A look at Chania Old Town in Crete Greece

Author: Janice Vazquez | Last updated: December 3, 2023

A lady in jeans and sunglasses standing in front of a fountain at the Old Venetian Port of Chania — *Janice standing in front of the fountain*

Chania Old Town, on Crete, is a city rich in history, beginning as a Minoan settlement. Influenced by various conquerors, notably the Venetians (1205-1645) who built the Venetian Harbor and many elegant structures, and later the Ottomans, it showcases a blend of architectural styles and traditions. Joining Greece in 1913, this mix is visible in its streets lined with Venetian and Ottoman buildings. Today, Old Town Chania is a lively center, retaining its historical allure with ancient ruins, museums, markets, and cafés, making it a popular destination and a symbol of its multifaceted past. In this post, I’ll be sharing a look at Chania Old Town in Crete, Greece.

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Egyptian Lighthouse

We began our “look” by walking around the Old Venetian Port of Chania. From the main shopping and restaurant area, we saw a lighthouse at the end of the harbor, so we decided to check it out.

A man in a purple shirt and shorts stands on a ledge with a lighthouse in the background in Old Venetian Port of Chania — *Julius with Egyptian Lighthouse in the background*

At first, it looked like a very far walk because it was located on the other side of the port. However, it only took us 10 minutes to reach the lighthouse. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open, so we took pictures from the outside.

A two story stone building with rectangle shaped windows sits on top of water and in front of a stone pathway leading to the Egyptian Lighthouse — *A stone path leading to the Egyptian Lighthouse*

An approximately 20 ft column made of stone has two ledges and enclosed in a stone wall — *Egyptian Lighthouse in Old Town Chania*

Firka Venetian Fortress

Following our visit to the Egyptian Lighthouse, we continued our “look” around the Old Venetian Port of Chania by taking in the sights and sounds. Then, we entered the Firka Venetian Fortress, a fortress built by the Venetians in 1629 to protect the harbor and town from enemy invasions.

It was free to enter, so we spent approximately 15 minutes exploring the fortress and marveling at its impressive view of the harbor and lighthouse.

Leather Lane

After the fortress, we continued our “look” around Chania’s Old Town by wandering the narrow streets. We ended up visiting a couple of specialty gift shops, which sold wines, souvenirs, clothing, and jewelry. We didn’t purchase anything from the specialty gift shops and ultimately decided that if we were to purchase anything, it would be leather from the famous Leather Lane on Skrydlof Street.

We had an hour to spare, so we took our time observing each store’s merchandise.

Leather purses and belts on sale at a vendor — *Leather Lane Shop*

Leather purses in colorful colors handing from a stand — *Leather Lane Shop*

It seemed that each store had varying prices for what appeared to be identical belts. After careful examination of assessing the quality of leather and price, my dad and brother purchased a couple of belts. The store owner rang us up and we were able to pay with our credit cards. The store owner gave us a bag to put the belts in and said goodbye. Shopping at leather lane was a wonderful way to end our day in Old Town Chania in Crete, Greece.

An abundance of Chania's buildings around the Old Ventetian Port and a lighthouse on right at Chania Crete, Greece

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