Work on your tan at nearby Elafonissi Beach, known for its turquoise waters and pinkish sand. Obliging staff will happily arrange boat trips, snorkelling, scuba diving and other aquatic adventures nearby. The Yacht Club is a two-minute stroll away, at the old harbour, where you can embark on private expeditions. Discover Chania Old Town, whose lures include a Venetian harbour and historic lighthouse. Shop for gold jewellery, leather goods and other gifts for the folk back home – or each other – in Chania’s artisan boutiques. Learn about the island’s past at Chania Archaeological Museum or the Knossos Minoan Palace. Visit Samariá Gorge, Chania’s beautiful national park, where rare flowers bloom, or go for a stroll in the Botanic Park & Gardens of Crete (take a picnic and a chilled bottle of local white wine with you).