The video Flashmob @ Chania: Dancing with a Cretan Heart features great views of the beautiful Chania harbourfront — and a spontaneous pentozali line dance by dozens of local residents and tourists

 

Seaside line dance: I’ve been to the city of Chania in northwestern Crete only once — during a daytrip back in 2004 — but a video I discovered on YouTube the other day instantly took me back.

Flashmob @ Chania: Dancing with a Cretan Heart was filmed at the picturesque Chania harbourfront, which we enjoyed seeing during the few hours we had available to explore the city. We were on a whirlwind island-hopping tour — actually, our first-ever trip to Greece — and rented a car for a day so we could take a drive from Heraklion to see Chania and other parts of Crete.

Chania has an extensive history that dates back to the Minoan era (roughly the 27th Century BC to the 15th Century BC).  There’s a lot to see at Chania and nearby, but we only got to scratch the surface since we were so pressed for time. We’ve been meaning to get back and actually stay there for several days so we can see some of the many things we missed, and this video made me wish we were returning soon.

The film features two Cretan artists, George and Nikos Stratakis, who are having coffee at the Chania waterfront. When a young boy walks up and begins tapping a tabor on the table, George and Nikos take their cue and join in with their musical instruments. People in the crowd start clapping, and soon locals and tourists alike join in a spontaneous pentolazi, a traditional line dance.

The dancing is fun to watch, and there are plenty of shots of the scenic Chania waterfront that might make you wish you could soon visit the city, too.

The video was posted on YouTube by the HeartCrete Facebook page, which features photos of Chania and stunning scenery from places throughout Crete.