Chania prefecture covers the west part of Crete Island, expands 2.376 m2 and has a population of 140.000 citizens (muster roll 1991). It is divided in 5 provinces and its metropolis is the city of Chania. It is separated in 23 municipalities and 2 communities. The north side of Chania prefecture ends at 3 peninsulas and has many hospitable beaches. The south shores of Crete, which are mapped by the Lybian sea, is where the sun shines the most. Chania prefecture spans a large part of the western area of the island from north to south. The city of Chania is build on the ruins of ancient Kydonia, a powerful, commercial town in post-Minoan years. Chania was conquered by the Romans in 69BC and was handed over to the Byzantines in 325AC. In 823AC it was conquered by the Arabs until 1204 when the Venice domination begun. During those years the city of Chania thrived commercially, economically and intellectually so much that it was called “Venice of the East”. In 1645 the Turks occupy Chania until the 1st of December, 1913 when Crete is united with the rest of Greece. Visitors in the prefecture of Chania can enjoy the city of Chania which combines the new and modern with the old. The Old Town and the Old Harbor, with evident Venetian influence, constitute the trademark of the city. Also interesting is the Public Market, the Public Garden, the Naval Museum as well as the Archaeological Museum. Other places you should visit are the Venizelos Tombs in the Akrotiri area, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire city of Chania, Eleftherios Venizelos’s house in Mournies, the Samaria gorge, which is the biggest in Europe and the village of Fragokastello in the south-eastern part of the Sfakia province. The ancient town Falassarna, the ancient Aptera, one of the most important archaeological sites in western Crete, the Chrissopigi, Agia Triada, Tsagarolon, Gouverneto monasteries and the Kournas lake in the eastern part of the municipality are also areas of great interest. Last but not least, the palm forest in Preveli, the historic village of Sfakia, Paleochora, Elafonisos and the dream islands of Gavdos and Gavdopoula outline one of the most beautiful places in Greece. (source: Chania-Citizen Guide) | 
