Chania is a city of Greece and the capital of the Chania regional unit. It lies along the north coast of the island Crete, about 70 km (43 mi) west of Rethymno and 145 km (90 mi) west of Heraklion.

The municipality has 108,642 inhabitants (2011). This consists of the city of Chania and several nearby areas.

Culture

There are several museums, art galleries, theatre and music groups, educational and research institutions within the city.

The most important museums in Chania are:

• Archeological Museum of Chania in Saint Francis Monastery. It houses findings from different parts of the county and from several historical and prehistorical periods of the local history (Neolithic to Roman)
• Folklore Museum (Old Town)
• Historical Archive (the second most important in Greece)
• Nautical Museum of Crete (Old Town)
• Municipal Art Gallery
• Byzantine/Post-Byzantine Collection (Old Town)
• House of Eleftherios Venizelos
• War Museum
• Museum of Chemistry
• School life museum
• Museum of Typography, Chania

Several theatre groups are active in Chania with the most important being the Municipal and Regional Theatre of Crete (DI.PE.THE.K). The repertoire includes old and contemporary plays from Greek and foreign writers. The Venizelian Conservatory of Music (“Odeion”, established 1931) is also one of the most important cultural societies in Crete. A recent attempt from the municipality to create a chamber music group named “Sinfonietta” has been successful and its performances throughout the year have enriched the cultural event calendar of the city. There is also a significant community of people who focus on alternative/indie music as well as jazz and bands performing modern musical styles. A number of traditional [Cretan] musicians are also active in town.

There are five cinemas (two of them open-air), concentrating both in commercial and independent movies and occasionally organizing small festivals.

There are numerous cafes, restaurants and bars throughout the Old Town and especially around the old Venetian harbour and at Splantzia square, but also along the waterfront of the Koum Kapi and Nea Hora neighbourhoods. In summer, the bars and restaurants at Platanias and Agia Marina are also busy.

During the summer period a variety of cultural events take place on a daily basis. Theatrical plays, concerts and several exhibitions from Greek and foreign artists are organized either by the municipality or by individuals. A venue which hosts many of these events is a theater located in the east bulwark of the Old Town (“Anatoliki Tafros”). Also, several festivals, conferences and sport events take place in Chania, especially between May and September. The Venizeleia athletics competition is one of the most noteworthy events of the year.

A major role in the city’s cultural life is played by the Municipal Cultural Corporation of Chania (DI.P.E.X.) which organizes a significant part of the events taking place throughout the year.

There are a French, a German, an Italian and a Swedish consulate in Chania.

Education and research

Educational institutions located at the greater area of the city are:

• Technical University of Crete
• The Chania branch of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete
• The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania
• The Merchant Marine Academy of Crete (AEN KRITIS)

Other research and intellectual institutes and societies in Chania are:

• The National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”
• The Mediterranean Architecture Centre (KAM)
• The Institute of Olive Tree and Subtropical Plants of Chania
• The Institute of Cretan Law
• The Historical, Laographical and Archaeological Society of Crete
• Institute of Regional Press, Chania

Primary and secondary schools are mainly public in Chania (as in all cities in Greece). However, there has been a slow development of some private high schools recently. Among the “Eniaia Lykeia” (Unified Upper Secondary Schools) of the town there is an autonomous Ecclesiastical Lyceum in Agios Mattheos.

Economy

Two main sources of wealth in Chania are agriculture and tourism. A big portion of the city’s residents (not necessarily farmers) own from few to many decares of agricultural land where several plants are being cultivated, the most common ones being olive trees and citrus. Other important products include wine, avocados, dairy etc. Apart from the traditional ways of cultivation, some of the producers have concentrated on practicing new methods in order to promote organic food. The organization of the Agricultural August has been a recent attempt to promote local quality products including a series of activities organised by the Prefecture of Chania since 1999 has proved very successful.

On the other hand, starting from the early 1970s, tourism has developed rapidly. Nowadays the tertiary sector is becoming more and more important for the locals, since an increasing number of them are participating in the business. Agrotourism and ecotourism are forms of tourism which are significantly developing lately.

There is also some secondary industry with focus on the processing-packaging of agricultural products (some of them export oriented) or manufacture products that support the agricultural production.

An important centre of the economic activities in the town is the Chania Chamber of Commerce and Industry (E.B.E.X.).

Health care

The main hospital in the city is the General Hospital “Agios Georgios”. Other health institutions include the Crete Naval Hospital, the branch of the National Centre for Emergency Medical Care (E.K.A.B.) and the Clinic of Chronic Disease. The Chania branch of the Organisation Against Drugs (Ο.ΚΑ.ΝΑ.) opened in 2003.

There is also a number of private clinics (e.g. Iasis and Central Clinic of Chania) as well as medical centres specialising in various areas within the city.

Transport

The city is served by Chania International Airport (IATA code: CHQ) 14 km from Chania on the Akrotiri Peninsula. The airport is named after Daskalogiannis, a Sfakiot hero who was skinned by the Ottomans in the 18th century.

There are several flights a day from Athens to Chania, with Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airlines. From April-early November, there are many direct charter flights to Chania from the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and other European countries.

Souda, some 7 km (4.3 mi) from Chania, is the city’s port, with daily ferries to Piraeus and a hosting a major Greek and NATO naval base.