The old Ottoman quarter just east of the harbour — the same stone lanes and history, but quieter, more local and more affordable, with leafy squares, artisan workshops and some of the town's best small tavernas. Still a short walk from everything; the sweet spot for travellers who want the old-town atmosphere without the harbour-front crowds and prices.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€80–140
typical per night in Greece
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Chania — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Splantzia and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Cretan food & rakiright here0 m
- The Old Town lanes3 min walk226 m
- The Venetian Harbour4 min walk348 m
- The Venetian Lighthouse7 min walk562 m
- Maritime Museum of Crete9 min walk721 m
- Firkas Fortress9 min walk734 m
- Nea Chora (beach)16 min walk1.3 km
- Nea Chora town beach18 min walk1.5 km
- Agii Apostoli beaches12 min taxi4.1 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 4.The Municipal Market (Agora) — Chania's grand cross-shaped covered market, built in 1913 — stalls of Cretan cheeses, olives, honey, herbs, raki and mountain sausages under a soaring roof, plus a couple of little tavernas for a cheap, authentic lunch. The place to taste and buy the island's produce, right on the edge of the old town.
- 8.Splantzia square — The leafy plane-shaded heart of the old Turkish quarter, ringed by tavernas and cafés and far calmer than the harbour — a lovely spot for a slow ouzo among locals, with the old church of Agios Nikolaos (once a mosque, with both a minaret and a bell tower) on one side. This is the real, lived-in Chania.
- 11.Etz Hayyim Synagogue — A tiny, deeply moving synagogue tucked in a lane of the old Jewish quarter — the last in Crete, restored after the island's Jewish community was wiped out in 1944 when the ship deporting them was sunk. Quiet, beautiful and free to visit; a poignant corner of Chania's layered, and tragic, history.
- 13.Stivanadika (Leather Lane) — The old leather-workers' street of Skrydlof, still lined with shops selling handmade Cretan boots, sandals and bags at fair prices — one of the best places on the island to pick up quality leather, and a fun, colourful browse just off the market. Haggle gently, and you'll walk away with a proper souvenir.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Splantzia; flights via Google Flights.