The Small Venetian House

Rooms

As its name suggests, this is not a stately home, but a bijou 15th-century townhouse spread over 3 storeys, with one good-sized room on each and a roof terrace at the top.

You enter from a pedestrian lane into a large kitchen-diner, with tall beamed ceilings and butter coloured walls, whose exposed stone borders and salvaged marble handbasin hint at the Venetian masonry beneath. At one end is a smallish table with 4 of those petite wood-and-wicker chairs you used to see in tavernas across Greece, before the tsunami of cheap plastic hit. Framed 1950s posters for Fix beer and Noynoy milk complete the nostalgic feel... tempered, perhaps, by the shiny new guest bicycles and functional recycling bins at the other end of the room.

One flight up is the sitting room, similar in size and feel, with two tall windows over the pedestrian lane and two side windows to keep it bright and airy. The big sofa faces an 'entertainment table' with satellite TV, DVD player, sound box (CD, radio but no ipod dock) and - unexpectedly - a printer for those with their own laptop (WiFi is free). Two blue sit-on cubes metamorphose into the most stylish and comfy foldaway beds we have ever tried (we didn't actually sleep on them, but Tassos raved so highly we felt obliged to perform a test siesta) - well done, BoConcept!

The top floor houses the main bedroom, whose twin beds come with zippable Cocomat mattresses - the undisputed king of Greek sleep comfort, and devotedly ecological too. There are down duvets for winter, light bedspreads for summer (all whiter than snow); Starck ghost chairs and a mini chandelier for a touch of tasteful bling. The adjacent bathroom is small but clean and functional, with a glass shower quadrant and not much elbow room.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• Iron
• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

The open-plan kitchen is sensibly laid out and fairly well equipped: electric oven, 4 rings, sink, fridge-freezer, plenty of surface space and most of the bits and bobs you could need (juicer, grater, sharp knives etc) - but no microwave or dishwasher. There's a kettle, a briki for cooking up Greek espresso, and a filter machine too. Come in spring or summer, and Tassos and Mucki might have left some fresh fruit from their gardens on Chania's suburbs.

If you've got the energy, you can carry your breakfast or dinner up 3 flights of stairs to the roof terrace, where a wooden table with 4 chairs and 2 oversize lanterns awaits. Beyond the potted pink geraniums and oleander, you look over the jumbled old-meets-new roofscape of Chania to a strip of blue sea. There's also a utility room with a small sink and additional crockery to make life a bit easier.

If energy is in short supply, wander out to Splanzia square for coffee and backgammon under the vast plane tree, or fresh bougatsa (custard pies) and spiced biscuits from the bakery. Continue a few paces up Daskalogiannis St. to Kouzina EPE ("Kitchen Inc."), where owner-chef Despina Polaki serves a predominantly local crowd her delicious, no-frills Cretan tapas. Favourites include pies stuffed with lapatho (sorrel), marinated anchovies, and chochli boubouristi (sautéed escargots with onions, tomatoes and courgettes) for the adventurous.

If you tire of that, or if it's closed (which it does quite early on some evenings), Tassos' top tips include Karnagio by the Great Arsenal for family friendly Cretan fare (fresh orange juice for the kids, good wines for the parents, delicious stuffed aubergines and fried cheese); and The Well of the Turk for more exotic Middle Eastern and Moroccan cuisine (watermelon salad, couscous with nuts and dried fruit, chicken tagine).

Features include:

• Coffee maker
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Hob or stove
• Oven
• Restaurants nearby
• Breakfast hamper on request

Activities

• Explore Chania's charming old town: a maze of pedestrianised alleys brimming with shops, incense-laden churches and colourful Ottoman houses, some reinvented as live music bars or weaving workshops
  
  
• Stroll round the pretty fishing harbour, enclosed by the mighty 500-year-old Venetian sea wall and lighthouse; of the many boat trips, the best are with Captain Nick to the island of Ayii Theodori, a wild goat sanctuary with great snorkelling too
  
  
• Grab the guest bikes and cycle along the seafront to the sandy beach of Nea Hora (1km west), or east into Koum Kapi with its smaller beach and lively bar and café scene
  
  
• The city's Archaeological Museum (closed Monday) is the best outside Heraklion; and if you're into history, the Minoan-Hellenic-Roman hilltown of Aptera is only 15km away.
  
  
• Escape the city into the spectacular White Mountains, which reach over 2,000m and are snow-capped for 6 months of the year; popular hikes include the Samaria Gorge, Europe's longest and deepest, and the 2,080m summit of Gingilos (for experienced hikers only); both are easily arranged by public bus or private tour
  
  
• Or, on the Akrotiri peninsula beyond the airport, take a hire car or taxi to the Orthodox monastery of Giagarolou (or Ayia Triada), inhabited by a few black-clad monks and open to (appropriately dressed) visitors in the morning and late afternoon; beyond it is Gouvernetou hermitage, with a wonderful footpath past the cliffside chapel of Katholikon to an azure sea-fjord. These are easily combined with the gorgeous sandy beaches of Marathi or Stavros

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome, using one or both of the 2 foldaway beds in the living room. Given the steep stairs, it's not ideal for toddlers - but having said that, the neighbourhood is very safe and partly pedestrianised. The lane right outside the house is car-free, which is a godsend. We think it would be best for a couple with one or two children in the 4-12 year range, or with a baby.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The normal set up is to use the sitting room for 1-2 children on foldaway beds, while the parents sleep upstairs in the main bedroom. However if you want to stay up later than the kids, you may want to reverse that - the foldaway beds are surprisingly comfy.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 20 minutes
• Chemist: 1 minute
• Shops: 1 minute

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Small Venetian House is in the heart of Chania's old town, in the Splanzia district. Chania is on the north coast of Crete, towards its western tip.

By Air
From May through mid-October there are direct charter flights to Chania (Daskalogiannis) airport (15km from the town) and, more frequently, to the capital Heraklion (140km). There are also year-round flights via Athens. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

By Boat
For a more romantic approach, or in winter, you can fly into Athens and then take the overnight ferry from Athens' Piraeus to Chania-Souda. There are also occasional sailings from Gythion (Peloponnese) to Kastelli, also called Kissamos.

From the Airport/Port
There are regular buses to Chania (get off at the covered market and walk 5 minutes), or you can get a taxi (which will drop you about 30m from the door). The owners can prebook a transfer for you if required (sometimes they can collect you in person).

By Car
If you are thinking of hiring a car, be aware that parking is extremely difficult, and many roads are pedestrianised or one-way. For car hire see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Greece and getting around