Our most recommended things to do in Spili

From Rethymno: Spili, Agia Galini, and Matala Tour

1. From Rethymno: Spili, Agia Galini, and Matala Tour

Embark on a group tour from Rethymno to visit the charming ancient villages of Crete. Visit the quaint village of Spili, discover the caves of Agia Galini, and enjoy the sandy beach of Matala, with plenty of time to explore on your own. Start with pickup from your hotel by air-conditioned bus, then make your first stop at the village of Spili for 1 hour of free time. Walk the cobbled streets of a village with its well-known lion-head fountains. Browse the many stores and shopfronts selling traditional Cretan products. The next stop is at the amphitheatrically built village of Agia Galini. Here, you will have 1.5 hours to explore the village. Admire the views of small, traditional houses and the harbor, the perfect place for a coffee break. Continue next to Matala where you will have 2.5 hours of free time to enjoy the golden sandy beach. After some time sunbathing on the shore, the bus will then take you back to your hotel.

From Rethymno: Preveli Palm Beach and Damnoni Tour

2. From Rethymno: Preveli Palm Beach and Damnoni Tour

Following pick-up at your hotel, journey to the traditional village of Spili to admire the Venetian fountain of Kefalovrissi with its 19 lion heads. Sit back and enjoy the dramatic scenery of the Kourtaliótiko Gorge as you make your way to the beautiful beach of Preveli. Get breathtaking views of the blue waters of the Aegean Sea contrasting with the lush green of the palm forest and lagoon. After your visit to Spili the next stop is Damnoni beach. From here you will take the boat over to Palm beach. Take some free time to soak in all the beauty of the clear blue waters combined with the lagoon and palm forest. Enjoy time to purchase lunch and refreshments in Damnoni and admire its beautiful clean beach. Journey back to Rethymno and get dropped off at your hotel on arrival.

From Rethymno: Guided Day Trip to the South Coast

3. From Rethymno: Guided Day Trip to the South Coast

Experience Cretan nature with a local guide on this day tour. Pass through olive groves and traditional villages, smell wild flowers and herbs, and admire the natural beaches of the South Cretan Sea. Commence your tour by departing from Rethymno after meeting your guide. You'll soon arrive at the dam that gathers water from the gorge of Patsos. There, take amazing photos of one of the most important lakes in the southeast Mediterranean, which also boasts many species of birds and animals. Next, stop at the magnificent gorge of Patsos itself. See a small church in a rocky cave and pass through traditional villages before heading over to a higher point for a panoramic view of Rethymno and the two highest mountains of Crete. Afterwards, visit a botanical garden and discover Crete's medicinal plants and flowers. Take a break from walking and enjoy some tea as you bask in Cretan nature. Then, proceed to Spili, a village famous for its natural springs. Lastly, visit the Folklore Museum and end your tour by going to Plakias Beach for a swim with a view of the South Cretan Sea.

From Rethymno South private Tour-Spili-Kourtaliotiko-Kalypso

4. From Rethymno South private Tour-Spili-Kourtaliotiko-Kalypso

Start your day at Spili, a small and beautiful village very popular for the lion head fountains, by relaxing under the trees while enjoying a Greek cup of coffee. Try honey and olive oil from local producers. Visit the folks museum and learn about the Cretan history. Then explore the breathtaking Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Walk through the rising rock walls and admire the incredible natural scenery, before you reach the lonely chapel of Agios Nikolaos. Listen to the ethereal sound of the wind, created by its movement through the gorge. Reach the springs of Kourtaliotis, where you can try the cold and fresh water. Arrive at the exotic coastal resort of Kalypso, an old pirate shelter. Relax on Karavos beach, which has recently become a national park. Walk across the towering rocks and dive into the turquoise water of the Libyan Sea.

South Trip: Explore Faistos, Ag. Galini, Matala, Spili

5. South Trip: Explore Faistos, Ag. Galini, Matala, Spili

South trip is an interesting trip while you see a lot of villages like Arkadi,Agia Galini,Matala and Spili.Arkadi is famous for its Orthodox monastery which is very old with baroque and roman elements,with a big yard and a lot of trees and flowers.The monastery was a place for science art and had a school with big library.The other destination is Agia Galini a large village with nice beaches,bars and restaurants.Matala is next a very interesting and beautiful village with artificial caves,it was a fishing village and it was full of hippies, with clear waters flower drawings everywhere and quotes around the village,you can enjoy the fresh food while watching the caves.The last station is Spili where you can enjoy the cooling shady plateias and running waters.the whole trip takes 10 hours it starts at 8 in the morning and the come back is at 6 in the afternoon.

Original Crete tour from Rethymno

6. Original Crete tour from Rethymno

Following pick-up at your hotel, journey begins from Kotsifou Canyon where you follow an amazing path. After the hiking you will arrive to plakias, from here you will take the boat over to Palm beach. Take some free time to soak in all the beauty of the clear blue waters combined with the lagoon and palm forest. You will leave preveli passing by damnoni and kourtaliotiko gorge which you can admire from above and some beautiful pictures to capture the scenery. Next stop is the olive groves where you can have a picknick and enjoy the local flora Before the return to Rethymno, the traditional village of Spili is waiting for you to admire the Venetian fountain of Kefalovrissi with its 19 lion heads. Sit back and enjoy the dramatic scenery of the Kourtaliótiko Gorge. Enjoy time to purchase lunch and refreshments in Spili and admire its beautiful clean beach. Journey back to Rethymno and get dropped off at your hotel on arrival.

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What people are saying about Spili

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 242 reviews

We were picked up punctually from our hotel and welcomed in a very friendly manner by our tour guide and bus driver. The tour guide told us a lot of interesting facts about the island during the trip. Little by little we then approached the individual destinations of the tour, where we had enough time to look at everything. All places were super beautiful and well worth seeing. The bus ride was very pleasant for us, there was great music on the island and the places. Thanks to the perfect driving skills of our bus driver, we were able to fully enjoy the trip and the island. The tour guide made the day perfect with his super great manner, even though the weather was a bit mixed.

AWESOME!! the stops on our way to matala were beautiful and even the bus ride was nice itself. thanks to andreas we've heard interessting facts about crete and our destinations. the red beach and the hike to it is a definitive recommondation.

The tour was led by tour guide Anastasia and bus driver Costas, both did an excellent job. A lot has been said about Crete. Costas played the lyre for us, . All stops had a lot of charm, Matala caves and beach is a must see destination.

A wonderful trip, enough time for everything. Great Spili, the beautiful Monastery of Prevelli and an amazing beach. Thank you very much for the day spent together. Magda, Piotr, Julia and Szymon from Gdańsk

Great trip through the mountains to the south coast. The guide and driver were really lovely and friendly