Chania; Sunday, 26 July, 2020

After a good nights sleep I headed down to the Covid-Secure breakfast – gone was the buffet and self-selection, instead it was waiter service from a limited menu, but the food was good and filling and probably better portioned than the hands on help-yourself method of a buffet.

Breakfast completed I headed out of the hotel and wandered back down to the beach and then started following the headland round, past the Venetian walls and ramparts to the far end of the harbour and where the harbour wall joins the land. From here its possible to walk out along the harbour wall towards the lighthouse at the far end. About half way along is the Bastion of Agios Nikolaos of Molos, from which there were excellent views across the whole of the harbour. I continued on walking and eventually made it to the Lighthouse end. By now the temperatures had really started to climb, so I was quite glad that down here the wind was quite strong and took several degrees off of the temperatures.

I walked back along the top of the wall back to land and then wandered round the corner to find a nice taverna by the harbour side to stop for some well-earned water and a quick lunch. Lunch completed I headed on further round the harbour taking in the various sights, including stopping for an actual drink at one of the many bars.

Back in the main part of the harbour I’d timed it just right to catch one of the glass-bottom boat tours that leave to head out to the small island of Lazareta located just off the shore. The tour heads out from the harbour and then moors up just off the island for about 20 minutes allowing people to observe the fish through the glass bottom, or to snorkel or swim. I decided to stay in the shade of the boat and watch the fish. After the pause the boat headed back into the old harbour, but did a quick tour round the whole of the harbour area with the guide talking about the different buildings that surround the harbour.

Having disembarked I headed back up through town and had a wander through the many narrow lanes of the old town, eventually popping out back by the old market and my hotel. I headed back into my hotel to freshen up.

A little later I headed back out of the hotel and over to the western side of the old town. I headed over to the western portion of the old Venetian walls and fortifications that protected the old town in the past. I had intended on heading up one of the bastions for the views from the top, but access to the Schiavo Bastion Lookout was fenced off, and a short walk round to the other side revealed why as large portions of the stonework had fallen away leaving the bare earth, which was also clearly starting to slide as well. Instead I headed up onto the much more robust western walls and followed them down towards the harbour.

I arrived just as the sun was starting to set behind the distant headland so I was able to get some good photos with the last of days light hitting both the lighthouse and the Firka castle.

As I was already down by the harbour, and it was getting dark, I wandered round past the restaurants and found a suitable one for dinner.

After dinner I had a bit more of a wander around the old town, before heading back to the hotel and turning in for the night.