This charming house is a perfect location from which to explore Chania. We (husband and I) love the Old Town and have wanted to stay here for years. We were not disappointed. The house is exactly as described, with all that you need for a few nights or a week or two in Chania.
Stavroula has helpfully filled the store cupboard with essentials such as salt, olive oil, honey, tea and coffee. For everything else, the supermarket is less than a 2 minutes walk away. And on Saturday there is a local street market, which is not to be missed. The local produce is amazing and it has a fabulous atmosphere.
The bed is super comfy, and the modern shower is wonderful with plenty of hot water. Again, Stavroula has thoughtfully provided essentials and extras in the shower room, with cotton wool balls, a sewing kit, nail scissors, shampoo and shower gel. This insomniac slept like a baby, shutters closed, windows open and zero noise at night time.
Morning coffees and lazy afternoons on the roof terrace, in the shade of the umbrella, were blissful. It is so wonderfully peaceful. Evenings, we enjoyed listening to our neighbours playing their lute, as we enjoyed a pre dinner drink.
And yet, only a few minutes away you are in the heart of Chania, with excellent taverners, cafes and restaurants close by. The bustling Venetian Port is within 10 minutes walk, the smaller, quieter harbour is even nearer. Then just through the city wall there's Koum Kapi beach and more taverners overlooking the sea.
The spiral staircase took a bit of getting used to, but the reward of the roof terrace is worth it. We are both in our 60's and it was perfectly fine. We carried up breakfast and lunch there most days. If you are very tall, you do have to mind your head on these and the main staircase. Just remember to duck. When you book this property, you can see the staircases in the photos, so you do know this is how the house is built. The reward is the beautiful terrace overlooking the roof tops of the Old Town, the nearby Church of Agios Nikolaos with its bell tower and minaret, and the hourly chimes of the bells.
Our stay coincided with Greek Easter, our host kindly provided the candles for the service on Holy Saturday. It was very moving to be able to participate in this important event in the Greek Orthodox Church. We headed home with our candles alight and went up to the roof terrace to enjoy the fireworks. A memorable moment indeed.
Stavroula suggested some places to eat, most of which are just a few minutes walk away. The Ginger Concept is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Friendly service, great music, excellent food. For a good value traditional lunch, in a modern canteen setting, you can't beat Kouzina EPE. Proper home cooked food, lovingly prepared. For dinner, with excellent service, harbour views and a modern menu, Salis is the place to be and to be seen. It has a long wine list, a fabulous wine cellar and is part owned by Manousakis Winery.
The bedroom and living area/kitchen is blissfully cool, when the sun is bearing down in the summer, they offer a cool sanctuary after a busy day in Chania, sightseeing or on the beach.
We absolutely loved staying here. We felt part of the community, greeting our neighbours daily, eating at local family run establishments, shopping at the market. Very sad to have had to leave.