How to hike from Valbona to Theth
May 8, 2024
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Albania | Our guide to hiking from Valbona to Theth; two beautiful traditional villages lying deep in the Albanian Alps
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If you’re visiting Chania on the beautiful island of Crete, then a sunset boat tour is a must-do for your itinerary.
Setting sail from Chania’s old port, it offers the perfect opportunity to experience the historic old town from the sea, before treating you to a stunning Cretan sunset.
Here is your guide to a superb, family-friendly sunset boat tour in this picturesque part of Greece.
We used Manos Cruises, a local tour operator highly regarded online with a rating of 4.8/5 stars from over 337 reviews.
As of 2023, the prices per person are as follows:
We booked our tickets through Get Your Guide for £12.01, but you can secure your tickets directly through the Manos Cruises website at €12, working out slightly cheaper at just over £10 each with current exchange rates.
You can find Manos Cruises in Chania Old Town Marina, docked near Neoria Fish Tavern restaurant. The official address is The Old Harbor of Chania – Akti Enoseos 3.
Manos Cruise’s Chania Sunset Boat Tour is approximately one hour long.
In the low season (circa October – April), the timetable is 18:30 -19:30.
In the high season, (circa May to September), the timetable is 19:30 – 20:30.
There’s no doubt we’d been looking forward to experiencing a boat excursion in Chania for a while, with Emily having spent plenty of time researching.
Manos Cruises came highly recommended on the reviews and, upon looking at the pictures of the Trehantiri – a traditional Greek boat mainly used for fishing – we knew it had the authentic feel we were looking for.
Rebuilt and converted into a cruise boat for tourism in 2015, this beauty has the capacity for 50 people, but it never felt full or overcrowded.
After being given a warm welcome by the crew, Manos and Aggelos, we set sail out of the old port of Chania.
Sailing past the old venetian warehouses, the lighthouse and the Mosque of the Jannissaries, it’s a superb way to view this gorgeous historic town.
Rounding the sea wall and heading out to sea, you get to see Chania in all its glory, framed by the white mountains behind.
Aggelos explained that we were heading out to Lazaretta Island, where we’d stop to watch the sunset and, should we wish, take an evening swim.
It’s clearly a popular spot, with a couple of other private boat charters and boat tours having set anchor, but everyone was respectful of each others space and it made for a wonderful, enjoyable atmosphere.
After giving everyone aboard a complimentary sample of raki, Manos educated the boat on the history of Lazaretta Island. The small isle, which is located off the Nea Chora Beach, has historical significance stretching back to the 17th century, where it was used by the venetians as a leprosarium.
Named after St. Lazarus, the patron saint of lepers, the island housed anyone suspected of suffering from leprosy and also served as a burial site.
Nowadays, the island’s small beach and surrounding waters, glittering beautifully in summer evening sunshine, are a favourite for local swimmers, diving schools and tour boats.
There’s little doubt that Lazaretta Island and the far off Kissamos mountains serve as the ideal location for a spectacular sunset.
The yellow glow of the sun falling into an amber hue, framed by the mountains and the island in front, provides as a magical setting while the waters gently lap at the feet of the ferryman boat.
Everyone was captivated by the view, watching as the sun sank slowly on the horizon. I remember watching intently, reflective, but soaking in every single second. There’s something about a good sunset that enchants me.
Once the last rays of the dying day had faded away, the boat turned around and headed back to Chania Old Port. It had been a magical experience.
The thing I love about travelling is the different cultures, foods, landscapes and languages – the things that make each country and its people so unique and special. Yet there’s one thing we all share that is universally appreciated – the daily magic of the sunset.
This one certainly delivered.
If you’d like to book your Chania sunset boat tour with Manos Cruises, hit the button below.
Read more… Exploring Chania’s Old Venetian Harbour…
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