Skip Santorini and Mykonos for this destination dupe

For novices, the holiday list for Greece often comes from a mix of popular recommendations and social media content, all of which inevitably lead to the Holy Trinity: Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. Athens is an indisputable must-see to nerd out about ancient Greek culture. But the two Aegean islands, often called the definitive Instagrammable summer destinations, aren’t quite as pretty as the 9:16 aspect ratio suggests.

You’ve seen the bright, white streets of Mykonos in a pastel-filtered frame; you’ve seen the made-for-the-gram blue-domed churches at the start of every Reel ever made about Santorini. But zoom out, and you’ll find that the frame—although still beautiful—is overcrowded, overpriced, and catering exclusively to the trademarked Tourist. Those legendary Mykonos parties? They come with a hefty entry fee. The beautiful white-and-kyanós brunch spots in Santorini you’ve been dreaming about? They aren’t just expensive; they need reservations well in advance, or a long brave wait in the hot Hellenic sun. And taking a picture of those domed churches? Get in a literal line.

But what if I told you that idyllic Instagrammable Grecian summer you’ve been dreaming about is still very possible—and a lot cheaper—outside of these islands? More specifically, in a little town south of the Peloponnese called Chania.

Located on the northwest coast of the island of Crete, Chania is an hour-long flight from Athens. From the minute you land, you’ll witness a distinctive local flavour, something that Mykonos and Santorini perhaps once had, before they fell prey to the overtourism that commercialised and commodified them. And that’s what makes Chania the perfect antidote—it strikes the delicate balance between dynamic and ungentrified.

Eat and drink

Every European travel fantasy you’ve ever had (like sipping wine in the town square while a saxophonist plays), you can picture it in Chania’s Old Town, set by the Old Venetian Harbour. The bars, housed in crumbling Venetian and Ottoman buildings, will serve you both a picture-perfect frame and a competent cocktail for anywhere between €6-12 (Mykonos, by contrast, starts at €20 a drink). Try Sinagogi Café Bar for its mojito variations or Fagotto Jazz Bar (+30 2821 071877) if you’re partial to jazz. Easier to indulge are the happy hours at Ela Taverna (+30 2821 074128), where the drinks are a little too stiff, but the staff smiles so disarmingly, it doesn’t matter.

Street food abounds in Chania, but among the must-tries are the mammoth burgers at Kantinatsi Food Truck, handmade gnocchi at Magna Grecia, and cubanos at Brigandino Sandwich Shop. Salt-of-the-earth gyros or souvlaki can be found at Gyrádiko, To Kainourio (+30 2821 076121), and, a little off-centre, at the warm, family-run Pita Goal (+30 2821 054087). For fresh, reasonably priced fish, hit To Maridaki (+30 2821 008880), where the staff will insist that you can finish an entire cuttlefish on your own (and you can). Also worthy checking out are Laganon for its hand-rolled pasta and Canteena for a fabulous pancake brunch.

By the sea, there is Palazzo Al Mare, famous for its truffle pappardelle, but if you can’t get a table, Taverna Koulouridis (+30 2821 095595) and Arismari Cretan Creative Cuisine (+30 2821 074419) are strong substitutes. While Taverna Koulouridis (+30 2821 095595) is known for its divine kontosouvli, Arismari Cretan offers a mean steak. And it needs no reservations, except during peak hours on a Friday or Saturday night. The boardwalk usually has a tongue-in-cheek performance artist drawing a crowd, but the most entertaining is easily the accordion player who plays incredible tunes at sunset on Sundays, balancing on a tightrope over the sea.

Shop and stroll

If you’re looking to take something home that goes beyond the typical souvenir, head to the beautiful boutique stores: check out the Greek museum replicas and bronze sculptures at Mitos Art, traditional jewellery at Alexia Handmade Jewelry, Cretan classics (everything from olive oil to blown crystal) at To Meli (+30 2821 075122), and handmade leather bags at Georgina Skalidi. End with a scoop of creamy roasted pistachio gelato at Authentico Ice Cream Shop (+30 2821 045262) or stop by Sketi Glyka for some Galaktoboureko and a little history lesson on Cretan desserts courtesy siblings Konstantinos and Irene Danas, who run it.

If you can swing a longer stay in Chania, familiarising yourself with the street markets helps; farmers’ markets like the Laiki Agora Market (open every Monday) and Nea Chora Farmer's Market (Thursdays) are fantastic places to stock up on local spices, fruit, vegetables, meats, and cheeses, as well as olive oil, honey and wine—little treats that also work perfectly as souvenirs to take home.

Elafonisi, the popular pink-sand beach, is located on the south coast of Chania

The great outdoors

While the Old Town is the beating heart of Chania, the scope of the city extends far beyond it. The best beaches include Balos near Kissamos, Kalamaki in Káto Galatás, and Pahia Ammos in Falassarna. The shores tend to be a little rocky, but once you go into the water, you’ll find smooth sand. The pièce de resistance, of course, is the pink-sand Elafonisi, about two hours from the airport. There’s windsurfing and snorkelling to try, plus hiking from Elafonisi to Kedrodasos. The lagoon of Aspri Limni (near Chrysoskalitissa Monastery, about 5 km from Elafonisi) may be quite a trek, but the shallow turquoise waters and family-run restaurants nearby make it worthwhile.

Another trek worth making is to Gramvousa Restaurant in Kaliviani, an hour away from the airport. The old-school menu spotlights Cretan recipes like staka-stuffed artichokes, kalisounia (traditional Cretan pies), and roasted rooster, the traditional way. Throw in an open-air farm setting in the village and you have authentic luxury (a rare oxymoron) at its peak.

Check out Domes Noruz by the Marriott if you are looking to upgrade your vacation

Stay

Getting an AirBnB apartment is ideal because it offers more space for cheaper than the cosier rooms of the town hotels—I recommend finding one a little away from town centre, in Galatás or Kissamos, and renting a car or taking a bus into town (about 25 minutes away). Those with more bucks to spare can check in to more high-end spaces like Domes Noruz by the Marriott or Sirios Village, or budget friendly boutique hotels like Anais Collection or the adults-only Zeus Village Resorts.

After a week in Chania, you can accuse the town of being neither sleepy nor overbearing. It is beautiful without the curated picturesqueness and long queues of Santorini. It is fun, but without the steep price tag of Mykonos. It is lively without being overrun by tourists, and quiet without being desolate. It is eventually going to be discovered by the world, of course. But hopefully, before that, it will be discovered by you.

📅 Best time to visit: June-October

💰Budget for a week: Rs 55,000 a week approx (including stay)

✈️ ‎How to get there: Connecting flights through Athens from all major cities. There will be an additional stopover en route to Athens via Abu Dhabi, Cairo or other connecting ports, as there are no direct flights from India to Athens.