The Monastery of Karolos
- Open-Air
- Former Monastery
- Crafted Cocktails
A 16th-century Venetian monastery converted into one of Chania's most atmospheric cocktail bars — open-air courtyard, serious drinks, and a setting that justifies the detour.
- Open-Air
- Former Monastery
- Crafted Cocktails
The Monastery of Karolos occupies the Santa Maria della Misericordia, a Venetian monastery dating to the 16th century, and the building alone would be worth the visit. You enter through a small doorway and find yourself in an open courtyard with a central bar, with two further bars on either side — each stocked with a range that signals this is a place that takes its drinks seriously. The open roof keeps the air moving, and on a warm Cretan night the whole setup feels quietly exceptional.
The building was restored by the artist Karolos, who maintained its original architectural identity while turning it into something genuinely alive. The cocktail list runs to inventive house specials alongside the classics, and the bar staff appear to know their way around both. Reviews consistently single out the relaxed atmosphere and the music, which tilts toward dance and house as the night progresses — it can get busy on weekends, so arrive with some patience if you're coming late.
It's slightly off the main tourist drag in the Kastelli area of the old town, which means the crowd tends to be a mix of in-the-know visitors and locals who've made it a regular. Worth finding.
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Location
Chatzimichali Ntaliani 22, Chania, Crete, 731 00
Contact
+30 697 455 6106
Email
Hours
Wednesday
9:30pm - 3:00am
Thursday
9:30pm - 3:00am
Friday
9:30pm - 3:00am
Saturday
9:30pm - 3:00am
Sunday
9:30pm - 3:00am
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