Topanas Quarter and Kasteli Hill

Topanas is the old Venetian and Ottoman residential quarter on the western slope of Kasteli hill, above the harbour. Its narrow lanes, restored mansions and small squares make up the most atmospheric walking area of the Old Town, with the street Theotokopoulou lined with boutique hotels, jewellery shops and restaurants. Kasteli hill itself has been inhabited since Neolithic times and was the site of Minoan Kydonia; excavations are visible in places, and the area lies close to the Firka fortress. Allow one to two hours to wander, and pause at a rooftop bar for views over the harbour. The cobbled lanes are best explored on foot; the morning is quietest.