Villa Quartz enjoys a fabulous position, just 100m from the beach in Kalamaki, a very friendly, laid-back resort just outside of Chania. With a gorgeous sandy beach, crystal clear water, amazing restaurants and tavernas and some useful shops, it is a great place to be. The beach restaurants are wonderful and generally always offer a glass of raki and some fruit or a dinky pudding as a treat afterwards. There is a good range of restaurants, some serving traditional Greek specialities and others offering fine dining such Corinna Star at Corinna Mare and the restaurant at the Domes Noruz Chania Hotel.
You do not need a car when staying in Kalamaki though you may prefer to have one to explore this heavenly island. A good bus service runs from Kalamaki into the Old Town of Chania and the list of excursions is endless. You may want to spend a day on the exotic, spectacular beaches of Balos, Falasarna or Elafonisi, you may want to visit some of the mountain villages, visit some ancient monasteries and historic monuments or hike one of the dramatic gorges.
Known as the Venice of the East, Chania Old Town is truly magical with unique shops lining its charming cobbled streets, a brilliant dining scene, trendy waterfront bars serving delicious cocktails and its famous Venetian harbour and imposing lighthouse. The harbour was originally built by the Venetians between 1320 and 1356 and is now a vibrant, cosmopolitan spot for tourists and locals. The Egyptian lighthouse is much photographed, especially at sunset. You can take a slow meander to the lighthouse to take in the stunning views of the harbour, the Old Town with its backdrop of the majestic White Mountains. On the waterfront, the Giali Tzamisi is the oldest Muslim building in Crete. The Turkish name is translated to ‘The Seaside Mosque’. It plays host to various cultural events and exhibitions. One visit to Chania Old Town will not be enough!
After the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the second most visited tourist attraction in Crete is the dramatic and imposing Samaria Gorge. It is the longest and most famous gorge in Europe, sitting at the foothills of the White Mountains. Within the White Mountain’s National Park, it rises to an altitude of 1,230m, is 150m at its widest point and 3m at its narrowest. It continues down to Agia Roumeli on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The park and gorge offer protection to over four hundred and fifty species of plant and animal, of which seventy are endemic to Crete. This includes the rare wild kri-kri goats.
If you get time to visit one of the Balos, Elafonisi and Falasarna beaches, you will remember them forever. In the protected ‘NATURA’ area of Balos Bay, Balos’ glistening white sand and turquoise sea are incredible. Not far away is the Cretan wonder, Falasarna, another nestled lagoon with pool-like waters and pink sand. It has been awarded the best beach of Crete and one of the top ten beaches in Europe. Elafonisi has also been named one of the world’s top beaches. It is connected by a sand bar to an island nature reserve with pink sands, wildflowers and unusual rock formations. There is no shade on the island but there are delightful little coves and pockets of sandy beach as well as being home to more than one hundred rare plants including summer sea daffodils and winter-flowering Androcymbium rechingeri. You may even see rare loggerhead sea turtles and you will definitely enjoy picture-perfect sunsets.
The Region
Head to the West side of Crete to find some of the best beaches and most charming villages in the island. Indulge yourself by visiting the unique Balos lagoon and jumping into its turquoise waters, or have a truly Cretan dining experience in one of the many tavernas by the sea and taste the delicious seafood on offer.
Find more about Chania and the rest of the Southernmost island in Greece with our travel guide below
How to reach Chania
There are two ways to reach Chania: either by flight or by ferry.
By plane: Chania Airport (CHQ) is only a 20 minutes ride away from central Chania. During the summer months, frequents overseas and domestic flights are performed. In most of the cases, there are available buses that connect Chania city and most of the villas. You can also hire a car from one of the many rental companies at the airport, or alternatively get a taxi to bring you right to your doorstep.
By ferry: If you choose to do an island-hopping trip and use the ferry as a method of transportation, then the closest port is in Souda, only 8km from the centre of Chania. Only ferries from Piraeus in Athens or Heraklion in Crete. Heraklion port has a wider choice: you can also take a ferry from other Greek islands like Santorini, Mykonos or Paros, but you will have to take a longer bus ride to reach your villa. You can easily book your ferry tickets using the link below or the booking engine.
Book your ferry tickets to Crete here >>
