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Sustainable Exploration

We believe in responsible tourism. Sea Kayaking Chania is committed to preserving the beauty of our surroundings. Our initiatives focus on eco-friendly practices, community engagement, and supporting local conservation efforts. We aim to leave a positive impact on the environment while creating lasting memories for our guests.

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Whether you’re an experienced sea kayaker or a first timer, a history enthusiast, nature lover, or simply seeking an unforgettable adventure, Sea Kayaking Chania welcomes you. Embark on a voyage with us, where the past meets the present, and where every paddle stroke unveils the timeless stories of Crete’s history.
Sea Kayaking Chania – Your doorway to an expedition through time and nature.

Basic History for Chania

Chania or Hania as often is spelled or from the Venetian time Al Canea, is the capital city of the Chania regional unit.
​It lies along the north west coast of the island Crete, and, the municipality has close to 110000 inhabitants.

Chania is the site of the Minoan settlement the Greeks called Kydonia, the source of the word quince. Some notable archaeological evidence for the existence of this Minoan city below some parts of today’s Chania was found by excavation in the district of Kasteli in the Old Town. This area appears to have been inhabited since the Neolithic era. The city reemerged after the end of the Minoan period as an important city-state in Classical Greece, one whose domain extended from Chania Bay to the feet of the White Mountains. Kydonia was important enough for the Kydonians to be mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey. In 69 BC, the Roman consul Caecilius Metellus defeated the Cretans and conquered Kydonia to which he granted the privileges of an independent city-state.
Under the Arabs, the Christian population was persecuted and moved to the mountains. The Byzantine Empire retook the city in 961 AD. In this period the Arabic name of the city was changed into Greek Chania. Byzantines began to strongly fortify the city in order to prevent another Arab invasion, using materials from the ancient buildings of the area.
Venetian era
In the aftermath of the 4th Crusade Crete ended being sold to the Venetians for 100 silver marks by Bonifacio, Marquess of Montferrat. In 1252 the Venetians managed to subdue the Cretans but in 1263, their rivals of Genoa, with local support, seized the city under the leadership of Enrico Pescatore, count of Malta, and held it until 1285, when the Venetians returned. Chania was chosen as the seat of the Rector (Administrator General) of the region and flourished as a significant commercial centre of a fertile agricultural region.
The Venetian rule was initially strict and oppressive but slowly the relations between the two parts improved. Contact with Venice led to close intertwining of Cretan and Venetian cultures, without, however, the Cretans losing their Greek Orthodox nature. The city’s name became La Canea and its fortifications were strengthened, giving Chania the form that it still has today. On the other hand, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, many priests, monks and artists took refuge in Crete and reinforced the Byzantine religion and culture on the island. The city of Chania during the period that followed was a blend of Byzantine, Venetian, and Classical Greek cultural elements. Many of the important buildings of the town were built during this era and the intellectual activities (written word, music, education) were also promoted.
Ottoman era
​During the opening months of the Cretan War (1645–1669) the city’s walls did not prevent an Ottoman army from capturing it from the Venetians after a two-month siege. Many Cretans fled to escape persecution, many others were slaughtered or converted to Islam, while numerous Turkish Muslim settlers arrived changing the ethnic mix of the city.
Muslims resided mainly in the eastern quarters, Kastelli and Splantzia, where they converted the Dominican church of St Nicholas into the central Sovereign’s Mosque (Turkish: Hünkar Camısı). They also built new mosques such as the Küçük Hasan Pasha Mosque or Yali Mosque on the harbour. Public baths (hamam), and fountains were a feature of the Ottoman city. The pasha of Crete resided in Chania.
The city remained under Ottoman control despite fighting during the Greek War of Independence (1821-29), the Cretan Revolt (1866–1869) and the Cretan Revolt (1878). Due to the island’s mixture of Muslim and Christian residents, Crete was the subject of international debate between the European great powers, most notably at the Treaty of Berlin (1878) which resulted in the Pact of Halepa. During the 19th and early 20th century inter-ethnic violence on Crete eventually led to the mass migration of the island’s local Muslim population to other Mediterranean islands or coastal cities. Mass conversions also occurred. The population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1922 resulted in the deportation of the island’s last Muslim residents.