Maroulas, Rethymnon, is located about 10 kilometers from the town of Rethymnon, in southeast direction and at an altitude of 210 – 245 meters above sea level. The village with its current residential and urban trunk is suspected that it was built in the early 13th century AD. The entire village has been declared a traditional and preserved. It belongs to the Municipality of Rethymnon.

The geographical area of Maroulas includes pastures, olive groves and other fertile farmlands, number of peaks and hills, canyons and steep slopes, overgrown with wild flowers and herbs, caves and cavities, streams and a natural water source. The British traveler R. Scott writes about the area in 1834: “The land between this village and Maroulas is very productive in cereals and oil. This last village is superbly located on the left side of the road, in a not very high point of the hill slope from which we had just come down”, presenting his impressions after returning from Arkadi to Rethymno.

The privileged location of the village, the uninterrupted supervision of the plain and the sea and the panoramic view, the fertile soil and healthy climate contributed so very early to populate the area. Maroulas, Rethymnon, is one of the most remarkable and appreciable from an architectural and archaeological interest settlement of Crete.

The existence of chambered Minoan tombs identifies outset space as one of the most important destinations of tourist interest. In the area of Maroulas is excavated the third largest in size and importance Late Minoan cemetery of western Crete. The vast olive grove and its precious olive oil, gives added value at every inch of land of this blessed place. Visitors can admire numerous pictures, enjoy the herb and flower fragrance, perfumes rare and unique, to travel back in time at times very different from our own, to walk the narrow streets, pass under the arches and taste traditional Cretan recipes. In summer, the traveler can search a little dew in the woods of natural source of water with the giant plane trees, renowned source throughout the region for water with digestive properties.

The long march of Maroulas is evident in place names of the rural region of. Others of them are Byzantine, Venetian and other a few Ottoman. Finally, some names either come from far away and their origin is lost in depth of centuries and millennia (e.g. Zamaros). In many rural places archaeological findings, the carved stones, thousands of ceramic fragments (“vysala”) scattered Minoan shells and articles (tripod vases, bowls, weights loom, etc.), places of ancient quarrying and jar-burial jars, effortlessly lead to the conclusion of long-term occupation of the wider region and the existence of a populous community with strong elements of production and commercial activity.

Maroulas undoubtedly emerged in the Venetian era. The Towers of Maroulas and fortified houses in tower form are among the most interesting features that will catch the attention of visitors. The factories of olive oil production expanded and modernized in the late Othoman domination, so Maroulas turned out to be the most productive village in olive oil around the prefecture of Rethymnon. Many at times “princes” of the city, in all periods and until the Second World War, maintained holiday home in Maroulas, away from moisture and noise of the city. As well as the Bishop of Rethymnon and later Bishop of Crete during interwar period, Timotheos Veneris, built the so-called the Despotic in Maroulas, a unique beauty complex, walled by a high stone courtyard and an impressive stone arched gateway.

The traditional and preserved settlement of Maroula, is one of the most representative examples of historical and architectural route of the place through the centuries. Maroulas, with the typical tower-like houses (Venetian towers, tower-like houses, Venetian mansions and Turkish houses), the labyrinthine Ottoman lodgings with closed courtyard with high walls, the cisterns beneath the courtyards of the houses, the sizeable chimneys, arched doorways (so called “Portares”), the vaulted rooms with vaulted arches, the labyrinthine alleyways of the village, clinging to the roofs of the houses, for the easy passage of a Venetian mansion to another, invites the visitor to discover.

Today the visitor of Maroulas can enjoy homemade traditional recipes, all made with olive oil in “Mylopetra” restaurant on the main square of the village. In the tavern operates alongside small traditional grocery with Cretan products from the blessed land of Maroulas (virgin olive oil, wine, raki, honey of many different flavors, etc.), where visitors can obtain a desired quantity and at great prices these products.

From the most significant cases of the settlement buildings are the two Venetian towers of Maroulas. There is a third oldest in the village as well, perhaps a Byzantine tower, whose today are distinguished only the foundations. For the big tower of Maroulas, the construction dates in the second half of the 16th century. It is striking that after more than four centuries the damage that the building has suffered is minimal. This is the tallest tower around the prefecture of Rethymnon. The large tower belongs to the municipality of Rethymnon. The small tower, which is privately owned, is threatened by the ravages of time and requires immediate recovery, before it is too late.

Villa Theros kindly recommends and urges you to have your lunch or dinner at the central tavern of Maroulas village, 20 meters from the villa. Mylopetra’s food is really traditional and made with pure Cretan raw materials.

The building that houses Mylopetra has built during the Venetian occupation of the island, while accepted modifications during the Ottoman period. This is the old mill (factory) of family of Makedonomachos (Macedonian fighter) Stylianos Anomerianakis and his son Ilias. Over the mill they keep for years the family cafe. The millstone pressing of the olives that is preserved, became the inspiration for the name of the tavern.

Visitors of the village deserve to enjoy a coffee or a drink under the shade of the impressive beauty of great white bougainvilleas, planted it the year of establishment of the tavern in 1993. Noon and evening visitors can enjoy local homemade dishes and traditional Cretan recipes cooked with love and patience from the family of the current owner of the tavern Ilias Kopanakis, great-grandson of St. Anomerianakis.

Besides the Venetian building, other “artifacts” in the courtyard of Mylopetra are also of interest, which travel the visitor back in time. The Byzantine crest with the anchor, Minoan cylindrical connectors – altars (cairns) for religious offerings (libations) of land products in deities and the dead, the troughs washing, the hand mill, the frame – a loom, the ploughshare, the irons with charcoal and many others are part of the millstones and bring added value to that offered by millstone its visitors.

Every day the staff of Mylopetra, in a family environment, creates local natural and fresh ingredients, new taste experiences and surprises that can satisfy even the most demanding gourmand visitor. In the huge lemon tree planted in the lush courtyard of Mylopetra lemons never lack throughout the year, while in the vegetable garden of the family of owner Ilias Kopanakis, the seasonal vegetables are not missing (tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, okra, season grasses, etc.).

But the surprises do not stop here! In the Mylopetra small grocery, one can buy selected traditional and handmade Cretan products such as oil, wine, raki, Cretan herbs, gift items etc. at very attractive prices.

‘’Mylopetra’’ as fond of culture has established that every year there are cultural events either in the summer, in the beautiful courtyard, with evenings of live Cretan music, or in the winter in the historic hall (photography, painting, poetry, book presentations , reading fairy tales, etc.).

The Mylopetra tavern all these years of operation have opted crowd of people, locals of the village, till great scientists and personalities from the entertainment and television. What does separate Mylopetra and that is why everyone wants to be there, is quiet and friendly environment, unique homemade tastes and the feel of a travel in time that has the visitor enjoying his meal in the shade of the great Venetian Tower.

Mylopetra Taverna is the ideal choice for your food for as many days as you stay in the traditional settlement of Maroulas. Furthermore, the owner of the tavern has the knowledge about the history and architecture of the village, as he is also the author of a related book.