The beach of Balos
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Chania Ferry

Greek Tourism Awards - Silver Award

Below, you will find information about how to get to Chania by ferry, where to buy your tickets, information about the prefecture and its ports, the best things to do, and many photos.

Characterized as a slice of the past within a modern city, Chania is an excellent destination for all kinds of travelers.
Located at the western end of Crete, Greece's largest island, it stands out for its unique character and its Old Town steeped in Venetian charm.
The city has a direct ferry connection to Athens.

POPULAR FERRY ITINERARIES

The conventional ferry Elyros doing the route from Athens Piraeus to Chania


Chania is mostly serviced by its International Airport, situated 20 minutes outside the city proper, with multiple daily flights connecting the city to Athens, as well as seasonal connections with 25 other countries. A cheaper alternative to reach Chania is to board a ferry to Souda Bay.

Ferry Connections

 

Chania is only connected with Athens’ main port, Piraeus, with daily departures and arrivals throughout the year.
Many travelers like to go from Athens to Chania by ferry in order to marvel the fantastic seascape or because they want to take their vehicle with them.

 

 

What types of ferries travel there?

 

Routes to Chania are operated exclusively by conventional ferries.
The only company serving the port is Blue Star Ferries.

How to book your ferry tickets

 

Booking your ferry tickets is one of the first and most important steps in organizing your holidays in Chania!
We make this step the easiest and uncomplicated one, as booking your ferry tickets with us has a lot of benefits:

  • The experience we provide to our customers has been awarded (Tourism Awards).
  • You can compare all the available ticket prices with just one click.
  • The booking process is simple, quick, and comes with a 100% secure payment system.
  • Interactive live maps show you every detail of your journey.
  • Our agents are experienced, informative, and always happy to help you with any question or request you may have regarding your tickets and trip.

 

 

INFORMATION ABOUT CHANIA

A part of the harbour of Chania

Chania is famous for its picturesque Old Town and Port, lending the city its unique Venetian character that melds beautifully with Ottoman and Modern Greek characteristics.
Despite its distance from Heraklion, Crete’s capital city, tourism in Chania is rapidly on the rise, with the number of incoming visitors increasing year by year!

The city is based on the ancient polis of Kydonia, which itself was built upon a Minoan settlement. Chania, like all of Crete, has had a turbulent history from staving off Arab pirate raids to being ruled by the Venetians and the Ottomans, whose cultures have left an indelible mark on the city. Chania is considered the most scenic of the island’s main cities, where these influences have been best preserved. Neighborhoods like Topanas and Kastelli serve as the epitome of the city’s unique traits, with renaissance-era narrow streets and small houses covered with ceramic roofs, painted mostly in soft shades of white and yellow, which combine beautifully with the city’s disused fortifications to almost feel like a time machine. The city’s old port and lighthouse are among the most photographed places in all of Greece, due to its exceptional retention of historical identity.

Chania serves as the capital of Chania prefecture, which also includes countless small villages, each with its own unique flair, as well as widely different natural landscapes. Many beaches line the coast around Chania prefectures, with some of the most notable being Balos and Elafonisi, whose sands are sought after worldwide. The White Mountains form the backbone of the island of Crete, and over the years erosion has led to the creation of a number of stunning gorges, with Samaria Gorge being the most famous one.

Best time to visit

 

Like most locations in Greece, the best time to visit is between May and October, however Crete’s location at the southern end of the Aegean Sea actually makes it warm enough for an enjoyable visit year-round, and that includes Chania. Visits to the mountainous villages are best undertaken in May or September.

Best things to do

 

A stroll through the Old Town of Chania is considered a must for visitors of Crete in general, which can be combined with visits to the city's museums to gain a full picture of how such an unmistakable place came to be. Outside of Chania Town, the many villages each offer a distinct experience to their visitors. A trek to the southern coast of Crete takes one to Sfakia, a historical village whose people have an indomitable reputation, as well as other seaside villages such as Loutro and Paleochora.
Chania also serves as an excellent base camp for those wishing to explore western Crete’s natural beauty, providing the best possible access to beautiful beaches such as Elafonissi and Balos, famous for its pink-colored sand, as well as gorges, like the breathtaking Samaria Gorge.

Is Chania for you?

 

Chania is a destination suitable for everyone! It offers one-of-a-kind charming spots with stunning views, opportunities to learn about history and culture, locations to explore and awe at unparalleled natural beauty, youthful cafés, high-end restaurants, and a respectable nightlife, making it an unforgettable experience for visitors of every ilk.

Facts

 

Know what you don't know about Chania!

  • Chania was the capital of Crete between 1850 and 1970, notably including the period of the autonomous Cretan State.
  • Chania Town is made up of the ancient city of Kydonia, encircled by the Byzantine Walls and nestled within the Old Town, encircled by the Venetian Walls and nestled within the modern city of Chania.
  • The famous lighthouse of Chania was originally built by Venetians, but its current incarnation was actually built during the period of Egyptian control in the 1830s.
  • The narrowest point of Samaria Gorge is known as the Gates, where the width of the pass is only 4 meters, contrasting with the height of 300 meters boasted by the surrounding cliffs!
  • The famous pink sand of Elafonisi gets its color from the red-pigmented shells of microscopic organisms that wash up on the shore and get crushed over time.

Where to go next?

 

It is common for visitors of Crete to not restrict themselves to either of the main cities, instead exploring as much of the island as possible. The north of Crete is well connected by road, and this allows visitors to quickly reach Rethymno, as well as Heraklion and the nearby palace of Knossos!

Photos of Chania

Map

Chania

ABOUT CHANIA PORT

Port description

Chania’s main port is situated in Souda Bay, about 6.5 kilometers from the city center, serving the bulk of incoming ferry transport.
It is situated next to an American Naval Base due to its easily defensible location.

Souda Port is connected exclusively with Athens’ Piraeus Port.
A few cafés and restaurants, an ATM, and a small plaza with palm trees can all be found just outside the port. There is extensive car parking available, as well as a number of car rental services.

Souda is generally not a very busy port, with the exception of summer months when connections to Athens become more frequent, as well as cruise ships that often make a stop at Chania.

Port Authorities
Peridou 24, Chania, 73100
Telephone: +30 28210 83230, 28210 87925
e-mail: stelman@ltnx.gr

Connected ports to Chania

Athens, Piraeus

Directions

There are several options on how to leave/get to Souda Port.

The first option is to take the city bus. Chania Urban Buses line 13 specifically connects Souda Bay to Chania city center, with a bus passing every half hour on average between 06:30 and 23:00. As Souda is part of Zone B, tickets will cost '1.60' 'EUR' (1.60 Euro) if purchased from a ticket vendor or '2.50' 'EUR' (2.50 Euro) if purchased from the driver upon boarding. The trip to Chania Town lasts about 25 minutes.

Another option is to take a taxi. Taxis can carry up to 4 passengers and can take them to any part of the city or the suburbs. Similarly, one can opt for a private transfer. These are the only options during the night time and also the best option for reaching further destinations, even though they are more expensive. Taxis can be hailed or requested by phone, by calling 0030 28210 98700 or 0030 28210 94300

Alternatively, you may also opt for a car rental and have your vehicle of choice delivered at the port.

Port on Map

Map of port
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INFORMATION

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