Souda-Chania

Souda Bay sits about four kilometres southeast of Chania on Crete's north coast, where the port sits at the head of Souda Bay and serves as an important naval and ferry port. Ships dock here to access Chania, the island's second-largest city. The port itself is minimally equipped, but buses run every five minutes during peak season and take about fifteen minutes to reach central Chania.

Chania's old town draws most visitors. The harbor was built by the Venetians in the 14th century and has been integral to all who occupied Crete since then, including the Turkish, Egyptians, and finally Greeks, with the old architecture including the Lighthouse of Chania, one of the oldest in the world. Despite heavy bombing during the Second World War, the Old Town is considered Crete's most beautiful urban district, especially the old Venetian harbor. Cobbled streets lined with colourful townhouses wind down toward the harbour, where you'll find authentic local dining in the Turkish quarter and Topanas, the Venetian district, with its beautiful mansions.

The area around the port has strong historical roots. Chania was built on the ruins of Kydonia, an old town from Minoan times, with ruins in the district of Kasteli thought to date back around 5,000 years. Souda Bay itself is a strategic commercial and military harbor since ancient times, with the Aptera Fortress and the oldest Ottoman building in Crete nearby.

Weather in the region is warm Mediterranean. Summer months from June to August reach highs of around 25 degrees Celsius, while between December and March temperatures average roughly 12 degrees Celsius.

For those staying longer at the port itself, Souda Bay offers a sheltered horseshoe of pristine sand and sparkling sea, with reminders of World War action at the cemetery and across the bay the fortressed Island of Souda, once a battleground between Greeks and Ottomans. The Allied War Cemetery holds memorials for the fallen in both World Wars with graves of more than 1,500 servicepeople, and the Battle of Crete memorial is held there every May.