Out of Office: Chania travel blog edition

Is Chania worth visiting? My honest take…

You may have read my previous blog post all about Corfu (if not, check it out here), but you’ll know how much I fell in love with the island. So much so, that I couldn’t quite say goodbye to summer without one last visit to a Greek island. So here is my latest blog, 'out office: Chania travel blog edition'.

I absolutely love all things Greek. The people, the food, the lifestyle, the culture, the scenery… every single part of Greek life I truly fell for a long, long time ago. Probably in part because I’ve grown up with a fair amount of Greek influence, with my mom having lived in Greece in her 20s and me having at least one or two Greek meals a week for most of my life, but also because in the UK we’re so lucky to be within a couple of hours of the country, and as such I’ve been to Athens three times, Kefalonia, Corfu, Santorini, Rhodes and (spoiler alert) I have been to Heraklion, and Crete before.

My parents had been to Chania and the surrounding area, not long before this, and I thought it looked absolutely amazing. So, when I found reasonable easyJet flights for a last-minute break in October 2025, I absolutely jumped at the chance for one last Euro Summer sunset.

Sunset over Chania

We departed London Gatwick on the oh-so-civilised 0800 flight to Chania and a short three and a half hours later landed into a still summery looking Crete, despite the UK embracing all things Pumpkin Spice (trust me, I am not that girl who craves chunky knit and a PSL, hand me a bikini and an Aperol any day of the week). I’d arranged a transfer to Chania town in advance, and a brisk 20-minute drive later, we arrived on the outskirts of the old town and were directed to the boutique hotel I’d booked.

Zoera suites by Ethos is nestled in the heart of the old town, surrounded by boutiques, restaurants and bars. Perfect if you want to be in the midst of it all. Our room was ideal for two girls on their holidays… a small kitchenette with fridge, plenty of mirrors, space to get ready, a tv complete with Netflix for those October showers, and a large bathroom ready made for dolling up for dinner. In addition, the room had a small balcony overlooking the street which provided many opportunities for a spot of people watching and taking in that warm October sun.

After checking in, we took a stroll through the town as both my friend and I were absolutely starving having not eaten since about 0600 at Gatwick. We found a taverna in the harbour that served everything we had been craving, Greek salad, tzatziki, local wines, stuffed vine leaves and more all with the most gorgeous view of the harbour. Despite being absolutely stuffed I’d also been told to check out Domenico, a handcrafted gelato and coffee shop that serves rolled ice cream. I had the Pistachio and firstly, you could absolutely share one of these between the two of you (they’re absolutely huge) and secondly, oh my goodness it was one of the best ice creams that I have ever had in my entire life. Getting to watch the ice cream be rolled right in front of you gave the whole experience that theatrical edge, so whilst it’s on the more expensive side for your standard holiday ice cream, I’d categorically say it was worth every penny.

I enjoyed my ice cream down by the sea watching the waves, before heading back to the hotel for a couple of hours relaxing and reading on the balcony. I was still pretty full of the traditional mezze style lunch we shared, and of course that delicious ice cream, so we opted for a lovely little restaurant/bar called Kalderimi in the old town for a Spritz. The atmosphere was lovely and very traditional in style, so I wouldn’t hesitate to come back to eat if I was in Chania again. They had both inside and outside seating, however boy am I glad we didn’t pick the outside seating as the heavens well and truly opened whilst we were enjoying our drinks. Funnily enough, I don’t actually mind a storm whilst on holiday, there’s something really dramatic about it, and quite frankly if you’re heading to any of the islands (be that Balearic, Italian, or Greek) in the shoulder seasons, you should be expecting the odd rain shower. I made what you could call ‘rain friends’ with the locals, who stood in their shop doorways watching the show unfold, whilst we ran from doorway to doorway desperately trying to avoid the worst of the rain. Despite being ever so slightly bemused at these two young British women running through Chania in their summer sandals, they were ever so pleasant to get to know, and actually did offer many an umbrella along the way. It’s always the local people and stories like this that stick with me from trips away.

Night one Spritz!

The second day started with a lovely sunny breakfast down by the harbour, enjoying my traditionally cooked eggs and watching the sun rise over the water. It was then time to have a leisurely wander through the labyrinth of streets that make up the Old Town. First stop, was the Cathedral.

The Cathedral of the Eisodion tis Theotokou, better known locally as Trimartiri, is one of the city’s most important landmarks. Dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, this Orthodox cathedral reflects Chania’s layered history, having evolved through Venetian and Ottoman periods before taking its present 19th‑century form. The name comes from the three‑aisled design, while Eisodion tis Theotokou refers to the feast it celebrates each November. Stepping inside here offered a cool, calm and collected atmosphere to bask in, whilst appreciating the beautiful interior, and the deep history contained within the walls.

It was then time to head to Elafonisi located on the Southwest of the island. I’d seen many a post on social media describing how this was like the Maldives of the Greek islands, and whilst here I absolutely knew I wanted to go. Word of warning (don’t say I didn’t warn you) the roads there from Chania to Elafonisi are for the brave. Winding, and climbing through the traditional villages of the mountains, be prepared for hairpin bends and steep drops.

However, once arriving in Elafonisi, you just know that it was well worth every second of the journey. It really is one of those places that feels almost unreal until you stand in the sea and feel the water and sand between your toes. Elafonisi is a protected beach, with tongue in cheek signs warning you not to steal the sand. Famous for its’ soft white sand streaked with delicate shades of pink, created by crushed seashells, and the shallow, crystal‑clear turquoise waters. A narrow lagoon separates the shore from a small islet, which you can reach by wading across the warm, knee‑deep sea. Despite its popularity, Elafonisi retains a wild, unspoilt feel, with sand dunes, low vegetation, and a sense of calm that makes it easy to understand why it’s considered one of Crete’s most beautiful natural landscapes.

On the way back we stopped at the traditional mountain village of Elos, for a short leg stretch and a Greek coffee. Elos is surrounded by beautiful chestnut and plane trees, with running water through the valleys, providing the dynamic contrast to the island’s coastline. There are many local tavernas here making it the perfect stop off after a long day in the sun.

Back in Chania for dinner, and I was looking forward to trying out a restaurant that I know had a stunning reputation for its blend between Greek/ Cretan and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s housed in a former Venetian-Era baths, which was also later used as a Turkish Hammam. Called Tamam, I had delicious stuffed vegetables and local wine, rounding off the day.

For our third day we had to think on our feet a little bit. We’d had a boat cruise booked but the weather unfortunately was not on our side, and all boats were cancelled for the day. We decided to take a few hours to relax and enjoy breakfast down by the harbour, for me that was traditional Greek yoghurt, honey, and walnuts with a Greek Coffee, followed by a stroll through the old town to Nea Chora, a beautiful beach about a 15 minutes stroll from the town centre. We also visited the town’s Catholic church, Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Built in 1879 featuring a more neoclassical and renaissance style of architecture, the church is a reminder of the tolerant and multicultural nature of the island and overarching society of Crete.

It was absolutely then Spritz O’clock and time to head to a quaint bar on the edge of the harbour called La Bodega for that all important Aperol, and a tostada topped with local cheese and sundried tomatoes. We grabbed a doughnut on the way back to the hotel (IYKYK and if you’ve been to Greece then you should know), ready to freshen up and head out to see the sunset over the lighthouse in the harbour.

The walk from the town centre to the lighthouse actually takes about 30 to 40 minutes (longer than you think it would take!) but it seems like it’s the done thing to grab a Spritz from the harbour bar (they do takeaway cocktails too!) and wander down to a spot to watch the sunset. It does get busy so for the best spots head down about an hour before sunset, and you’ll be sure to also get uninterrupted views for those sunset pics for the gram! We followed the sunset up with another beautiful traditional Greek meal at Mesostrato (I had Beef stifado) and headed for an early night ahead of an early start the next morning.

After a coffee and a pastry for breakfasst enroute, we made our way to Nea Chora beach for something just a little bit different. We both are quite active girlies, and enjoy keeping fit, so when I saw Pilates on Sup Chania advertised, I thought we had to try it. We were the only two booked in for the session and thankfully had a beautifully sunny and warm day ahead of us which made for the perfect Pilates conditions. Our instructor met us on the beach with her dog, and she immediately set to work setting up our boards and making us feel welcomed and comfortable. The workout was a CHALLENGE. Pilates is hard enough, but when you add the context of a board balancing on water, it became a whole other matter. However, it was so much fun, and if I’m in Chania again, I would absolutely go back! Classes run through the season which means we did have one of the last classes of the season making me feel even luckier that we managed to catch one. I think we paid about EUR30 each, but we weren’t rushed at all and were allowed to chill on the boards after class (with the dog!) for as long as we wanted so it felt well worth it.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at Nea Chora having rented a sunbed and umbrella, with a couple of Spritzes and Greek salads consumed overlooking the still waters (honestly this beach is a must, and I imagine is great if you’re travelling with small children too!) before heading off to get ready for the delayed sunset boat cruise I’d so been looking forward to.

Our activity was an hour and a half boat cruise with Manos Cruises from the port of Chania out to the island of Lazaretta to watch the sunset. I’d definitely recommend, due to the small boat and group size, the chatty and friendly staff (who were more than happy to get those sunset shots of you and your travel party) as well as the complimentary flavoured raki! I did get the feeling here that the Summer season was well and truly ending, and I’m so grateful I got to see one final Euro Summer sunset before the Winter kicked in. After heading back into the port, we grabbed a late dinner at a nearby taverna (Saganaki for me!). One really cool thing about visiting Crete I found was everywhere we went, meals were always rounded off with complimentary pudding (like a little ice cream, or baklava) and a shot of ouzo, or raki, which for me made it amazing value, and just showed incredible hospitality.

For our final morning, we treated ourselves to a lavish breakfast at Woodstock, just overlooking Nea Chora beach. I had a bowl of Greek yoghurt and fruit with honey and sampled some local Sfakian pie which was designated as my new official favourite breakfast after just one bite. We then spent a couple of hours resting and sunbathing at the beach before heading back to our hotel to check out. Luckily, they kept our bags for us, as our flight back wasn’t until 23:30 local time, so we had a full afternoon and dinner to get through before we departed the Greek islands for the last time in 2025.

Our afternoon was spent wandering the shops and making some last-minute purchases, drinking coffees, Fanta Limons and Aperol Spritzes by the harbour, and unconventionally, streaming The Traitors sat by the waterside (would 10/10 recommend changing up your Traitors viewing spot). One final Gyros and glass of wine later, and it was time to head to the airport, officially closing out Euro Summer for 2025.

Chania has a bit of everything. It’s somewhere you can relish in a slow wander through sun-washed valleys, enjoy the layers of history revealed in the churches and the old stone buildings, and really slow down to linger over a sunset spritz or traditional meal. Whether you’re drawn by its culture, landscapes, or everyday moments of Cretan life, Chania invites you to slow down, look closer, and savour the experience. It’s not just a place to visit, but a place to feel, one that quietly calls you back before you’ve even gone

My top 5 must-do’s for a trip to Chania

1.        Elafonisi-this is a must-see day trip. Clear blue waters, endless sand dunes, and a truly authentic paradise vibe.

2.        Pilates on Sup-if you’re active and craving that fix in holiday, this is the perfect way to get that satisfaction of doing your workout, whilst overlooking the landscape of the Greek Islands.

3.        Nea Chora beach-I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this beach! Clear water and white sand, plenty of beds to hire at a reasonable rate, and tasty food and drink service.

4.        Chania Old Town-a labyrinth of shops, restaurants, and bars where you can quite easily spend hours whiling away the time.

5.        Sunset Boat Cruise-Greek sunsets really do just speak for themselves and throw in a boat cruise you’ve got a winning combination.

To check out more from my trip, see the full gallery here