Sette Venti Boutique Hotel

Crete’s second city is nicknamed the “Venice of the East” – for the mansions, churches and walls left behind by centuries of Serenissima rule. They line the lanes around a bijou harbour of cafés and restaurants, framed by the striking Egyptian lighthouse and an Ottoman mosque. Cretan cuisine is among Greece’s finest, and beaches along the coast are a cheese-pie toss away. One of the big island’s two international airports is here, so arriving is easy-peasy. Check in at one of the best hotels in Chania, and your holiday’s already perfection.