Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV via PexelsChania Old Town and Lake Kournas
The Venetian harbour and the island’s only freshwater lake in one day, with drop-off at the edge of the old town instead of a car park hunt.
Chania is the one day trip almost every visitor to Rethymno considers, and the one most often done badly — three hours in the old town, half of it spent finding parking. Going privately fixes the logistics and leaves room for Lake Kournas on the way, which is the stop people remember afterwards.
- Pickup
- Your accommodation in Rethymno town or along the nearby coast
- Duration
- Confirmed when you enquire
- Start time
- Confirmed when you enquire
- Group
- Private — your party only
Good for
- First-time visitors who want the other Venetian harbour
- Families — the lake is shallow, calm and easy
- Anyone who would rather be dropped at the old town than park near it
Good to know
- Chania old town is cobbled and largely pedestrian
- Lake Kournas is fresh water, and noticeably cooler than the sea
- Pedal boats are available at the lake in season
- The covered market and the harbour are at opposite ends of a short walk
Route and itinerary
This is the shape of the day. It is a private vehicle, so the order and the length of each stop are yours to change on the morning.
Pickup in Rethymno
West along the coast, with the White Mountains ahead of you for most of the drive.
Chania Old Town
A Venetian harbour with an Egyptian lighthouse at the end of the mole, a working covered market, and a tangle of lanes behind the waterfront where Venetian, Ottoman and Jewish Chania sit on top of each other. You are dropped at the edge of the old town and collected from the same point.
Lake Kournas
The only natural freshwater lake on Crete, held in a bowl of hills a few kilometres inland from the coast. The water is clear, cold in patches where springs feed it, and shallow enough at the edges for children.
Return to Rethymno
Back east along the coast, usually in the late afternoon light.
Walking and terrain
Chania is walked, and the old town is cobbled. Distances are short but the surface is uneven and there is little shade in the middle of the day. Kournas is flat and takes as much or as little walking as you want — most people get in the water or sit by it rather than walk around it.
Season
Good all year. The lake is at its fullest and greenest in spring; by late summer the water level drops and a beach appears along one shore.
What is included
- Private vehicle and driver for the day
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off in the Rethymno area
- Drop-off and collection at the edge of Chania old town
What is not included
- Food, drink and anything bought in Chania
- Museum or site entrance fees in Chania
- Pedal boat hire, sunbeds or umbrellas at Lake Kournas
There are entrance or access charges on this route that we have not confirmed for the current season. Rather than publish a figure that may be wrong at the gate, we check them with the site and tell you before you travel.
Why this day works from Rethymno
Rethymno and Chania are the two Venetian towns on the north coast, and seeing both in one trip tells you more about the island than seeing either twice. Chania is the larger and busier of the two, with a harbour that fills in the evening and a market that still functions as a market.
The practical argument is parking. Chania in season is genuinely difficult to drive into, and a hired car usually costs you the first hour of the visit. Being set down at the edge of the old town and collected from the same spot removes that entirely.
Making the most of the old town
The harbour front is the picture, but it is also the most expensive and the most crowded strip in the town. The lanes one and two streets back — Splantzia, the old Jewish quarter, the leather street — are where Chania is more itself.
If you only do two things, walk out along the mole to the lighthouse early or late when the light is low, and spend twenty minutes in the covered market looking at what people actually buy.
Worth your time in Chania
- The mole and the Egyptian lighthouse, at either end of the day
- The covered market, for produce rather than souvenirs
- Splantzia square and the lanes behind it
- The Venetian shipyards along the eastern harbour
Practical notes
Lake Kournas changes noticeably through the year. In spring it is high, green and full to the treeline; by August the level drops and a broad beach opens along one side, which is when the pedal boats and sunbeds appear. Both versions are worth seeing, but they are not the same place.
The water is fresh, not salt, and there are cold springs feeding it — the temperature can change sharply a few metres out. It is calm and shallow at the edges, which is why it suits families, but it is a lake rather than a supervised pool.
Who this suits
- Visitors who want to see both Venetian harbours on one trip
- Families looking for calm, shallow water
- Travellers who dislike driving in unfamiliar city traffic
Who should choose something else
- Anyone who finds cobbles and uneven paving difficult
- Travellers wanting a single relaxed stop — this day covers ground
Ready when you are
We confirm the date, the start time and how the day is split between Chania and the lake before anything is charged.
Questions people actually ask
Is Chania worth a day trip from Rethymno?
If you have three or more days in Rethymno, yes. It is the larger of the two Venetian towns, with a bigger harbour, a working covered market and a denser old quarter. If your stay is short, a full day inland or on the south coast will show you more that is different from what is outside your door.
Can you swim in Lake Kournas?
Yes. It is fresh water, clear, and shallow enough at the edges for children to stand. Cold springs feed the lake, so the temperature can drop sharply a short distance from the shore. There are no lifeguards, and in high season pedal boats share the water.
How long do we get in Chania?
It is a private day, so the split between Chania and the lake is decided with your driver rather than fixed in advance. Most people want the larger share in the old town. We will confirm the standard timings with the operator when you enquire.
Is there much walking?
In Chania, yes — the old town is walked, and the paving is cobbled and uneven, though distances are short. Lake Kournas requires almost none unless you choose to walk along the shore.
Which is better for children, the lake or the sea?
For small children, the lake usually wins. It is calm, has no waves and shelves gently at the edges. The cold spring patches are the one thing to watch for, and they are easy to avoid by staying near the shore.
Read before you go
The places on this route
Other days from Rethymno
Page facts last reviewed 18 September 2026. Prices, fees, durations and availability are confirmed against your dates before anything is charged. How we handle booking and changes.