Hania (Chania) is widely considered the most beautiful city in Crete, and it's hard to argue otherwise. The old town is a near-perfect example of Venetian colonial architecture, with an entire Jewish quarter, a Turkish quarter, and Venetian mansions all compressed into a labyrinth of narrow streets around an old harbour. The harbour itself — with its lighthouse, Venetian shipyards, and the old mosque converted to a market — is where everyone ends up in the evenings.
The Agora municipal market, built in 1911 in the shape of a cross, is the best place to stock up on Cretan olive oil, honey, and herbs. The Archaeological Museum has a good collection of Minoan artefacts from western Crete. The Maritime Museum at the Firkas fortress at the entrance to the harbour covers Cretan and Greek naval history. The Etz Hayyim Synagogue in the old Jewish quarter is one of the most historically significant sites in western Crete.
Hania is also an excellent base for western Crete. The Samaria Gorge — a 16-km hike through Europe's longest limestone gorge, from the Omalos plateau down to the Libyan Sea — is one of the great walks in Greece, open from May to early October. The village of Paleochora on the southwestern coast and the beaches of the Akrotiri peninsula are both easily reached by car or bus.