Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most of the Old Town is pedestrianised. There's free parking just west of Firkas Fortress
and along the waterfront towards Nea Hora beach.
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Akrotiri PeninsulaΧερσόνησος Ακρωτήρι
The Akrotiri Peninsula, to the northeast of Hania, is a barren, hilly stretch of rock
covered with scrub. It has a few coastal resorts, Hania's airport and a massive NATO
naval base on Souda Bay. Buses travel out here, but if you're driving, the poorly signpos-
ted roads can make it a difficult region to explore. Near Akrotiri's northern tip, sandy
Stavros Beach
is good for a dip and is famous as the backdrop for the final dancing
scene in
Zorba the Greek
. Five buses Monday to Friday and three on Saturday travel out
to Stavros (€2.10, 30 minutes). A taxi should be about €25.
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KissamosΚίσσαμος
POP 10,800
About 40km west of Hania, Kissamos exudes an unpolished, almost gritty, air compared
to other north-coast towns. This is not a place given entirely over to tourism. There are
two beaches in town, separated by a waterfront promenade: the sandy
Mavros Molos
in
the west and the pebbly
Telonio beach
to the east.
Kissamos was the harbour of the Dorian city-state of Polyrrina and reached its heyday
during Roman times, from which many vestiges have been dug up and are now displayed
in the local museum and the archaeological museums of Hania and Iraklio.
Sights
Archaeological Museum of Kissamos
MUSEUM
( 28220 83308; Plateia Tzanakaki; adult/concession €2/1; 8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun)
In an im-
posing two-level Venetian-Turkish building on the main square, this museum presents
locally excavated treasure, including statues, jewellery, coins and a large mosaic floor
from a Kissamos villa. Most items are from the Hellenistic and Roman eras, though there
are also some Minoan objects.
