Built as a soap factory in 1650, Ela has also seen incarnations as school, distillery and cheese-processing plant and is now a charismatic roofless lair serving upscale Cretan specialities. The multilingual menus arrayed in the street signal tourist trap, but it does solid meals.
Ela
Hania
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.1 MILES
The ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, about 13.5km east of Hania, spread over two hills that lord grandly over Souda Bay. Founded in the 7th century BC…
0.05 MILES
The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…
0.14 MILES
There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings…
7.82 MILES
Akrotiri Peninsula’s major cultural site, the impressive and beautiful 17th-century Moni Agias Triadas, is an active monastery with a rich library and is…
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Archaeological Museum of Rethymno
27.73 MILES
Set inside the atmospheric Venetian-built Church of St Francis, this well-curated museum features a stunning collection of well-preserved relics unearthed…
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8.6 MILES
A family-run business for over 25 years, this pretty winery in the village of Vatolakkos – 16km southwest of the centre of Hania – is well worth a visit…
24.53 MILES
The rugged Gramvousa Peninsula cradles the lagoon-like sandy beach of Balos, whose shallow, shimmering turquoise waters draw huge crowds in summer. This…
24.65 MILES
This broad sweep of beach has magical-looking pink-cream sands and teal waters and is known for its stunning sunsets. Along with superb water clarity,…
Nearby Hania attractions
0.04 MILES
Crete’s only remaining synagogue (dating from the 15th century) was badly damaged in WWII and reopened only in 1999. It sports a mikveh (ritual bath),…
2. Cretan House Folklore Museum
0.04 MILES
Hania’s interesting Folklore Museum contains a selection of crafts, including weavings with traditional designs; local paintings; and several rooms of a…
3. Hania Archaeological Museum
0.05 MILES
The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…
0.08 MILES
Hania’s modern art gallery evokes the interior of a boat and presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary works by local and national artists on three…
0.09 MILES
This three-aisled basilica with its prominent bell tower is dedicated to the Virgin of the Three Martyrs, Hania's patron saint. The present structure was…
0.14 MILES
There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings…
0.14 MILES
One of the prettiest and most dominant vestiges of the Turkish era is this dusky-pink multidomed former mosque on the eastern side of the Venetian Harbour…
0.21 MILES
The discovery of clay tablets with Linear B script during ongoing excavations on Kastelli Hill to the east of the Venetian Harbour has led archaeologists…