Vafes: Building History and Cretan Culinary Traditions

Vafes lies at an altitude of 210 metres at the foot of the White Mountains, southwest of Vrises. The village combines well-preserved Venetian buildings with traditional cobbled stone lanes and several historic houses. If you want to discover not only the landscapes of Crete but also its architectural and local history, Vafes offers tangible traces of different eras: houses, vaulted buildings, religious architecture, and places of remembrance. Vafes was designated a protected historic settlement under Government Gazette 1072/1997.

Historic Buildings and Their Stories

The large house of Emmanuel Iereos Skordylis dates from 1745 and is open to visitors. The vaulted buildings attributed to the Janissary Ibrahim Alidakis can also be visited. Several other houses date from the early period of Ottoman rule. A small collection of 18th-century icons, assembled by the village priest, is housed in two old stone-vaulted storerooms. Visitors can also see the old olive mill and the bridge over the Boutakas River. The old school serves as a museum.

Churches, Architecture, and Remembrance

Buildings open to visitors also include the two-aisled Church of Christ. The term “two-aisled” describes the church’s division into two aisles and refers to a specific architectural feature. The Cathedral of the Holy Apostles stands in the centre and is distinguished by a gilded iconostasis and domes. An iconostasis is a wall decorated with icons inside a church; its gilded finish is a notable feature of the cathedral. A monument in the centre also commemorates the struggles in which local people took part during the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can also see the 15th-century Church of the Holy Asomates. This is distinct from the Chapel of the Holy Assomates, which is part of the village’s religious and cultural heritage. The Church of Saint John the Baptist has a Venetian bell dating from 1581.

Prepare Cretan Recipes Yourself

Arevitis Farm in the traditional village of Vafes offers a very different activity. There, visitors can prepare traditional Cretan recipes using ingredients from the farm, including handmade pasta and kalitsounia. Visits to the farm are possible by prior arrangement only. Unlike viewing architecture, the focus here is on preparing the food yourself.

Historical Connections Nearby

Nearby historical sites include Kryonerida Cave, southwest of Vafes. It served as a refuge for Christians on several occasions. On 9 August 1821, Ottoman soldiers lit a fire at the entrance, causing 130 women and children to suffocate inside the cave. The Chapel of Saint John the Hermit lies along the Kryonerida Trail; villagers also call it Tangitis.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment, Vafes’s cultural highlights can help guide your choice of location: its architectural history and religious heritage shape the sights open to visitors, while Arevitis Farm focuses on preparing traditional dishes with ingredients from the farm. Visits there are by arrangement only. So consider whether this combination suits the interests you have for your trip to Crete.

Discover more destinations: Kontomari, Alikianos, Omalós, Theriso, Loutro, Marathi, Drapanias, Impros

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