Fodele Holidays

A charming corner of Crete

You’ll find Fodele plonked in the Cretan countryside, just a few minutes’ drive from the island’s north coast. Looks-wise, it’s as traditional as they come – its low-rise buildings are scattered by a babbling stream with a peppering of olive, orange and lemon trees thrown in for good measure. Not only that, there’s a duo of beaches nearby, and a handful of sites to make history-and-art buffs wide-eyed.

Historic hotspots

Fodele isn’t just jam-packed with charm, it lines up a bunch of historic sites, too. The El Greco Museum’s one of them. This place shines a spotlight on a collection of pieces from Renaissance painter El Greco, who’s rumoured to have been born in this neck of the woods. Just across the street from the museum, you’ve got the Church of Panagia – its medieval exterior and well-preserved frescoes are well worth a nosey.

Souvenirs and souvlaki

It may be a teeny village, but Fodele’s got more shops and tavernas than you can shake a purse full of euros at. There’s even a pedestrianised road dubbed Souvenir Street, where locals flog handmade goodies like bags and jewellery. As for grub, most places serve up menus full of traditional Greek fare, including big plates of souvlaki and gyros.

Sandy sweeps

If you fancy flaking out for a bit, you can hop in a cab and whizz over to Fodele Beach – it’s only five minutes away. Here, two sand-and-shingle stretches fight for your attention – one’s scattered with colourful sunloungers, while the other’s a little more on the wild side. Whichever you pick, you’ll have loads of room to throw down a towel and top up your tan.