The Region of Chania, due to its natural beauty and variety of sights, attracts many tourist from all over the world. The Town Chania{Hania} also accepts visitors who are interested in economical activities in the area, as well as scientists and educators, who are interested in historical files, historical monuments and museums or are interested to visit the Technical University of Crete,
 which is an important research center. The following diagrams show the tourist movement in the area of Chania during
 the last decade. The elements are from official sources. The county of Chania covers the western part of Crete and has an area of 2.376 km2 and with a population of 140,000 residents (1991 inventory). The county is divided into 5 provinces with the capital the city of Chania (52.000 population). Since 1999 the county is divided into 23 counties and 2 provinces. The north area of the county with very welcome seas ends up to 3 peninsulas. Concerning the south side of the island towards the Libyan sea it presents the biggest amount of sunlight in Europe. North, west and south the county is surrounded by sea.
History  of Chania

Hania is built on the site of the ancient city of Kydonia. This site was inhabited from Neolithic times and through all phases of the Minoan Period. Kydonia developed into a very important center of the Minoan civilization and it was famous for its pottery workshops. During the Roman period Kydonia was an important city. Kydonia was destroyed in 828 AD by the Saracene pirates. During the Byzantine period Hania ceased to be an important city. When the Venetians came they settled in Kastelli, the hill which commands the harbor, and they fortified it. They built there their cathedral, Santa Maria, as well as a palace, theatre and houses for their nobility. The city flourished as an economical and intellectual center. The fear of a Turkish invasion forced the Venetians to enclose the entire town with a wall and a moat. In 1645 the Turks occupied Hania after a two months siege. In 1850 they transferred the capital of the island there. With the liberation of Crete from the Turks, in 1897, Hania became the capital of the autonomous Cretan State. In 1913, along with the rest of Crete, it was united with the rest of the Greek State.  Hania was the birth place of one of the greatest statesman of the new Hellenic Republic, Eleftherios Venizelos.

Venizelos' influence on the history of Greece was paramount, from his participation to the talks with the Ottomans that resulted to granting Crete independence in 1897, to the final union of Crete with Greece in 1913. The Public Market is an impressive building, in the town center, built at the beginning of the present century (1911) and houses grocery stores, butchers' shops, a fish market and vegetable shops.

The Public Gardens, next to the Market, are ideal for those in search of shade and tranquillity.Northeast of the gardens is the beautiful neighborhood of Chalepa where the residences of Prince George and Eleftherios Venizelos were.The old city has preserved to a great extent the distinctive atmosphere and charm of the Venetian and Turkish periods. Entire Venetian, Turkish and Jewish quarters are saved, with well preserved buildings in the narrow picturesque streets.   One of the most significant buildings is the large Venetian church of Aghios Frankiskos which today houses the Archaeological Museum of Hania.The old city leads at the harbor, where many Venetian and Turkish buildings are preserved. At the entrance of the harbor, at its northerst point, is the renovated fort "Firkas", built on 1629, that today houses the Maritime Museum of Hania as well as a summer theatre, where drama performances are presented.Opposite the Firkas fort, is the magnificent Venetian lighthouse, built on the 16 century and restored by the Egyptians.The harbor is protected by a Venetian breakwater, built of huge stones. At the center of the breakwater are the ruins of a fortress. West of Hania, at a distance of 4.5 km, is the hill of Profitis Ilias, where the memorial and tomb of Eleftherios Venizelos and his son Sophokles are located. Hania can be the starting point for a tour to the western Crete, a part of the island with magnificent natural beauty. There are lots of places worth seeing , within driving distance (two to three hours) , the most famous being the Samaria Gorge. This is a National Park of Greece that starts at the village of Omalos, at an altitude of 1227 m. and ends after a walk of approximately 18 Km to the beach of Agia Roumeli. The Gorge is open from May to the beginning of October and is definitely a must for everyone.
Hania offers a large number of accommodation in hotels of all categories. There are also guest houses and hostels.