Chania Old Harbour & Lighthouse

Where it is & how to get there

• From the airport: About 20–30 minutes by car or bus.
• On foot: The old town lanes lead down to the harbour.
• Lighthouse: Walk along the breakwater, about 1.5 km, to the lighthouse.

The story of Chania's old harbour

Chania's harbour was built by the Venetians, who ruled Crete from the 13th to 17th centuries. The Ottomans then ruled the island, and the Kucuk Hasan Mosque on the waterfront, built in 1645, is the oldest Ottoman building in Crete.

The lighthouse at the harbour entrance was rebuilt in the 1830s during the period when Crete was governed by Egypt under Muhammad Ali, giving it a slender, minaret-like shape.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Walk the harbour wall at sunset.
• Walk to the lighthouse at sunset.
• Explore the old Turkish and Jewish quarters behind the harbour.

What's around Chania's old harbour

• Kucuk Hasan MosqueMosque of the Janissaries on the waterfront.
• Venetian LighthouseAt the harbour entrance.
• SplantziaOld Ottoman quarter.
• Chania MarketCross-shaped covered market.

Questions travellers ask