Art & Culture

Book Bazaar at the Grand Arsenal

Art, history and architecture books, some free, in the Venetian shipyard on the harbour. Closed Sundays.

The Grand Arsenal is the big vaulted Venetian shipyard at the east end of the harbour, and for two weeks its exhibition hall is stacked with books: editions from the Municipality of Chania, the Municipal Art Gallery, the Centre of Mediterranean Architecture and other publishers, on art, local history and architecture. Some are free and the rest are priced to move, which is the point, they would rather the books were read than warehoused. It is the sort of place you find a proper illustrated volume on Cretan architecture for the price of a coffee. Worth knowing before you walk down: it is open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 20:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 16:00, but closed on Sundays, and it finishes on 13 August.