Spili south of Rethymnon in Crete

Spili, about 30 kilometres south of Rethymno, has a wonderful location at the foot of Mount Kedros, and is one of my favourite mountain villages in Crete. The village is surrounded by lush vegetation and is framed by trees, fountains, springs, chapels and churches with great murals.

View of the village of Spili south of Rethymnon.

The village is 430 meters above sea level and has approximately 800 inhabitants. Spili means cave in Greek and the village is named after a large cave near the village. The Battle of Mesara during the Turkish occupation took place in Spili in 1833. In 1941, during World War II, parts of the village were destroyed by the Germans.

Somewhere in the mountains above Spili lies the cave that gave the village its name.

The big square is the heart of the village, and it is here that you find the famous Lion Fountain. The fountain is made up of twenty-five lion heads from whose mouths crystal clear water sprouts. Fill up your water bottle, you will not find better water in Crete than the lion's. There are several tavernas and cafes at the fountain.

The spectacular Lion Fountain in Spili.

The Lion Fountain in the other direction.

If you stroll in among the narrow alleys at the fountain, you come to Spili's old parts where the buildings are worn and the Greek everyday life rules. The Greek everyday life is certainly noticeable everywhere in Spili, for example there are several old kafenións and ouzerias where the old men live their lives.

The old parts of Spili.

In the old parts of Spili, time has stood still.

Spili is also a popular excursion destination and it arrives many tour buses every day. Most come to see the Lion Fountain and the huge monastery, and to botanize in the many textile shops along the main street. Spili is well known for its woven fabric.

Spili is also known for the huge monastery that goes by the name Monastery of Spili. It is unlike any other monastery I have seen in Crete, probably because it is fairly newly built, at least when compared to many other monasteries in Greece.

Monastery of Spili.

The architecture of the Monastery of Spili is very different.

The village of Spili on the left and the Monastery of Spili on the right.

Although Spili is visited by many day-trippers, it is still a genuine village. Here, for example, several old cafes remain. Ones that seem to have stood still in time. At one of these cafes there is a gas station, they are separated by non-smoking and smoking allowed in a typical Greek way.

One of the old cafes in Spili.

One of the cafes is next to a gas station.

Smoking is allowed at the cafe but not at the gas station. They are quite close to each other. :-)

I would like to take the liberty of making a proposal, please stay overnight in Spili, then you will experience a completely different village than the one you meet during the daytime. The evenings are wonderfully relaxing, and there are many cosy tavernas to choose from. Like Taverna Maria & Kostas where you eat good food in a lush environment with trees and flowers. The taverna is located along the main street in the beginning of the village, quite close to the Heracles Hotel, where I recommend you to stay.

ACCOMMODATION IN SPILI

Heracles Hotel is a very nice pension with clean rooms and a most enjoyable view of the meditative valley. The owner Heracles is one of the reasons why this is an extraordinary accommodation. He is super friendly, and he is more than happy to share his knowledge of Crete.

Heracles Hotel is the best place to stay in Spili.

In addition, Heracles makes super yummy marmalade and jam. Of course, he uses his own raw ingredients. The marmalade is served at breakfast, it can also be bought at a reasonable price. You can also buy his marmalades if you do not stay at Heracles. If Heracles is fully booked, Rastoni and Studio Vasileios are two good options.

Breakfast with homemade marmalade at the Heracles Hotel.

Book Heracles Hotel here »

Book Rastoni here »

Book Studio Vasileios here »

Book other hotels in Spili here »

There is, for obvious reasons, no beach in Spili, but it is close to the pleasant resort and beach of Plakias, to the beaches of Agios Pavlos and Triopetra, and last but not least, close to the famous palm beach of Preveli.