Discover Spilia: Museums, Craftsmanship and Landscape

When choosing where to stay, it helps to have a clear picture of the themes that define a place. Spilia brings together collections of traditional objects, shoemaking, historical landmarks and seasonal scenery. The two museums offer distinct cultural highlights; Krya Vrysi and the Tomb of Panoukla add a former water source and a rock formation. In spring, almond trees add another dimension to the landscape. This gives you a way to decide whether Spilia interests you most for its everyday history, individual crafts or scenery.

Everyday Life and Craftsmanship in Two Museums

The Popular Art Museum is located at the entrance to the centre of Spilia, on the community’s main road. It was founded by the PROODOS association in 2005. It displays almost all the furniture and household items from a traditional home, as well as some tools used in traditional occupations. The collection thus brings together domestic furnishings and various fields of work. For travellers interested in both traditional ways of life and past occupations, it offers a broad range of themes.

The Museum of Shoemaker Christos Chrysanthou offers a more specific focus. It displays his shoemaker’s workbench, made in 1920, with its associated tools, Singer sewing machines, and an account book dated 1933. The workbench, machines and book point to different aspects of shoemaking: the workplace, the equipment and business records. Compared with the Popular Art Museum, this focus is centred on a single profession. The two dates refer to different exhibits and provide distinct points of reference in time. Visits to the Museum of Shoemaker are possible by appointment. Arrange a time in advance if you plan to include this part of the village’s history.

Historical and Scenic Landmarks

Until around 1960, Krya Vrysi was Spilia’s main water source. As a historical landmark, the spring complements the museum collections with a different theme: while the museums focus on objects and craftsmanship, Krya Vrysi points to the former importance of a water source to the village. The phrase “until around 1960” places this role in time.

The Tomb of Panoukla consists of two stacked rock blocks on the hillside east of Spilia, in the Laou area. It adds a landscape feature to the village’s cultural landmarks. Unlike the museums, it is not a collection that takes centre stage, but a rock formation.

In spring, the almond trees surrounding Spilia shape the landscape. This seasonal feature may play a role in choosing when to travel if you would also like to take in the surrounding area. The almond trees are specifically associated with spring, while the museums and Krya Vrysi offer historical and cultural highlights.

A Local Product

Walnuts from Spilia are very well known in Cyprus. Alongside cultural history and scenery, a local product is another feature that helps define the village.

Discover more destinations: Kato Pyrgos, Pera, Galata, Yeşilırmak, Askas, Phicardou, Mathiatis, Dilekkaya

For the broader travel overview: Nicosia.