The ancient city of Cydonia was a Minoan city from the neolithic years, some notable evidence of that town has been found under today's old town of Kasteli. Dorian Greeks came and settled at around 1100 BC.  Later in 69 BC the Romans defeated the Cretans and conquered Cydonia. 

Sights:

• The archaeological museum of Chania (inside the Venetian church of Agios Fracgiskos) has multiple exhibits from the Neolithic age, Minoan to Roman times.
  

The Byzantines liberated the island (395 - 824 AD) until the Saracens Arabs (824 - 961 AD) caped it. The Byzantines retook the city in (961 - 1204 AD) and build many fortifications around the city.

Sights:

• In Casteli you may see part of the Byzantine walls

After the Crusades (1204 AD) and the end of the Byzantium, Crete was sold to the Venetians. The Venetian made stronger fortification of the city which protected the city, until the year of 1645 that Turks captured the city.

Sights:

• a walk at the magnificent houses of the old town,
• the Old Harbour of Chania, with the Venetian Lighthouse, the old Venetian arsenals, the Firkas Bastion at its west (the Venetian prison) which now houses the naval museum.

 The Turks (1645 -1898 AD) lasted until the proclamation of the Cretan State, later followed by the union with Greece.

Sights:

• the Mosque of the Janissaries (17th century) at the old harbour plus many houses at the old town.