Topanas (Chania)

Topanas is the Venetian quarter that rises behind the old harbour, a tight grid of tall ochre houses, narrow lanes and the lighthouse view that defines Chania. It is the part of the old town that went upmarket first, so you find restored mansion-hotels, wine bars and more considered kitchens alongside the inevitable tourist tavernas on the waterfront. Step one street back from the quay and the noise drops, the lanes fill with small shops and courtyard tables, and the cooking gets more serious. Best treated as a place to wander slowly and eat away from the harbour edge.