The 15 Best Chania Old Town Tours

1.Cruise to Balos Lagoon and Chania Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 526 reviews · 14.5 - 16 hours · from $88Our pick

Join Cretan Odyssey for a full-day trip from Heraklion to Balos Lagoon and Chania. Guides speak English, German, French, Italian, and Polish. Expect a long coach ride, a five-hour cruise, swimming at Balos, and two hours in Chania’s old town.

“All transport comfortable and on time. Guide informative and helpful throughout day. Enough time to explore Chania and visit Balas beach, very worthwhile trip, beautiful areas. Bring a jumper for boat etc. Excursion was everything as described and well planned out. Would recommend!”

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2.Full-Day Samaria Gorge Chania Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 91 reviews · 15 hours (approx.) · from $36Best value

Start before sunrise from Chania, ride to Omalos, and hike 16 kilometers through Samaria Gorge National Park. Guides such as Sara, Christina, Thomas, and Nikos help with timing and trail advice, while the tour handles the bus and ferry connections. Bring sturdy shoes, snacks, and money for extra fees.

“Such a beautiful gorge. You get lots of information about the gorge on the route to the starting point. Breakfast at the plateau, toilet break and then you commence the downwards hike. It's so convenient having the coach drop you off and pick you up. The end point isn't accessible by car so this is the only real way to do it unless you want to spend 5 hours walking back up at the hottest part of the day.”

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3.Sunset Craft Beer & Food Tour – Chania Old Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $132Top rated

Join Marie Claire or Stelios for a 3.5-hour walk through Chania’s Old Port, pairing six Greek craft beers with a full Cretan tasting menu. Visit an acclaimed restaurant, sip beer by the Lighthouse at sunset, and finish at a local pub with practical tips for the rest of your stay.

“Enthusiastic hosts and very knowledgeable. Great beers and food pairing. A fun night with fellow travellers. Thanks again”

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4.Chania old town and around private tour (price per group of 6)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 85 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.)

Spend five to six hours with a private English-speaking guide such as George, Petros, Peter, or Elsa. Walk Chania’s old town, see the Venetian harbor, lighthouse, fortress, shipyards, Minoan ruins, Souda Bay cemetery, and Venizelos Graves, with time for lunch and local shopping.

“In one word Awful!!! It was a complete waste of my time & money!! Firstly the guide sent me a nasty message bullying me into removing bad feedback which I did not leave, why would I complain about Cruise ship people when I was on a cruise ship! Obviously someone else had a bad experience on tour with this guide. Secondly I paid a lot of money for the two hours we toured with this guide, we didn’t leave an hour earlier we left two hours early! We didn’t see the reason in torturing ourselves any longer with this guide as we didn’t see anything of interest a closed Synagogue…”

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5.Day trip to Chania old Town,Kournas Lake& Rethymno

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 61 reviews · 9 - 11 hours · from $37

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Heraklion-area hotels to Chania’s Venetian port, Lake Kournas, and Rethymno’s old town. A multilingual guide leads the day in English, German, French, or Polish. You get scenic stops and free time, but three destinations mean a packed schedule and plenty of bus time.

“Super hyggeligt tur, der var styr på det hele ☺️”

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6.Chania Walking Food Tours Crete with a local!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 61 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $107

Start at Chania’s Old Market at 9:30 a.m. and walk through the old town with Stella or another Hellenic Odyssey guide. Expect Greek coffee, bougatsa, pastries, cheeses, honey, olive oil, seasonal produce, and lunch at a local restaurant, plus stories about Cretan food and culture.

“This is a delicious way to see Chania! Our tour guide Stella was so knowledgeable about this areas history and was so lovely as our guide.”

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7.Chania Old City Discovery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $68

Ride a Segway through Chania’s Old Town and Venetian Harbor in a group of up to six. You’ll get practice, a helmet, water, and a headset with prerecorded history. Expect stops at the market, cathedral, synagogue, Firkas Fortress, Neoria, and Giali Tzamisi.

“Lots of fun. We were bit nervous about segways as we never did them before. After quick lesson, we were comfortable pretty quick. Lots of fun --Greatly enjoyed!”

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8.Chania Guided Snorkeling and Boat Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $83

From Salty Descents in Kalyves, you’ll take a small boat to two snorkeling sites along Crete’s coast. Guides such as Joanna, George, and Ioanna provide gear, safety help, local context, fruit, and water. Expect about 3 to 4 hours, with pickup available across the Chania region.

“What a great experience! Crystal clear waters for viewing fish, stunning backdrop of the mountains and friendly and informational tour guides. Would highly recommend this tour!”

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9.Cruise Ship Guest Beer & Food Tour – Chania Old Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $108

Join Marie Claire or Stellios, also known as Clyde, for a three-hour walking food and beer tour through Chania’s Old Port. Visit three venues, taste five Greek craft beers with Cretan dishes, sample Greek produce, and finish at a relaxed local beer pub by 3pm, leaving time to return to your cruise ship.

“We had wonderful tour with MC. She is very knowledgeable of the area and made the experience of Chania very memorable. Even if your not a huge beer drinker I highly recommend this tour she incorporates so much more!”

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10.Chania Old Town Artisans and Sightseeing Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $108

Walk Chania’s Old Town with local guide Sophia on a private 3 to 4 hour tour. Start with bougatsa and coffee, then see the cathedral, mosque, Venetian dockyards, fortifications, Byzantine walls, local food spots, and an engaging filo-making demonstration.

“Highly recommend this tour. We went with our two young adult children and Sophia was a fabulous guide. Full of information and personality. She helped to steer our tour to highlight our interests. We loved all the sources she gave us and she found wonderful photo opportunities. It was a fascinating review of the history, culture, and artisans of this area. We hope to be able to come back for a much longer stay next time and I know Sophia will have more to teach us. The filo making demonstration was absolutely a must for any “foodies”. We ate delicious food along the way and there was never any pressure.…”

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11.Chania old town, mountains, restaurant Private Tour (group of 6)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.)

This 6 to 7-hour private tour with guides such as George and Peter joins Chania’s old town with Theriso Gorge, mountain villages, historic sites, and a wood-fired lunch at Ntounias. Pickup is available near Chania, and the group price suits six people sharing a vehicle.

“George was amazing! The tour of town was very informative. Cool little stops along the way made it special. The gorge and lunch was special experience. The flavors were incredible.”

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12.Chania Walking Food And Wine Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19 reviews · 3 hours · from $141

Spend three hours with local host Stella tasting Cretan cheeses, kalitsounia, sfakianopita, loukoumades, wine, olive oil, honey, and raki. Walk from Chania’s central market through the old town to the lighthouse and Yali Mosque, ending with dinner at a traditional restaurant.

“Oh my gosh this tour was amazing! This was one of the best tours for tourists to experience the Greece culture. Stella was an amazing tour guide and she really knows her history and stuff. She is amazing! Don’t book with anyone else beside Stella!”

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13.CHANIA WALKING FOOD TOURS – 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 15 reviews · 3 hours · from $117

Walk Chania with Stella of The Hellenic Odyssey, stopping at eight food and culture sites for at least 15 tastings. Try bougatsa, Greek coffee, loukoumades, Cretan cheese, bakery treats, seasonal produce, and lunch at a traditional restaurant while learning about local life.

“Great tastes, very knowledgeable guide who made sure everyone was included. Great way to spend an evening making new friends.”

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14.Chania Old Town: Artisans & Sightseeing Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 11 reviews · 3 hours · from $117

Start with Chania bougatsa and coffee, then follow a local guide through the Old Town, a folklore atelier, artisan workshops, and modern studios. Sofia, Anna, and Olga have led this private experience, which also includes Cretan olive oil, thyme honey, and the best photo stops.

“Our guide Sofia was brilliant. She was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, entertaining, energetic, and had excellent English. Sofia provided insights into the history, culture, and crafts that make Crete so special. We were able to appreciate and enjoy so much that Chania had to offer in a way we could not have done on our own. Her generosity went far beyond the tour with recommendations of further places to eat and visit. We would highly recommend this tour and Sofia.”

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15.Chania Old Town, Rethymno & Kournas Lake

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 10 reviews · from $41

See three of West Crete’s best-known sights in one long day. Your multilingual guide leads you through Chania and Rethymno, while Lake Kournas offers time for swimming, a pedalo ride, or a lakeside meal. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and free cancellation are included.

“We had a pleasant and knowledgeable tour guide. Three destinations is a lot given the long travel time, so there isn't usually enough time. However, everything was well organized and the email communication beforehand was friendly and reliable.”

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