Welcome to Hania

Welcome to Hania (often written as Chania), a seaside resort town in the Western part of Crete, an island in the Mediterranean, a southern province of Greece, a member of the European Union since 1986. The residents of the town of Hania number approximately 60,000. During the summer, the number of people finding themselves in the area rises to half a million due to the package tourists who flock to the city to enjoy the nearby beaches, filling the pockets of the the hotel owners of the district, while at the same time providing seasonal employment for the residents of the town.

The centre of the town features the Agora, the central market of the town, with its main feature being its construction in the form of a cross; all roads in and out of town lead to the Agora. Some people still believe that this is the only place to come to for all their fresh produce needs. The old man on the right is dressed in traditional black breeches and headgear. He probably came to the Agora to buy some cheese or honey. The man walking behind him is clearly one of the newer economic migrants to the town, otherwise he wouldn't be wearing a belt bag. And the best restaurants in town are in the Agora.

Welcome once again to Hania (or Chania, Khania, Canea or Kydonia, as it was called historically). As you get to know the town through the daily photo gallery, maybe you'll end up liking it so much that you'll invest in a property here for your retirement, like so many British and German tourists. Good luck to you.