<The harbour town of Souda in Crete
The town of Souda is situated on the entrance of the Akrotiri peninsula in the best protected bay of Crete. In front of the bay lies the small island of Agios Nikolaos with a Venetian fortress on it. Souda is the place where the Chania ferries depart to the mainland, to Rhodes and to other islands. It is not a very pretty place / harbour, with a lot of new concrete buildings and an enormous factory (bread) right on the harbour front. There are plenty of taverns and shops though plus of course banks and there is a lot of life (with a lot of young people). Every 15 minutes there is a bus departing from Souda to the market of Chania. There are no buses from the airport to Souda, but taxis are cheap.
It is more like a working town than a typical tourist destination. There is also a large military presence in the town.
There are not that any accommodations in the port of Souda, because it is not really a tourist destination. Yet there are those who sometimes book a room here because they want to take a boat to the next destination.
If you take the road that leads from the harbour to the airport you will pass a small stretch of beach and a bit further out there is a larger beach with a tavern. Also in front of the Souda War Cemetery there is a beach.
For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Souda - click here.
In Souda there is a large cemetery for 2000 allied soldiers that died in 1941 during the battle for Crete which attracts a lot of visitors (mainly from the United Kingdom) that want to pay their respect. It lies 1 kilometer before the town down a lane and it is indicated by a sign. There is a parking where you can put your car. The cemetery is surrounded by eucalyptus trees. Most of the people buried here died very young. At the entrance there is a cemetery register of the 1527 people that are buried here. A stone tells you from which country they came. One of the graves is that of the archaeologist John Pendlebury who was excavating Knossos after Sir Arthur John Evans, who discovered the Minoan palace. Pendleburry fought alongside the Cretans against the Germans at the attack of Heraklion, and is now buried in grave 10E.
Six stones that are put close to each other belong to the crew of a plane. Most of the stones are anonymous though and have no name written on them. Very touching is the inscription at the entrance which reads "The land on which this cemetery stands is the gift of the Greek people for the perpetual resting place of the sailors soldiers and airmen who are honoured here". The site can be quite overwhelming for some of us, like for me, because it had me in tears.
Only 200 metres from the Port, in Souda, Oneiro Suites features a bar restaurant and stylish rooms with Sea view. A communal lounge with satellite TV lies on site, while free WiFi is available. All rooms are air-conditioned and come with a flat-screen TV, desk and refrigerator. All rooms have a different style and offer views of the Sea or Souda harbour. The bathroom comes with bath or shower and a hairdryer. Oneiro Suites is 7 km from Chania Town and 8 km from Chania Airport. The popular Kalyves beach is 10 km away and. Free parking is offered on site.
Check availabilities and prices & book Oneiro Suites in Souda - click here.
Just 100 metres from Souda Port, the family-run Parthenon Hotel is 4.5 km from the centre of scenic Chania Town. It offers a restaurant and air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi and furnished balcony overlooking the Cretan Sea. Featuring a TV, all rooms at the Hotel Parthenon come with a fridge and electric kettle. Each has a private bathroom with shower and hairdryer. Guests can choose to have breakfast in the dining area. Lunch and dinner include fresh fish and Cretan specialities. Restaurants, cafe's and shops are within 20 metres. Akrotiri Chanion with the famous Stavros Beach is at 2 km. A bus to beaches such as Chrissi Akti stops 100 metres away.
Check availabilities and prices & book the Parthenon Hotel in Souda - click here.