been renamed to 1821 square. At that time, the church of Agios Nicholas on Splantzia square, part of the monastery of Dominican monks, is converted into the central mosque of the city, in honor of the Sultan Ibrahim. It is the only temple in Greece today, that has both a belfry and a minaret. On the northwestern side of Splantzia is the Venetian church of San Rocco, a round floor plan Venetian church, that was unaffected by the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent periods.

The church of Agios Nikolaos is located East of Splatzia Square of the old city of Chania, which was built before 1320, during the Venetian Period, as the monastery of Dominican Order. During the Venetian period, it constituted the most important church of the city. It was elegant and big in capacity, with wide arches in the interior. After the predominance of Turks in Chania, the temple was turned into a mosque and was named Hiougkar Tzamisi (mosque of the Emperor), in honor of the sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Imbraim. Its importance is highlighted by the existence of two- instead of one- balconies on the minaret. In 1928, after being seized by the Christians orthodox, the mosque was turned into a Christian church and has been dedicated to Agios Nikolaos.

During the tour, you will visit Byzantine Walls of the inner city; Excavation of Ancient Kydonia (3000 BC) – up to now excavations have revealed Minoan tombs, Mycenaean buildings, small palaces with frescoes, several vases, Roman statues, Hellenistic mosaics, etc. The fortifications of Chania are a series of defensive walls and other fortifications which surround the city of Chania in Crete, Greece. The inner city walls were first built in antiquity and were rebuilt by the Byzantine Empire. The outer walls were built in the 16th century by the Republic of Venice. Some of the fortifications were demolished in the 20th century, but parts of both the Byzantine and Venetian walls remain intact. Nowadays, the Byzantine Wall is visible only in certain places because of the fact that its biggest part was covered by the residencies that were constructed in the region, after the erection of fortifications that made the Byzantine Wall redundant.

We will visit a spectacular panoramic viewpoint at Kasteli with excellent views over the Old Harbour. A stroll in the town’s most enchanting area Chania’s Venetian Harbour was carefully built in the 14th century for commercial purposes and for protection against pirate raids. Today it is a point of reference for the city of Chania, and a much-photographed place with a touch of magic! This city hub is filled with cafes, restaurants, tavernas serving local delicacies, bars, pastry stores, and art shops as well as monuments referring to various historical periods. You will find there is a balanced mixing of Cretan, Ottoman and Venetian elements, beautiful narrow alleys across the old town and amazing architecture. The old harbour area beckons you to enjoy a carefree journey through time as you explore it. Shall we then?

Visit the Venetian Arsenal (shipyard), the ships pavilion and hear more about the connection between Venice and the sea. Venetian Shipyards (Arsenals) in Chania: One of the most enduring landmarks in Chania is the 16th-century Venetian shipyards. It is known for its historical vaulted buildings. The buildings of this area were purposely constructed for shipbuilding which flourished in Chania in the 16th century.

See Old mosque Yali Tzami (now exhibition hall). The Turkish Mosque Yiali Tzami (or Giali Tzami) is hard to miss, as it dominates the Venetian harbor of Chania. This was the first mosque built in Crete, after the Ottomans conquered Chania, in 1649. It was built on the site of a small church. The mosque was operative until 1923 when the last Muslims left Crete. The minaret was destroyed in the early 20th century. The mosque was actually named after Kuçuk Hassan Pasha, the first military governor of Chania, but is known as Yiali Tzami from the Turkish "Yali Tzamissi" meaning "mosque by the seaside". It is now used for temporary exhibitions.

You'll see Kondylaki Street and Jewish Quarter with Etz Hayyim Synagogue; Christian Quarter and Topanas district. The Etz Hayyim Synagogue is the only surviving remnant of the once Romaniote Jewish community on the Greek isle of Crete. The Topanas district behind Firkas is definitely worth a visit. The name Topanas is derived from the Turkish “top”, meaning a cannon, because this was where the cannons were kept in Chania during the Turkish period.

Venetian-built fortress from the mid-16th century featuring scenic harbor views & a maritime museum.

The naval museum of Chania was created in 1973 and is housed next to the Firkas fortress at the western end of the Venetian harbour. The museum collection includes models of ships, nautical instruments, paintings, historical photographs and war relics. The material is classified chronologically, starting from the Bronze Age up to our times. The tour ends where we started or at a different location where you will prefer.