Looking for the best family active holidays? Visit Fodele Beach Resort, Crete

Katy Sunnassee flew her family to Fodele Beach Resort, Crete, to find out why it makes a great place for family active holidays

The British winters are undoubtedly long and dark. And while exercising outdoors is of course possible – and preferable, as any natural light is better than none, even on a cloudy day – there’s no denying a spot of sun and will boost not only your mood but also your health. Only a four-hour plane trip away is Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, where you get almost guaranteed sunshine all year round – making it a great location for planning a spring escape and perfect for family active holidays.

Expect temperatures between 15°C and 24°C – ideal for hiking, cycling, and exploring the surrounding countryside, which comes into full bloom in spring.

A 25-minute taxi ride west from Crete’s Heraklion Airport sits Fodele Beach & Waterpark, spanning almost the entire western side of a bay. The resort’s location among rolling hills and mountains makes it an excellent starting point for hikes and mountain biking to give those calf and thigh muscles a good workout. Follow the trail between the resort and the nearby village of Fodele, renowned as the birthplace of the famous painter El Greco. This scenic hike winds through olive groves, citrus orchards and traditional stone paths. For more seasoned hikers, Crete’s larger network of trails, including the renowned E4 European Walking Path, is also accessible from Fodele.

But you needn’t even leave Fodele Beach’s grounds to condition your legs, as the waterpark and sport courts are perched at the top of the hill, to which a mini train takes guests up and back throughout the day. But why do that when you can march up to the top of the hill, play a game of tennis and march down again? You’ll soon have legs and buns of steel.

And march up and down steps you will if you’re in one of the bedroom blocks anywhere between reception and the waterpark. The property contains 400 guest rooms, which sprawl across the hillside giving it a homely, village feel. Each trip to the buffet or beach will mean navigating steps and/or the sloping road, unless you wait patiently for the train, giving you the chance to work off your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Fortunately, we were situated in one of the newly refurbished Superior Seafront Family Rooms right at the front of the property, overlooking a small pool and out to sea – and with use of a lift between beach and bar. With dark wooden furnishings, sand- and stone-coloured walls and slate grey tiles on the bathroom floors, the sophisticated rooms are not only the best looking but also the best positioned (unless you want to hit the waterpark each day, in which case they’re the furthest away). With a queen-size bed, two sofa beds, flat screen TV, air conditioning, a mini fridge, tea/coffee station and luxury Greek toiletries from Olivia Thinks, these are the best in show… unless your budget stretches to one of the brand-new suites, each with its own entrance and just to the right of the Superior Seaview Family Rooms, where you’ll have more space to luxuriate in private and yet still be only moments away from the main complex. Some have their own pool, too.

Visit Dubrovnik for a holiday of sport

Activities perfect for family active holidays

Late spring is when the sea around Fodele starts to warm up in earnest. I was told by the manager that the Greeks only go in during July and August, while sun-starved Brits and Germans brave the sea all season long – families were frolicking in the waves during our end-of-October visit and using the unheated pools. The wide and shallow bay, which is protected by a barrier, is great for snorkelling and safe for children to explore – I could wade out to around 30m from the shore before my feet left the seafloor.

And if you want to enjoy the water without getting into it, try one of the exhilarating inflatable rides on offer at the beach, or perhaps give those arms a workout in a kayak or on a stand-up paddle board (SUP). The bay isn’t too tidal, so the water only comes in slightly, meaning the shoreline gets covered with sandcastles each day, many of which are still there the next. The dense, clay-like sand close to the water is perfect for building, and kept my son Ethan occupied for almost an entire day, building forts and creating pebble bridges.

Adjacent to the Frankie Beach Club bar is a volleyball court, which was popular most evenings with family groups. Plenty of children flocked to the kids’ club, coming out clutching paintings and other creations; while our son didn’t join them, he was drawn to the ping-pong table next to the club, where we whiled away an hour each day, batting the ball back and forth under the shade of the canopy.

Those who like to stretch can try the sunrise or sunset yoga class at the beach pavilion (tip – don’t wear light clothing as the sand is very dusty and tends to stain) or go for a barefoot jog. There are also aquafit classes in the main pool mid-morning.

High on the hill

The waterpark is impressive and just thing for family active holidays – Fodele has received a Trivago award as one of the world’s best hotels with its own water park – with numerous slides for thrill seekers, along with quieter pools and mini fountains for the little ones. I imagine in peak summer it’s packed as you could spend an entire day there, especially as there’s a Windmill café and sun loungers make it a mini day-trip of sorts without leaving the resort. But with autumn in the air, we passed on the slides this time in favour of hitting the tennis court. There is also a basketball court and a small crazy golf putting range. Our match didn’t last long when my husband got fed up of having to keep walking to pick up the ball after I’d returned it miles away from where he stood – for me, even returning some of them, no matter where they landed, was an achievement considering my non-existent tennis skills. And so it ended with just Ethan and me playing a game of ‘let’s try not to hit the ball over the fence’! Oh, and book your hour-long court slot at least a day or two in advance as the early morning and late afternoon spaces, when the sun is less strong, are very popular.

Not wanting to wait for the hill transport to return, and in need of food, we trekked back down the hill, through the steps that weave between the accommodation, back to the reception to return our rackets.

If it’s too hot outside, you can exercise indoors in the underground gym, which my personal trainer husband made sure to visit each day. It’s a decent size – larger than many resort gyms – and has a good range of equipment. I managed a short cross-trainer session followed by a few weights before dinner one evening, and also got to enjoy a half-hour massage with a very skilled therapist in the adjacent bijou spa.

Food-wise you can stay healthy with Greek-style salads, plenty of locally caught fish and lean meats at either of the two buffets, although temptation also awaits by way of eat-all-you-can ice cream and desserts – think mini glazed cakes and mousses, plus baklava. I couldn’t resist! The Greek à la carte restaurant, Elia, is well worth a visit for a taste of authentic Greek cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. The sautéed grouper fillet with Cretan greens in a sea-flavoured broth was delicious, as was the spit-roast chicken in Cretan herbs with grilled vegetables. Our son even tried the octopus starter, so his tastebuds were broadened across our four-night trip.

So, if you’re in need of a vitamin D top-up before the British summer gets going – and we never know when that will be! – why not hop on a plane and head to Crete for some sun, sea and sand? I’ll be marching back to the top of Fodele’s hill as soon as I can!

Travel file

For family active holidays, Family Rooms for up to four persons on all-inclusive basis start from £306 per night. A Superior Sea Front Family Room start from £370 per night in May for a family of four. The room can be partitioned to create privacy and offers views over the hotel’s private beach. Book direct for best rates at fodelebeach.gr