Splantzia is the residential heart of Hania's old town — a neighbourhood of narrow cobbled streets, Ottoman-era fountains, small Byzantine churches, and crumbling Venetian mansions that haven't been converted into tourist restaurants. The Church of Saint Nicholas in the central square of Plateia 1821 was originally a Dominican monastery; converted to a mosque by the Turks, it now serves as the Orthodox church and still has its minaret intact, the only church in Crete with a minaret.
The neighbourhood is the best place in Hania to find good tavernas used by locals rather than tourists, particularly around Plateia 1821. It is also home to several good craft and antique shops. Less crowded than the harbour front area, it rewards wandering without purpose — take any narrow lane away from the main tourist drag and you will likely end up here.