Chania town, mountains, restaurant Private Tour (group of 6)

Will drop you off at Talos square on the west side of Chania old town, which is more authentic and unspoiled. You will have around an hour available to walk around on your own in the picturesque alleys, explore the town or shop.

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.

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. After the fall of the city of Chania in the hands of the Turks in 1645it was renamed “Firka”, which 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 harbor and face any possible attacker. The 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.

Chania is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. The Minoan civilisation dates before 3000BC and it violently ended in 1250BC after the eruption of Santorini volcano. At Kasteli hill the archaeological excavations unearthed the foundations of buildings, streets and sewage networks.

Dounias restaurant is at Drakona Village on the foot of the White Mountains of Chania, 600m altitude. The traditional taverna is a centre of gastronomy and slow food. The owner Stelios Trilirakis uses locally produced ingredients and cooks on wood fire. You can see and take pictures. Almost everything comes from the family’s farm. Herbs such as oregano, rosemary, dictum, chamomile and many others are picked from nearby slopes of White Mountains, giving a special flavour to traditional dishes such as Greek salad, rabbit casseroles, lamb with honey, goat wrapped in cooking foil and meat dishes with pilaf rice. Its a 45-minute drive to the restaurant through the scenic Cretan countryside. The restaurant has nice views. Lunch is paid separately by travellers, its around 25 euro per person.

The Gorge of Theriso is located near the city of Chania. The main gorge is six kilometers long and we will go through it by our minivan. The vertical cliffs are impressive and the lush vegetation along with its wildlife is truly a site to see.

The drive inside Therisso gorge is amazing, with vertical rock cliffs and goats roaming around. Nature is lush, with plane trees and other plants hanging from the cliffs. As we go higher, the scenery and nature will change to a more dry, with cypress trees and medicinal herbs. Theriso village is built at the foot of the White Mountains at an altitude of 580 meters, has a nice small square and a 15-century church.

On the way back we will enjoy the panoramic view of Chania and Souda port from Malaxa mountain

Will visit the Commonwealth Cemetery where mainly British, New Zealanders and Australians are buried. The Battle of Crete lasted from 20th May to 1st of June 1941 and was the first airborne only operation in history. The cemetery has panoramic views of Souda bay and the White Mountains (Lefka Ori)

Venizelos graves is actually a park, boasting panoramic views of Chania and the old port.

Optionally we could visit the Archaeological museum of Chania for around 30 minutes. Entrance fee is 5 euro per person.

Optionally do a wine tasting for 45 minutes. It can take place only on weekdays, depending availability. Tasting is 25 euro per person.