Chania

What you gain

• ↑The Venetian harbour at Chania is the most architecturally beautiful waterfront in Greece after Santorini: the restored Venetian shipyards (1645), the Egyptian lighthouse, and the Ottoman mosque on the harbour create a layered architectural history in a setting that is most beautiful at sunset when the minarets are silhouetted against the sky
• ↑The Samaria Gorge (16km, the longest in Europe) begins 42km south of Chania: the 5–7-hour descent through the White Mountains to the Libyan Sea, via a gorge that narrows to 3 metres at the famous Iron Gates, is one of the finest day hikes in Europe — accessible by early morning bus from Chania
• ↑Balos Lagoon (day trip by boat from Kissamos port, 40 minutes west of Chania) delivers the finest beach scenery in Crete: the turquoise lagoon, pink-white sand, and Cape Gramvousa fortress combine in a landscape that photographs exactly as it appears — extraordinary and entirely worth the half-day boat trip

What you sacrifice

• ↓Chania's old harbour is extremely crowded in July and August: the harbour-front restaurants charge premium prices for the view and service quality often does not match, and the narrow streets of the Venetian quarter can feel uncomfortably packed on peak summer evenings
• ↓The airport at Chania (Daskalogiannis) is significantly smaller than Heraklion with fewer direct international flights: UK and Northern European visitors increasingly find better connections via Heraklion