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Switching from Santorini to Chania in late March

I am going to Greece in late March and had planned a very quick two night/one day trip to Santorini, mostly to see Akrotiri and just the general sights. Due to current events, I am considering switching away from Santorini while my cancellation policies permit. I had not been planning to go to Crete as I felt I didn't have enough time to see it. However, my trip already includes ample time in Athens and a four day road trip in the Peloponnese. I don't think a different island would have enough to recommend it in the offseason, and I have plane tickets that I need to repurpose (or maybe I would have considered a trip to Meteora -- although I think Chania will be more in line with our interests than Meteora, however beautiful it may be).

I am quite sure that one day is not enough for Chania, but we did recently do one well-planned day in Dublin and it was super-fun. Any tips/tricks/fave sources of info or guidebooks, since Rick's don't cover Crete or Chania? Any other suggestions for how to repurpose this time? I know things could calm down in Santorini between now and late March, and also given that it is low season, it shouldn't be too hard to make alternate plans, but I feel like early March is the latest I could leave it to, and I doubt I will feel totally comfortable deciding by then, with all the reports saying this could go on for months. Also, I am going with my teenager, and this would terrify him.

Posted by
1020 posts

You mentioned that Akrotiri as a main reason for choosing Santorini so maybe Heraklion on Crete would be a better choice than Chania because of its near proximity to Knossos? If seeing a major archaeological site is of interest, with such a short visit, then this would make sense. There is also the Archaeological museum with a superb collection of artifacts from Knossos and other sites on the Island.

An alternative could be Mykonos. Take a half day trip out to the island of Delos, a huge site and the only thing on the Island. No hotels, and only reachable by local ferry from Mykonos. Only problem is visiting Delos is weather dependent and the small ferries don’t run when the weather is stormy as it can be in spring.

Rhodes is another possibility with a lot to see.

Good luck!

Posted by
11787 posts

Chania is one of the two prettiest places in Greece. Go visit Chania!
We couldn’t wait to leave Santorini!

Posted by
2920 posts

Chania is very charming and you could have a nice taste of Crete there. Some thoughts:

  1. Take a taxi from the airport. There is a bus but you have very limited time.
  2. Stay in Old town. A lot of it is pedestrianized so the taxi will drop you off at the end of the street. There is a hotel I would recommend (we were there four nights and stayed in air bnb across the street)-Elia Palazzo hotel. Others recommended it to me on this site but we opted for more space. It is on Theotokopoulou street which is so charming. We really enjoyed the location.
  3. You can walk around for a day going down by the water and through the narrow streets. There are some small museums you could visit. Chania was occupied by the Venetians and has architecture characteristic of Venice.

There is of course so much more to see.

Posted by
1505 posts

If you do choose Chania you will not be disappointed even in the off season the old town and harbour will still be active.
The suggestion to find a hotel on Theotokopouluo street is a good choice.
Here are a few images.
Chania 2024 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720318408008/
Chania 2022 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299646015
Theotokopouluo Street https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157632118491316

Posted by
2920 posts

stanbr--your pictures took me back to our visit to Chania. I even saw a sign for the place we stayed in--Kiara Studios.

Thanks for sharing!

Posted by
1 posts

Sounds like an amazing trip, Tracey! For May 2025, consider:

Scandinavia – Copenhagen, Stockholm & Bergen for history, Viking culture, fjords & scenic train rides.
Switzerland – Lucerne, Interlaken & Zermatt for breathtaking nature, Alpine villages & cultural experiences.
Central Europe – Prague, Vienna & Budapest for rich history, stunning architecture & local markets.
Poland & The Baltics – Krakow, Gdansk & Tallinn for medieval charm, WWII history & unique local culture.

Mix train travel & self-guided tours for flexibility. Any favorites from this list?