An Old Cretan Village Restored for Tourism
Kapsaliana used to be a lively and active village southeast of 
Rethymnon. Under the control of the Arkadi Monastery the
village produced olive oil in the press owned by the monastery.
From the village it is four kilometres to Arkadi, and 15 to
Rethymnon. The view from the village to almost all directions
is beautiful. The drive to the beach by the sea is about 10 minutes.
…
The olive trees in the area date back hundreds of years. There are olive trees in Crete that are over 2000 years old. Kapsaliana olive oil press workshop was founded in 1763 AD by Abbot Philaretos. The press was the heart of the village’s functions and economy. The press stopped operating in 1955, and the decay of the village started.
Present time
The village is architecturally a typical Cretan village with Venetian influences. The complete restoration of the village has been carried out harmonically and beautifully, and the fine details and the exterior stairways of the houses give the village its characteristic classy looks. The village offers high class accommodation in a peaceful atmosphere. The olive oil museum is open to the public and there is a café and a tavern in the village.
Restoration
The leading idea of the restoration of the village was to preserve Kapsaliana as a whole and as a genuine part of the surrounding local culture. In Kapsaliana you can be accommodated in an original Cretan village in modern rooms with modern facilities or hold meetings and gatherings. The restoration and the finishing of the whole village has been carried out with careful planning and execution. Sustainability and the environmental aspects were seriously taken into account in the process and the village therefore has its own farming plots and only natural materials were used in the restoration. Most rooms have typical, traditional Cretan furniture and objects, and the local tavern gets fresh vegetable from the village’s own farming plots.
Olive oil museum
The center of the village is the museum, where you can see machines from the village’s original olive oil press workshop, as well as Cretan olive oil pots. Olive oil is a symbol of Crete, religious element and a central part of everyday life, food and art. For these reasons the restoration of the village was performed without sparing money or effort. The restoring and renovating has been carried out extremely carefully to the finest detail, and the village is in a way even more original than the original village itself.
Hotel rooms
The hotel rooms with modern conveniences have been placed inside the old, restored buildings. Four completely new buildings have been built according to the traditional design of the village. The village is beautiful and peaceful by its looks and details. All aspects of the village emphasise its beauty and peacefulness.
There are altogether 18 separate apartments with 39 beds in the village, offering real peace and quiet in a traditional Cretan atmosphere with conveniences that easily meets modern standards. Which ever of the apartments you choose, you will be positively surprised by their equipment, convenience, elegance and the aesthetics. The size of the apartments and the rooms vary from 15 to 48 square metres.
The rooms are equipped with bathrooms, electricity, free internet connection, natural stone warmers, large size beds, a desk, minibar, hair dryer, safety locker, fireplace (in most rooms), hygiene items, bath robes and sandals and own terrace or balcony.
Additional Information:
Coordinates for Kapsaliana: 35°20’23.33″N 24°37’11.14″E
The website of the village and village hotel: www.kapsalianavillage.gr
