A Perfect Afternoon in Old Town Chania, Crete, Greece

It’s such a pleasure to walk the backstreets of old town Chania around the spectacular Venetian harbor.  Even in the busy tourist season, one can find serenity in this residential maze that’s been continuously occupied for 6000 years.  There is beauty everywhere.

Beauty in the old door…

…in the dried May Day wreaths hanging in front of lace curtains,…

…in the sections of Roman pillars reused in crumbling Venetian walls,…

…in the graffiti,…

…in the bright red budding pomegranates,…

…and the fragrant, flowering climbing vines.  It’s all sensory bliss.

Leaving the backstreets, we stroll the bustling Venetian harbor of Chania.  Taking front row seats in a cafe, we sit for hours sipping wine and people watching.  In Greece, it’s expected that you’ll be sitting for a long time and nobody dares to try and rush you out of a restaurant.  Drinks and meals are to be savored.

Wine at the Venetian Harbor

Full of libation, we stumble into Gallini Restaurant where it seemed for every dish we ordered another one arrived “from the boss”.  This is the sometimes overwhelming hospitality that makes Crete so enjoyable to visit.  No meal in Crete is complete without dessert (whether you ordered it or not) and Cretan raki, Crete’s clear and powerful (37% alcohol) distilled spirit.  Fortunately, we had nowhere to be early the next morning!

Cretan Raki finishes the night.

Late in the night, traditional Greek music flowed through the restaurant sweeping people off their feet and onto the harbor promenade.  A spontaneous circle dance infused the air with energy.  A truly great finale to a fabulous day in Chania.

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Photos of Old Town Chania: