Situated on the north coast of Crete and 8 km away from Rethymno, the 3rd largest town of the island, the historic village of Maroulas is located at equal distance of the international airports of Chania (CHQ) and Heraklion (HER).
The lively small town of Platanias and its long (17 km) sandy beach is only 3 km away from your holiday home in Crete. The Venetian village of Maroulas has a few taverns and cafenions, and, 1 km away, you will find a large grocery store open 24 hours a day.
Slightly off of the centre of the village, your villa, combining charm and tranquility, is the ideal starting point to discover the island. Your host will be pleased to advise you exclusive routes and original outings. The village boasts 3 taernas, a cheese factory and herbal shop. A public bus service insures the link with Rethymno but a rental car is anyway strongly advised.
Maroulas is a quiet village situated on the heights above Rethymno, facing the sea at an altitude of 150 metres and surrounded by greenery, a spring and several valleys.
In 1980, Maroulas was listed for its historical monuments but also for some of its houses including Villa Barozzi.
Amongst its rich historical heritage, visitors can discover important remains of ancient tombstones dating back to antiquity, two wonderful Venetian towers one of which is 44 metres high, a Byzantine church dedicated to the Ascension, a more recent church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and lastly a small chapel with iconostasis which adorns the small village square.
During the first Venetian invasions, the middle class houses of Maroulas were used as second homes or agricultural warehouses by the nobility of Rethymno.
Its high position facing the sea and its narrow lanes without any main square make Maroulas a typical example of the kind of fortifications built at that time.
Inspired by the works of Venetian engineer Fr. Barozzi dating from 1577, the Venetian constructions were aesthetically considered as state of the art.
Later, the Turks would add architectural elements from Anatolia like chimneys, wells, hammams or fountains. Today, Rethymno is more a tourist destination with quaint shops, horse drawn vehicle and lovely fish restaurants. Head beyond the ancient fort at Kissamou for something special.
Nowadays, Maroulas reveals itself through a maze of alleys where visitors can stroll, meet with the locals and enjoy its tavernas and cafes.