Photo by JACK REDGATE via PexelsSpili village and the lion-head fountains
Spili sits halfway between Rethymno and the south coast, on a slope where water comes out of the mountain. That water is the reason the village is there, the reason it is green when everything around it is not, and the reason most people stop.
- Access
- Flat, shaded walking in the village centre
- Also note
- Confirmed when you enquire
When to go
Any month. It is shaded and cool in summer, which makes it a useful midday stop, and the plane trees turn in autumn.
The fountain
In the middle of the village a long stone trough runs along a wall, fed by a row of carved lion heads with cold spring water coming out of them continuously. It is not a monument behind a rope — people fill bottles from it, and the water is drinkable.
It is genuinely the centrepiece of the place, and it takes about four minutes to look at. The village around it is what justifies the stop.
What else is there
Lanes that climb away from the main street, plane trees big enough to shade a square, tavernas that cook for locals as much as for visitors, and a pace that is noticeably slower than the coast.
Spili is also a natural halfway point. It sits on the road between Rethymno and the south coast, which makes it the obvious stop on the way to Preveli or Plakias rather than a destination you drive to and return from.
How to spend an hour here
- Fill a bottle at the fountain — the water is cold and drinkable
- Walk up one of the lanes off the main street
- Sit under the plane trees rather than on the through road
- Buy honey or oil from a shop rather than a stall
Questions people actually ask
How many fountains are there in Spili?
A long row of lion-headed spouts feeds a single stone trough. The figure usually quoted is 25, but we are treating that as unverified until someone has counted them on site — it is exactly the sort of detail that gets repeated without checking.
Can you drink the water?
It is spring water and locals fill bottles from it as a matter of routine. It runs continuously and is noticeably cold.
How long should we spend in Spili?
An hour covers the fountain and a walk. Two or three if you eat there, which is the better version. It is not a full day on its own — it works as part of a route to the south coast.
Days that go here
Read before you go
Nearby
Page facts last reviewed 18 September 2026. Opening hours and entrance fees at third-party sites are confirmed at the time of enquiry. Tell us if something here is out of date.