Falling in love with the island of Crete is easy with all the wonders that it has to offer visitors, it would be hard not to do so. Becoming passionate about the food in Crete is also something that tourists cannot avoid either and one the ways of becoming so passionate is to visit the grand building that houses the incredible market of Chania.
This gorgeous market offers every imaginable ingredient that makes up traditional food and Cretan specialities.
It first opened at the beginning of the 19th century to celebrate unification of Crete to Greece and was modelled on the market of Marseilles in the south of France which is renowned all over Europe as the best indoor market to be found on that continent.
The market building in Chania is architecturally magnificent and entering it everyone experiences a feeling of pure delight.
There are over 70 shops and cafes inside where tourists and locals can shop and enjoy traditional dishes in a beautifully cool environment.
The atmosphere in the market is vibrant with the wonderfully full aromas of fresh herbs, bread, coffee and spices wafting through the air around you.
Butchers, bakers, fishmongers and grocers are all vying for space amidst the numerous cafes in a uniquely Cretan setting. There are cheese stalls with vegetable and fruit stands that will tempt you with all their colourful displays of fresh produce. There are stalls that sell the wonderful Cretan honey, olive oil and Raki.
The small cafes serve delicious Cretan dishes so visitors to the market can sit down and enjoy sampling all that there is on offer and watch the shoppers wandering through the market as they do their daily shopping. The market opens every day from 8am until about 1.30pm and every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday it is open in the evenings from 5pm until 8pm. It is a wonderful place to visit after exploring the island or having just enjoyed the seemingly endless hours of sunshine on some quiet beach that you have discovered that day.
Whether you go to the market just to admire the building from the outside or to go inside and taste the wonderful dishes that are served in the small cafes that intermingle with the shops and stalls, you will marvel at the whole vibrant and lively scene that you discover. For whatever reason you visit the market there is no doubt at all that you will fall passionately in love with everything you see here and one visit will never be enough because you will want to come back to Chania market to relive the experience you have had in one of the most unique indoor markets on the island of Crete.
