There are eight apartments in this small complex set in the
heart of the village of
Fodele and it is my understanding that all are of a
similar specification, varying between one and two bedrooms. We stayed in Daisy
http://www.holidayhomecrete.com/ as
a family of three and found the accommodation very suitable for our needs. The ground floor is open-plan kitchen / diner
/ living room (with an additional shower-room), patio-windows to the front and
a small seating area to the back which is not overlooked by the neighbours,
except when the nearby church is in use.
Up the spiral stairs there are the two bedrooms, both with a balcony, and
another shower room. It would be well to
point out that the stairs make the place unsuitable for the frail and disabled. At the very top is also a roof terrace but
with very awkward access through a small hatch.
All Daisy’s rooms have air-conditioning and the place in
general are well, but not luxuriously, appointed. Included are cooker, microwave and kitchen utensils,
dishwasher and a washing machine out the back.
There is also satellite television but most channels are in Arabic. Sheets and towels are replaced weekly.
In the communal area are a small but very pleasant swimming
pool and a rather good Jacuzzi. We found
the place very safe for children, with a well-shaded playground close to the
gates of the complex. Guests will be met
by the friendly caretakers Angie and Paul, who between them will be very happy
brief you on the facilities and answer any questions concerning the complex or
other matters Cretan.
Owing to the fact that Mandarin Grove is the heart of the
village, a word has to be said as the place and neighbours. As the website informs visitors, this is a
real working village so if one were seeking blissful silence at night, think
again. Animals kept by the neighbours
will swiftly shatter the idyll.
Fodele itself is a very pleasant place set in the valley of
the same name. A working village it is
but one that does cater for tourists so there are plenty of places to eat and
to buy your locally-made produce and souvenirs. Out
of the numerous tavernas, the pick must be Cafe Domenico run by Smoothie
George. It is his wife Eva who does the
actual cooking and the house specials (to be ordered the day before) are to die
for. Her moussaka is the very
best! Try the sheep’s milk ice cream
afterwards, if you have space that is.
http://domenicocafefodele.com/ . Cafe Domenico also does full English
breakfasts but if your appetite in the morning isn’t so large then pop in to
the nearby bakery for fresh bread and pastries, both sweet and savoury.
As for the souvenirs, many are indeed local and do not have
the phrase “made in China” stamped underneath.
There is a small pottery in the village which is happy to give children
a go at throwing their own pot; the local ladies hand-crochet many of the
soft-goods and wonderful, locally-produced, olive oil and honey is
available. The Fodele honey is superb
but as always, shop around. Some
retailers charge up to €5.50 for a 250g tin while just down the street the same
goods will be available for €3.50, or even just €12.00 a kilo, offering even
better value.
For the wider area, 3 km to the north, Fodele beach is
pretty good but a bit rocky to each end.
We had extended family staying in the Fodele Beach Resort so were able
to use the loungers there for free (as guests of guests) but if one does not
have that connection then they cost €3.00 each per day. Better to go along to the other beach-front
places and hire a lounger for the price of a drink.
A kilometre’s walk out of Fodele brings one to the
thousand-year-old church of Agia Panagia. Although many defaced, the icons within are
beautiful indeed. The church is opposite
to the El Greco museum. Since the museum
does not hold any of the artist’s works (it is suggested he was born here) then
frankly I didn't bother to go in.
Being a geologist, one
thing I did spot in Fodele that isn't mentioned elsewhere is the remains of a
pretty impressive fossilised coral reef, to be found opposite the church in the
centre of the village. The various
corals are obvious to all, even to inexpert eyes with no special equipment and
it is a great site to show children a wonderful fossil bed. I would ask though that visitors don’t start
hacking out the corals though; it seems that much of the reef has already been
destroyed by the demands of village life.
My favourite walk though is
the four kilometres up the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon, up a quiet and
well-shaded mountain road. The mountains
are spectacular and there is plenty of wildlife; lizards are a common sight and
over our stay we saw both eagles and ravens patrolling above the valley. Do remember to take plenty of water with you
though and a sun hat is always a good idea!
If bird-spotting is your thing though, head to the hills in the south of
the island for a chance to see griffon vultures; dramatic animals with wing
spans of almost three metres.
All in all, we had a
wonderful stay in Fodele. Being less
than half an hour from Heraklion and Knossos and fairly central in the island,
it makes a great base from which to explore using a hire car. One can also head west along the magnificent
E75 coast road to Rethimnon and Chania. With
friendly people, sunshine, spectacular countryside, good beaches, ancient
cultural sites and fresh, tasty local food and drink on offer, I have no hesitation
in recommending Crete for your next holiday.
Photo credits Maria. Veart-Shevchenko. AKA Mrs V..
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
