Welcome to Maravel Garden
Discover a peaceful botanical haven in Dariviana, just 1km from the village of Spili in central Crete. Maravel Garden is an expansive 100,000m² eco-park and organic farm where lush paths wind through fragrant herbs, vibrant flowers, and fruit trees. Home to over 2,500 species of common and rare medicinal herbs, our garden offers a truly uplifting experience.
Explore & Discover
The Botanical Garden: Wander through extensive paths featuring aromatic and medicinal plants, a unique cactus garden, and a tranquil small lake. A visitor's touch releases the rich scents of lavender, lemon basil, and other herbs.
The Shop (Apothecary): After your tour, take the healing essence of our garden home with you. We offer organic essential oils, handmade soaps, herbal teas, honey, natural cosmetics, and local wine.
Café & Restaurant: Relax on our terrace with mountain views. Enjoy our wide selection of herbal teas, smoothies, and vegetarian-friendly Cretan dishes. Fun fact: Look out for our unique robotic servers ready to deliver your order!
The Art of Distillation: Our Gourmet Essential Oils
We take pride in how our therapeutic-grade essential oils are produced from start to finish. At Maravel, there are three critical steps to our distillation process:
Cooking: The plant material is compressed precisely to maintain proper pressure and flow, preventing the oil from burning.
Condensing: A highly balanced system produces the maximum amount of oil with minimal waste.
Separation: Through three phases of separation, we recover a higher percentage of molecules, giving Maravel oils the highest standard in the world today—often referred to as "gourmet oils."
The Art of Distillation: Our Gourmet Essential Oils
- Hours: Open daily from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM (Closed on Tuesdays).
- Duration: Self-guided walks usually take 1–2 hours.
- Accessibility: The main entrance is wheelchair accessible, and electric buggies are available for visitors with mobility issues.
- What to bring: Comfortable non-slip footwear, a hat, sun-block, and your camera!
(We are always looking for dedicated volunteers of all ages who love gardening and sharing their knowledge. Contact us to join our team!)