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Chania Old Town Private Tour
Chania
Discover Chania's rich history and culture on a private tour. Explore ancient civilizations, hidden gems, and stunning viewpoints. Perfect for history enthusiasts!
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Old Venetian Harbor - Tour Chania old town for 3 hours, visit the landmarks and historic sites.
- Chania Old Town - Will walk around Chania old town and visit various landmarks on the way.
- Lighthouse of Chania - Chania lighthouse is the oldest light house in the Mediterranean, built in 1864. The lighthouse is the main landmark of Chania. The tower is 21m high and is built on a stone base, located at the end of the old harbour’s pier opposite to the fortress of Firkas. Visitors are not allowed to enter the lighthouse. Chania lighthouse was first constructed by the Venetians around 1600, destroyed in the siege of Chania and it took its final form, in the shape of a minaret, during the Egyptian occupation. It was restored in 1996.
- Firkas Fortress - The fortress of Firkas on the northwest side of the port of Chania was constructed between 1610 and 1645 to protect the Venetian harbour entrance from raiders. Firka in Turkish means barrack. On the northern side of the Firka fortress were six consecutive domes, that sheltered the large cannons, so that they would face the entrance of the harbour and face any possible attacker. Firka Fortress was used as a prison since then and up to the Greek civil war of the 20th century. During the Ottoman rule, the Firka Fortress constituted the seat of the military governor of the city. It is the place where the Greek flag was raised, in 1913, the year of the reunion of Crete with Greece. Today, at the entrance of the Fortress is situated the Maritime Museum.
- Etz Hayyim Synagogue - Etz Hayyim was converted into a Synagogue in the 17th century, when the Jewish community of Chania purchased the Church of St. Catherine, an empty 15th-century Venetian church. The synagogue, which suffered serious bombardment, was abandoned after the end of World War with the perishing of the Jewish community and reopened in 1999, with the support of the World Monument Fund (WMF), in co-operation with the Central Israeli Council of Greece. Nowdays the Etz Hayyim Synagogue is the only active synagogue that has survived on the island.
- Cathedral of Eisodion tis Theotokou - The Orthodox Cathedral of Chania or church of Trimartiri is situated in Halidon street. The present temple was built on the place of an older church of Virgin Mary which dated back to the 14th century. In 1645, during the Ottoman occupation, the temple was converted into a soap factory , owned by the Turkish official Moustafa Pasha Giritli. The reconstruction of the church was completed in 1860 in the style of a three aisle Basilica, and was donated by the local pasha to the local community. On the northeast side of the temple there is the high bell-tower. The church features three aisles with the central one dedicated to the Virgin Mary (celebrated on November 21st), the north aisle one dedicated to Saint Nicholas and the southern one to the Three Hierarchs.
- Hassan Pascha Mosque - One of the first Ottoman buildings of the island is Mosque of Hasan Kucuk or Yali Tzamisi. The mosque was built in honour of Kioutsouk Hassan Pasha, the first Ottoman military commander of Chania, while the Yali Tzamisi name translates as “mosque of the sea”. The building is an example of Islamic architecture Renaissance designed form an Armenian architect, dating from mid 17th century. The mosque operated as a mosque until 1923. It is a cubic building covered by a large dome supported by four stone arches, while the west and north side is surrounded by an arcade roofed with seven small domes. In the southwest corner there was a minaret from which saved only the base. Today the building operates as an exhibition for cultural events and visual art exhibitions.
- Minoan Excavations - Chania is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. The Minoan civilisation dates before 3000BC and it somehow violently ended in 1250BC when there was a destructive earthquake and Tsunami. Many researches believe that the Minoan civilisation was destroyed after the eruption of Santorini volcano. At Kasteli hill archaeological excavations the foundations of buildings, streets and sewage networks can be seen. The excavations are ongoing. Kydonia was the name of Chania during the Minoan era.
- Venetian Neoria - During the Venetian occupation (1204-1669) Neoria, the shipyards were built. In 1467, Venice ordered the construction of 16 shipyards. During the Turkish occupation shipyards were converted in military warehouses. Today 7 shipyards survive, entrance is not allowed as they need repair.
- Municipal Market of Chania - The Municipal Market of Chania, is the “heart” of the city. Its foundation started in 1911, at the place that was the main rampart of the fortification during the Venetian period, and the construction of the building was completed during the second half of 1913. The Municipal Market is cross shaped and has four doors, one in each ward, that close to provide security at the shops that are hosted there. Today at the building of the Municipal Market are hosted many shops that sell local products and souvenirs. The Municipal Market constitutes an architectural jewel for Chania and is one of the most impressive markets in Balkans. At the moment is under renovation which will be completed in 2026.
- Splantzia - Visit Splantzia square, the landmarks around and Agios Nikolaos church
What's Included
- Private licensed guide
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Private transportation
Additional Information
Chania since ancient times was a melting pot of civilizations and cultures, each invader and new town resident leaving its mark on history, architecture, and culture. Chania is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe dating back to Minoan civilization around 3000BC.
In this tour, we will try to trace the remains of civilizations, in the buildings and monuments. By doing so we will go through the waterfront, alleyways, fortifications, viewpoints, and marks of the past. We will see how Chania has changed over time, the buildings added and destroyed. The city was divided into Christian, Muslim, and Jewish quarters. We will go through them where I will show historical points of interest not so obvious to the average visitor.
Although the tour focuses on history, we will explore the culture and traditions of Chania and how they have merged to form the modern-day city of Chania.
Location
Splantzia Square
Rousou Vourdoumpa
Meet in front of Agios Nikolas church at Splantzia square.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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