Location of Chania in Greece and the World
The city of Chania (also spelled Hania) is located on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. Crete rests about 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland.
Traveling to Chania
Arriving by air
Chania Airport (IATA code: CHQ) is located on the peninsula of Akrotiri (or Souda), about 20 minutes (14 km) from Chania. Chania Airport operates domestic flights to and from Athens Airport, Thessaloniki Airport and other airports in Greece. From April to early November, there are many direct charter flights to Chania Airport from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia and other European countries.
More information: https://www.chania-airport.com/
Traveling via Athens, Greece
Some international participants may choose to travel via Athens, the capital of Greece. Check with your local airlines for the most up to date flight schedules.
The Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” (IATA code: ATH) is serviced by all major airlines, offering direct non-stop flights from/to most of the major European cities, New York, Philadelphia, Montreal/Toronto, North Africa, Gulf States, South Africa, and easy connections to the rest of the world. ATH is also serviced by low-cost and/or charter airlines that offer attractive packages.
More information: https://www.aia.gr/traveler/
Arriving by sea
There is a ship/ferry from Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Souda Bay (Chania). The route Piraeus to Chania is operated (all year round) by two companies: ANEK-Superfast and Minoan Lines. The trip duration is around 9 hours depending on the type of vessel.
Language and currency
The official and national language of Greece is Greek. It is written in the Greek alphabet. In some tourist areas, you will also find street names and signs transliterated into the Latin script. Many Greeks speak English, French, German or Italian as a foreign language.
Greece uses Euro (EUR) as currency. Major debit and credit cards are accepted in larger cities and tourist areas in Greece. When shopping, however, you may get better deals with merchants with cash than debit or credit cards. You can withdraw Euros from ATM machines.
If you have a permanent non-EU residence and are planning to do some shopping during your stay in Greece, you may be interested to learn some tips and guidelines for tax free shopping.
Electricity, plugs and sockets
Electrical supply is 230 V, 50 Hz AC. Greece uses the standard European (round-pronged) plugs and power sockets. In technical terms, sockets are “type C” or “type F” (also known as “Schuko”), and they work with corresponding plugs (type C, E, F).
Visa requirements
Citizens of some countries need an entry visa for Greece. For more information, check out the detailed visa information page.