Chania itself will take up a day. Limnoupolis water park http://www.limnoupolis.gr/ is excellent. Take in the White Mountains and the South Coast. We're on our umpteenth (I know it's more than 10, but I've lost the exact figure!) visit to Crete in September and there is always something stunning to see!

Having trouble with that link, it keeps making my computer crash

But thanks for the reply. The boys should love the water park, glasd there's one in the vicinity. Really looking forward to going - any historical sites not to be missed?

Sorry about that.. - it opens fine for me!

You're asking the wrong person about historical sights, bit of a heathen I'm afraid! The Minoan sights are concentrated more in the east of the island but I bbelieve (don't quote me) that there is a site at Falassarna and another (not Minoan, I think) above Souda Bay.

There's also ancient Lissos - but that's a drive to Sougia and then a walk (we might actually do that in September (not the drive bit, but the walk!)

However, there are LOADS of ancient churches, half the fun is just coming across them. Chania has old mosques, Venetian buidings, Turkish buildings, ancient boatyard - loads of things!

If you don't want to waste a day's car hire on the waterpark, there's regular buses from Chania bus station every day except Sunday or a taxi is pretty cheap as well.

I have been told that most of the historial sites are the other side of the island but never mind I'm sure they'll be plenty to do in Chania as well.

(btw the water park website doesn't work for me even when I go in via a google search so it's probably my computer!)

If you're hiring a car the two biggest Minoan historical sites, Knossos and Phaestos are within easy reach for day trips but I would suggest that in August it would be best to make an early start. Not because of the distance but because of the heat! Both sites are extensive and entail a fair bit of walking if you're see everything and it's best to do this before the high temperatures of the mid-afternoon.

But the Roman site above Megala Chorafia is much nearer and seems to rarely attract visitors yet is also very impressive.

SM

Thanks I would really like to go to Knossos especially and Megala Chorafia sounds worth checking out too/

I know I'm replying to my own thread but just wanted to say that I was not very impressed with Crete

We often go to Greece (inbetween saving up for Florida!) and we really felt theat the Cretan people were unfriendly and unhelpful, such a shame as we have never experienced this in any other tourist destination any where in the world.

The area we were staying in was 40 minutes from Chania (Rapaniana) and very quiet although fortunatley there was a bust stop right outside the hotel and we were able to visit different places that way as car hire seemed expensive and OH wasn't too keen on the maddriving over there.

We were very disappointed to get ripped off by the taxi returning us to the airport who quoted us 40 euros for the trip then charged us 50 when we got there saying it was because we had so much luggage (we ended up with one suitcase on our knees in the back of the car so we should have had discount!)

Anyway it has put me off going back to Crete.

After years of visiting resorts and countries all over the world I returm as often as possible to Western Crete for all it's traditional values but mostly for the friendliness of the people. You were unlucky!

I think that if you are used to Corfu and the Dodecanese, the Sfakians especially can appear stand offish - they're just more reserved, and dare I say it, more genuine than the "Hello my friend, how are you?" you get in other places.

Count me in for Western Crete!