Day trip to Chania city and Kournas Lake from Rethymno

On this route, we start from Rethymno or pick up service near the hotel at 07:00 in the morning.

Chania is a small picturesque town worth getting to know and is also one of the places you are most likely to see. Always the first thing you hear about Chania - the Venetia Harbour, the old port, the narrow shopping streets, museums, and churches. Kournas Lake is the largest natural lake in Crete and is surrounded by hills. Is the southernmost lake in Europe, formed by the not possible drainage of groundwater and meltwater from the White Mountains in the impermeable rock formations.

Our first stop is at Chania City where you will spend 3.5 hours there and you can stroll through the picturesque alleys, see the imposing lighthouse and wander through Municipal Market. You can walk in the beautiful city of Chania starting from the Municipal Market.

Ιts construction was completed in 1913 and the formal opening was made by Eleftherios Venizelos on 4th December 1913 as part of the celebrations for the Unification of Crete to Greece. At the impressive market, built-in 1913, you will find a lot of shops selling traditional products such as spices, local cheeses, or pastries. At the back side of the Market, you will find “Sklydor” street, locally called “Stivanadika”, where you will find numerous leather goods and souvenirs. At the end of this street is the most popular street in the old town, Halidon Street. There you will find the Orthodox Church of the Three Martyrs, while across there are the Folklore and the Archaeological Museum of the city built in 1963 with exhibits from the Neolithic period to the Roman era. It is also worth wandering in the picturesque alleys of the city, while heading south, you will meet the picturesque Venetian harbor of the city. There, you can enjoy your coffee or ice cream, and if you are more romantic try a carriage trip. On the left side of the harbor, there is the naval museum of the city, while on the right side, there is the imposing Lighthouse (1595-1601), 21m high on the edge of the Venetian harbor and a landmark of the city. 

Lake Kournas |

You will have 1.5 hours of free time exploring the lake or enjoying your meal at the local tavernas. A peaceful view of the lake, which is surrounded by mountains, and a friendly welcome in the local shops complete a remarkable scenery.

The lake was known as Korisia in antiquity and is nowadays a destination attracting thousands of visitors every year. The lake’s water increases during winter, from adjacent sources in the mountains, and decreases in summer revealing a gold sandy strip. The shallow clear waters at the shore gradually get darker towards the center of the lake, reaching a maximum depth of 22.5m. Home to a large number of birds and animals, Lake Kournas is the place where you can encounter moorhens, ducks, geese, herons, cormorants, eels, water snakes, goldfish, and rare species of turtles that are permanent residents of this friendly wetland.

Have a nice tour!