Discover Spilia: Lanes, Remembrance and Caves

Spilia combines a traditionally shaped village setting with places of remembrance and caves. Stone villas and cobbled lanes define its character; on a hill stands Platania Square, with its large plane trees. Marble plaques in Heroes’ Park commemorate residents, while the central church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, with its feast day on 24 September, marks a point on the calendar. Also nearby are Marathokefala Cave and the Cave of Saint John the Hermit, associated with panoramic views. When looking for a holiday rental, you can consider whether the village setting, history or caves should be the main focus of your stay.

Lanes, Villas and Platania

The cobbled lanes invite you to explore Spilia and walk around the village. Together with the stone villas, they shape its traditional character: the paving defines the paths, and the stone the architectural style. If you enjoy getting to know a place on foot, you can focus on this combination of paths and architecture.

Platania Square, with its large plane trees, sits on a hill in Spilia. It adds a named square and a landscape feature to the picture of lanes and villas. This may make a difference when planning your trip: are you mainly interested in the traditional village setting of stone and paving, or would you also like to include hilltop Platania in your idea of Spilia?

Remembrance and a Feast Day

Marble plaques in Heroes’ Park commemorate residents of Spilia who lost their lives in liberation struggles. The park is therefore a specific place of remembrance, directly connected to people from the village. For culturally minded travellers, this offers a different way to experience Spilia than its stone-built village setting: here, the focus is not on architecture but on remembering its residents.

The central church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa celebrates its feast day on 24 September. If you would like to plan your stay around this date, check the specific celebrations in advance. The park commemorates residents; the church marks a date on the calendar. Together, these two places offer different cultural perspectives from which to get to know Spilia.

Two Cave Themes

Marathokefala Cave near Spilia is an approximately 135-metre-long horizontal gallery filled with stalactites and stalagmites. It is next to Heroes’ Park, along the access road through Spilia. The Cave of Saint John the Hermit near Spilia is associated with an impressive panoramic view. The focus therefore differs: Marathokefala is notable for its gallery shape and cave formations, while the Cave of Saint John is associated with panoramic views. If you are weighing up the cave options, one offers a specific description of the cave interior, while the other is associated with a viewpoint.

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For the wider travel overview: Chania.