Chania (Crete)

Untrod, untravelled yet a muse for artists and poets since time immemorial, Chania is a cultural crossroads where eclectic architecture bears witness to ancient empires. Lose yourself in narrow streets lined with Venetian townhouses and Byzantine churches, where hidden corners reveal bougainvillaea-covered courtyards and well-worn workshops. Woodcarvers and weavers flaunt their wares in covered markets, stalls piled high with olive oil and fragrant herbs from the surrounding hillsides. Beyond the ancient shipyards and leather tanneries of Halepa, a Homeric wonderland of fathomless beaches is rendered in shades of dazzling blue. Lazy afternoons turn into romantic evenings at harbourside restaurants, where pastel sunsets streak the sky and the Egyptian lighthouse stands tall.