Kum Kapi

“Kum Kapisi” (Gate of Sand) is the Turkish word from which the district of Kum Kapi gets its name.

In fact, there was a sizable portal in Chania’s ancient defenses called the Sand portal, or Sabionera as the Venetians originally called it, which led to the amazing beach.

When Kum Kapi acquired its current name under the Ottoman occupation, it was a very different place from what it is now. In the area, there was a Bedouin village, the settlement of the Chalikoutis, as it was called.

About two to three thousand people lived there in huts and shacks, mostly boatmen, porters and servants, and the place looked like a “favela”.

With its stunning view of the sea and variety of amazing cafes and taverns, the Koum Kapi district is currently regarded as one of Chania’s most picturesque areas.

 If we add the fact that it is so close to the Old Town of Chania, Koum Kapi is one of the most interesting parts of the city, worth visiting.