Aptera: Ancient history and views over Souda Bay

Aptera is a settlement of scattered houses with a church at its centre. Located on high ground on the southern side of Souda Bay, it offers views over the bay and the Apokoronas plain. When considering Aptera as a destination, the landscape and the history of the ancient city in the surrounding area take centre stage.

Ancient theatre, town house and water supply

The theatre of Aptera was built from local fossil-bearing limestone. It lies near the southeastern gate of the ancient city. The stone points to a specific feature of the building; its location also helps place the theatre in relation to the city gate.

A large Roman town house is being excavated west of the theatre. It was built in the 1st century AD, probably after the devastating earthquake of AD 66. It was used as a residence and altered several times before being destroyed in the major earthquake of AD 365. Some of these alterations are visible in places in the masonry. The building date, residential use and alterations therefore tell of different stages in the house’s history, whose development cannot be reduced to a single event.

Several features of Roman urban life also reveal how the water supply worked. The cisterns in the archaeological area supplied the Roman baths. Together with household cisterns, they helped meet the city’s increased water needs in Roman times. The baths and individual households were part of a wider task: providing water for the city.

Later building history and the name Aptera

The surviving main building of the monastery stands at the centre of the archaeological area. It was built during the Venetian period, either in the second half of the 16th century or in the early 17th century. The smaller annexes date from a later period still. Alongside the Roman building and water-supply history, this adds a much later chapter to the history of the site.

Aptera was formerly called “Megala Chorafia”, meaning “large fields”. The former name may still appear on some street signs. The ancient city’s history also has a maritime connection: its citizens were predominantly merchants and shipowners, and much of the trade at the time was conducted by sea. Along with its location on the southern side of Souda Bay, this historical connection offers another perspective on Aptera, without equating the present-day settlement with the ancient city.

Chania as a wider destination

The wider destination of Chania offers another perspective on the region’s history. The permanent exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Chania includes three galleries on the ground floor and one on the upper floor. It presents archaeological evidence from the regional unit of Chania spanning several centuries. This adds a broader temporal and regional context to the picture of Aptera.

Chania’s Old Town also presents a different historic urban landscape: its lanes feature Venetian mansions, old hammams, minarets and churches. The Venetian Harbour of Chania was built in the 14th century for trade and to protect against pirate attacks. These examples belong to Chania, not Aptera; they offer a distinct perspective within the wider destination. For choosing where to go, this means that Aptera draws attention to the ancient city and its surroundings, while Chania offers further examples of historic buildings and urban history.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Louchio, Kontomari, Perivólia, Nomikiana, Dramia, Zounaki, Chorafakia, Souda.

Back to the wider travel guide: Chania.