Travel
The Conference Center of CIHEAM MAI Chania is located 3 km south-east of Chania city center, 13 km from the airport and 1 km from the port of Souda.
The city of Chania has a busy international airport (10 km from MAICh) for direct flights all over Europe, but participants can also fly via Athens or use the Heraklion airport at the eastern part of Crete (145 km from MAICh).
Chania can also be reached by ferry from Piraeus (Athens main port). Ferries to Chania (Souda port) leave from Piraeus port on a daily basis. The overnight/daytime trip with BLUE STAR FERRIES takes about 10 hours. Please check the web sites for ferry schedules or at ferryscanner.com.
The city center of Chania can be reached by bus No. 13. Buses run every 30min and the bus stop is located outside the MAICh premises on the main street (Souda Avenue).
Tickets cost 1.20€ one way and should be obtained in advance at any kiosk downtown. Please take into consideration that when the ticket is purchased on the bus the price rises to 2€.
The route that connects MAI.Chania with the city center (BUS STOP AGORA, Sofokli Venizelou square - the terminal and departure stop from the city center to MAI Chania) can be found on the Chania City Bus website . Buses run on the hour and every half hour. Additionally, bus No. 13 also departs from square 1866 , which is closer to the KTEL bus station than the AGORA terminal station.
Taxis to the city centre cost about 12€.
The port of Souda can also be reached by bus. Taxis to Souda cost approximately 8-10€.
(Prices recorded in April 2024.)
Consider also that Crete and the region of Chania is a wonderful place so you can profit to extend your stay for some holidays in a period of the year that the weather is expected to be excellent for swimming and other outdoor activities, and do not forget the gastronomic delights of mountainous Cretan cuisine!
Travelling to Chania
By airplane
Chania International Airport is the closest airport. Heraklion can be an alternative but a bus journey would take 3 hours.
There are direct charter and scheduled flights connecting Chania with many European cities such us RYANAIR and Easyjet in the summer. More airlines connecting Chania with different international airports can be found at the Chania Airport website.
Please contact your travel agent for details about charter flight schedules.
Domestic flights from Athens International Airport are also frequent and are carried out by Olympic Air, Aegean Airlines and Sky Express.
By ferry
Ferries to Chania (Souda port) leave from Athens (Piraeus port) on a daily basis. The overnight/daytime trip with BLUE STAR FERRIES takes about 9 hours. Please check the web sites for ferry schedules. Also note that there is a direct bus service connecting Athens International Airport with Piraeus port. More information about public transport in Athens can be found here.
Chania can be reached by coach from the city of Heraklion situated 145 km (90 miles) from Chania. The bus fare is about 15€ and takes about 3 hours. A taxi costs approximately 180€ - 200€. Heraklion, being the biggest city of Crete, is directly connected with charter/scheduled flights with many European cities. Flights to/from Athens are also frequent. Ferries from Piraeus travel to Herakleon every day. The overnight/daytime trip with MINOAN lines takes between 7-8 hours.
Visas for Foreigners traveling to Greece.
For VISA Information please follow the link https://www.mfa.gr/en/visas/visas-for-foreigners-traveling-to-greece/.
Weather / Climate
The climate is relatively mild and Mediterranean. During the fall and winter months, north and northwest winds dominate, while in the summer, light breezes make it enjoyable. But the divine gift of the eternal sunshine allows one to start their vacation from March and finish it at the end of October.
Chania has the largest amount of water in Crete (65%), and for this reason, there is rich vegetation of plants and fruit trees (citrus trees, olives, vines etc.) as well as semitropical species. The very clean beaches of Chania always win the "blue flag" award of Europe and are accessible for all ages throughout the year.
In summer, be prepared for hot temperatures: Bring sun-block, dark glasses, and a hat.
Get the Chania Weather Forecast