Fodele

Fodele is known as the birthplace of the famous painter El Greco, although some sources claim he was born in Heraklion Town. It is an inland village, located on a hill about 2 km away from the sea, and its seaside area is known as Paralia Fodele, with a large sandy beach. The famous resort of Agia Pelagia is 8 km away.

The village of Fodele is small and tranquil, with a couple of tavernas and cafes around the square. About 1 km from the village you can visit a museum devoted to El Greco which is hosted in the house where the painter was born. The museum is open every day from April to October and it exhibits reproductions of some of El Greco`s paintings.

Paralia Fodele is in a large cove, with a massive rocky peninsula from one side, and the main road which connects Heraklion Town with Rethymno passes very close to the beach. It is a touristic settlement and no people live there out of the season. The west end of the beach is occupied by a big hotel resort with aqua park and own sunbeds and parasols for the guests. It is not a problem for the rest visitors because the beach is very wide and there is plenty of space for everyone. There are a few seaside taverns which offer sunbeds and parasols as well. Paralia Fodele is entirely sandy, with shallow seafloor and small pebbles around the shore. Just next to Paralia Fodele, separated by a group of rocks, there is one more sandy beach which has no facilities.

highlights: El Greco museum and large sandy beach, village in Heraklion Region, Crete, Greece