Returning to Chaniotis, Greece: A Holiday Worth Repeating 26 Years Later

By Marko Veckov

Being back in Chanioti (Hanioti) some 26 years later brings back a lot of memories. It was my first trip abroad and one that will stay with me forever as an unforgettable journey and a discovery of new tastes, smells and sounds. Before this trip, I wondered whether this time would be the same…

My brother and I booked this holiday through the Serbian agency Argus Tours at the Melathron Hotel, a four-star place close to the beach and the centre of the village. After a 12-hour bus ride from Serbia’s capital to this village, located some 105 km from the city of Thessaloniki, we finally arrived at our destination. Our hospitable hosts greeted us on arrival and, after checking our reservation, prepared our room for us.

After a few hours, which is standard hotel procedure, we entered our room, much to the delight of our bodies, which were desperately awaiting a shower and a rest after an exhausting trip. The room had two beds and an additional one, along with a TV, fridge, air conditioning, and a balcony. After leaving our things, we inspected the hotel and found it stylishly decorated with pieces of Ancient Greek art and pictures from different periods of Greek history. The hotel’s interior courtyard is home to a swimming pool – actually two of them – where guests can relax even further. Around the pools, sunbeds and umbrellas were provided at no additional charge.

As we entered our room in the early afternoon, most of the restaurants where we could grab something to eat were still not open, so we settled for a bakery near Mikel Coffee, a place filled with the pleasant aroma of this highly regarded drink. At first glance, we noticed a lot of tourists from our native Serbia, along with a few from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Romania. After our refreshments, we took some time off before heading to the nearby beach and slept for a few hours. The beds in our room were comfortable, and the entire room was really clean.

One of the memories from my first visit to this place that stuck in my mind was the clean beaches and the crystal-clear Aegean Sea. This time was no different; the beach was really clean, and swimming was pleasant and refreshing. While in the water, there were lots of fish swimming around, proving that man is part of nature and not separated from it. We even heard from the locals that dolphins can sometimes be seen near the coast. There is a famous dolphin statue in a park near the village centre, where we took some photos, just as we did when we were here for the first time. This park is carefully preserved and stretches along the coastline, with plenty of places suitable for taking pictures. Near the park stands a beautiful Greek Orthodox church, which adds a traditional feel to the whole place.

The other thing Chaniotis is famous for, besides its clean beaches and beautiful sea, is its restaurants or, in other words, its cuisine. We tried eating at a different restaurant each day, experimenting with food rather than sticking only to Greek cuisine. We also sampled Italian, American, and seafood dishes. Places worth visiting are definitely Maestro Restaurant, which was close to our hotel and where a large portion of gyros costs 11 euros; Gusto Italiano, also near Maestro, which specialises in Italian food, mostly pizzas and pasta; and Lobster, a somehow romantic seafood restaurant in the centre of the village offering various types of seafood, including lobster (95 euros for a portion for two) and different types of specially prepared fish.

Chaniotis is a place for rest and is filled with parents and children. Its nightlife is limited to excellent cocktail bars such as Rafaelo Bar, a karaoke venue we discovered during one of our first two nights there. They play loud rock music from different eras, and it was there that I tried an excellent Kaiser beer (I can definitely recommend the draft version). Other notable cocktail bars in the centre are Kelfos Bar, where cocktails range from 5 to 20 euros, and Paralio Bar, where prices range from 10 to 15 euros.

My brother and I would usually spend our evenings in some of these bars, where music and cocktail lovers tend to gather. As it was the time of the World Cup, the venues were also filled with people choosing to watch the matches there instead of in their hotels or villas. If you are looking for more traditional nightlife with nightclubs, Kallithea is a better option, but since we decided to explore Chaniotis to the very end, we postponed our visit there until another holiday.

In the end, I welcomed this holiday after several years without taking one and used it to rest, swim, sunbathe, and recharge my batteries. The entire village is carefully looked after, and its beaches, streets, and the above-mentioned park are, first and foremost, what you are most likely to remember after leaving. Its sunsets are as romantic as the atmosphere surrounding the place. This is definitely not one of those destinations you visit once and then forget, but one you find yourself returning to after some time to experience that unique mixture of family atmosphere and youthful charm once again.

Things to do while in Chaniotis, Greece:

1. Swimming in the crystal clear Aegean Sea
2. Sunbathing at one of its tidy beaches
3. Romantic walks for couples through the park near the beach where the dolphin statue is located
4. Eating at one of its many restaurants (Maestro, Gusto Italiano, Lobster, to name a few)
5. Drinking cocktails prepared with great skill at one of the bars in the center of the village, like Kelfos or Paralio