Spili
Spili is a village of the prefecture of Rethymno, an important node of southern Crete transport network, located approximately 30 km far from the city of Rethymno.
Spili is a mountain village built at an altitude of 430 meters on the western slope of the mountain Kedros and is considered an ideal destination during the summer months with the coolness provided by the two plane trees in the middle of the village.
It is said that the village Spili was named after the numerous caves that are scattered around it, but there are also some more versions about the origins of the name.
Spili used to be comprised of two separate settlements in the past, the fact proved by the churches with Byzantine frescoes of the 14th century existing in the wider area.
The inhabitants of the village of Spili participated actively not only in the Cretan Revolt of 1866, but also sacrificed their lives in all the national struggles of Greece. Today, the permanent residents of the village are almost 800 and it gets more crowded during the summer period.
Most houses in Spili have been damaged due to constant holocausts, therefore, the village has no particular architecture, but there are some newly built mansions. The central square and the main street are full of cafes, taverns and shops selling knitwear and embroidery.
The village of Spili is a synonym for water, since its most characteristic attractions are the 25 fountains. Water, emerging from thirty-nine springs scattered around the area, flows from hydrants shaped as lions’ heads. These springs are believed to originate from Psiloritis. The centuries-old bridge of Kamara or otherwise Spiliani Bridge, which crosses the full-flowing river full of trout, and numerous traditional watermills preserved until today are sights of the village worth seeing. The E4 route crosses the area, right where the Kourtaliotis gorge starts, ending in the famous palm tree forest of Preveli.
The Christian devotion of the people of Spili is shown by the many churches in the village, reaching 21 in number. Do not forget to visit the monastery of the Holy Spirit and the strange chapel of Agios Antonios (St. Anthony) southeast of the village.
