The northern coast of Crete is famous for its resorts and towns, which in themselves are a landmark. One of these places is the village of Fådele. It is located 18 km northwest of Heraklion and is part of its prefecture. Tourists and Orthodox pilgrims come here. In the vicinity of the settlement is the monastery of St. Panteleimon. El Greco lived here. Opposite the museum, dedicated to his life and work, stands the ancient Byzantine Church of the Introduction to the Temple of the Blessed Virgin. In pre-Christian times, the ancient port city of Pantomarium was located on this territory. It was mentioned in his writings by Pliny the Elder.
To get to Fodole, you need to leave Heraklion on the national highway E090 (part of the European route E75) and move to the north-west. The turn to the village is on the sign.
In Fodel all conditions for comfortable rest and travel are created. Guests are ready to accept luxury hotels of different price categories and living conditions. Three-star apartment «Orange Fodele». They are quite suitable for tourists-transiters to spend the night and go further. Five-star«Beach Water Park Resort»works on the system «All inclusive», so it is popular with couples with children, travelers who come to relax on the beach. Even without leaving the village, you can visit several interesting places that will tell about the history, nature and traditions of Fådele.
Fådele Central Square
The village is home to just over 500 people. It is arranged according to all the principles of human settlements that have existed since ancient times. That is, the main place of meetings, events and significant events is the central square. There are several memorable objects on it – a bust of El Greco, a Venetian drinking spring, a memorial plate. On the square there are souvenir shops and open shops. They sell artisanal products, mainly home textiles and accessories. Here are the hotels in which tourists who are looking for authentic living conditions like to stay.
Address: Fadele village, Heraklion Prefecture, Crete, Greece
Fådele Park
The settlement is picturesquely located at the foot of the mountain. Despite the fact that there are not many forests on the coast of Crete, it has its own park area. Fodole is also called the greenest village in Crete. A mountain river flows directly through its territory. Fresh water abounds to grow lemon, orange, tangerine trees, numerous herbs and shrubs. There is incredibly delicious air. The mixture of citrus aromas with mountain freshness and sea breeze creates an incredible oxygen cocktail that is very useful for the respiratory system.
Skotini Waterfall
A walk in the mountains will bring aesthetic pleasure to nature lovers. On the way to the old church there will be large man-made chapels and herbaceous plants above human growth. A pleasant place to relax will be the Skotini waterfall. Because of the water flowing down the rapids, it is always cool here, even on the hottest day. Nature generously rewarded the neighborhood with vegetation. One tree recently turned a thousand years old. It is a landmark of the village and is located near the central square.
Church of Our Lady of Panagia
Admiring the local nature, after three kilometers of the way, tourists will approach the Church of Our Lady of Panagia. The building is the brightest example of Byzantine temple architecture. It was erected on the site of an early Christian basilica (8th century built) in the 14th century. Part of the structure, in particular the baptistery, sections of the outer walls and two pillars were built into the new church. The floor is tiled with marble tiles. There are perfectly preserved frescoes. The oldest layer, dating back to the 11th century, is in the western part of the building. The painting of the southern wall dates back to 1323.
Address: 500 meters northwest of Fodole village, Crete, Greece
El Greco Museum
The museum was founded in 1998. It is located opposite the Church of Our Lady of Panagia. The place was not chosen by chance. There is an opinion that the artist was inspired to work by the frescoes of the ancient temple. The exposition is located in a Byzantine restored house. The exhibition includes a small collection of reproductions of the works of the great artist, commonly known as “El Greco”. The information brochure on the life and work of Dominikas Theotokopoulos (1541-1614) is available in 5 languages and distributed to visitors. Fådele hotels regularly receive information about events held by museum staff.
Site:https://www.facebook.com/El-Greco-Museum-Fodele-728646633829132, http://www.psfodele.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102&Itemid=59&lang=en&fbclid=IwAR2Kr583DXdhQ0hrFnTbe0IPeJ6tTpnwGPVBxAb-NLiPoCK0_RogP1BlKbM
Address: Fådele, Heraklion Periphery, Crete, Greece
Sandy beach Fådele
Where the mountain river Pandomandris flows into the sea, there is a spacious sandy beach. It is located 3 kilometers north of the village. The national highway passes in the immediate vicinity of it, so you can always wrap up and swim. The place is well protected from the winds, the sea here is always calm. The entrance to the water is gentle. The beach is very popular with parents with children. The western part is landscaped, there is a rental of sun loungers, umbrellas, catamarans and other beach equipment. There is a rescue service. Beach hotels are more comfortable than those located in the village. They have additional relaxation areas with swimming pools and bars.
Address: Heraklion Prefecture, Crete, Greece
Monastery of St. Panteleimon (Agios Panteleimonas)
The monastery is located in the middle of an orange and olive grove, 3.5 km from Fådele. Initially, it was built as a fortress. It is assumed that it was founded in 1539 by the monks of the seaside monastery of St. Anthony plundered by pirates. This is evidenced by the facts: the patron saint of the monastery is considered to be this righteous man, one of the temples was consecrated in his honor. It is believed that the brothers occupied the buildings previously belonging to the monastery of St. Panteleimon. It was built in the Byzantine era around 1204. The monks retained the name of the ancient monastery and acquired two patron saints at once. There are preserved icons of the 17th century, frescoes, architectural structures.
Address: 4 km south of Fådele, on a mountain road, Crete, Greece
Fodele is a cozy Cretan village with friendly residents. National dishes are prepared in the taverns. Hotels provide places for both transit and specially coming here on vacation tourists.
Attractions Fodele on map
