Souda Bay, on the northwest coast of Crete, is one of the largest and deepest natural harbors in the Mediterranean. The port itself is a working commercial and naval harbor, but it serves as the gateway to Chania, the elegant former capital of Crete about 7 km (4–5 miles) to the west.

Chania layers centuries of history into its narrow lanes - Minoan roots, a Venetian golden age and three centuries of Ottoman rule all left their mark. The result is a romantic old town wrapped around a horseshoe-shaped Venetian harbor, crowned by a 16th-century lighthouse and ringed by pastel townhouses, mosques and churches. Beyond the city, the rugged White Mountains (Lefka Ori), the Samaria Gorge and some of Greece's most famous beaches are all within reach.