I always think that Crete is one of the most underrated destinations in the world, and I challenge you to find anyone who’s been there who’d say a bad word about it. As a holiday destination it really does have it all: endless sunshine, fabulous beaches and fascinating history. But where it truly comes into its own is in the diversity of its activities and attractions, meaning that, yes, the old cliché is true that there’s ‘something for everyone’.
One of the most popular places for families is the gorgeous fishing village of Agia Pelagia, which may well be small, but lacks absolutely nothing to cater for an active and adventurous family holiday. Need convincing? Hold on tight and I’ll be happy to oblige…
Get On the Water and Go Boating
Everyone in the family will enjoy the opportunity to get out on the high seas for a day – or at least a few hours. Bluewater Club offers a unique and exciting way to explore the Cretan Pelagus and you don’t need even need a boat licence. So if you can drive a car, you’ve got it covered!
All the luxury charter boats are safe, comfortable and fully insured, and an expert crew will teach you all you need to know in order to take charge of your own adventure. You’ll be fully briefed on the boat and the layout of the main area around the resort, then you can head out into the blue wherever your adventurous hearts desire. Kids will love the chance to drop anchor and jump off the boat for a swim, or stop and explore the coves and beaches along the coast.
Head Out on Safari
If you want to up the pace a little, how does an off-road quad safari sound? If you said exciting, thrilling, invigorating, or all of the above, you’re right! Quad Safari Peninsula offers an unforgettable experience that takes you out into the Cretan countryside to discover the authentic heart of the region. This is a wonderful way to immerse in the stunning natural landscape and the safari takes you along breath-taking cliff paths, through a ghost village and into the beautiful mountains to the birthplace of the painter El Greco. It’s a very personal way of learning more about the Cretan culture, handicrafts and traditional life. Not that the kids will care about that, they’ll be far too busy having fun…
While the minimum driving age of the quad bikes is 18, kids can ride on the back and the safari is accompanied by a fully qualified guide to ensure your safety.
Top Tip: In Fodele (El Greco’s village) make sure you treat the kids to the most delicious dose of vitamin C they’ll ever have! The village is renowned for its amazing oranges and there’s nothing like a freshly squeezed juice to re-energise for the rest of the tour.
Explore Beneath the Ocean on a Scuba Trip
For children over the age of ten, this is the absolute ideal place to introduce them to one of the most exciting and addictive activities under the sun. Or under the sea to be more precise! Scuba diving opens up a whole new underwater world and there’s nothing quite like it to get an insight into the magnificence that lies beneath our oceans.
Stay Wet offers a course for complete beginners that will take the entire family through the theoretical and practical basics of diving with a fully qualified instructor. The beauty of Stay Wet’s service is their personal approach, with three instructors to a group of four divers.
Once everyone’s feeling confident, you’ll head beneath the surface of the water to explore the beautiful bay of Mononaftis, to encounter the abundance of marine life in several excellent dive sites. You may see:
- Octopus
- Moray eels
- Barracudas
- Seahorses
- Stingrays
- Even dolphins!
As an adventurous activity everyone can get involved in, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Where to Stay
Out of the Blue Capsis Elite Resort: One of the best places to stay with a family is the excellent Out of the Blue Capsis Elite Resort. Why? Because, put simply, this place has thought of everything! With the beach practically on the doorstep and a delightful setting within gorgeous sprawling gardens, there’s not a chance the kids will be bored. It’s designed to be like a little Cretan village, and they can take advantage of the seven pools, three beaches and even their own dedicated amusement park onsite!
Parents, meanwhile, can relax around a pool or indulge in a treatment at Euphoria Spa. With seven restaurants you’ll have a choice of cuisine for even the fussiest young diners, and the spacious, magnificently appointed rooms will make you wish you never had to go home…
How to Get There
Getting the family to Agia Pelagia is not hard, with numerous budget carriers offering regular flights to Heraklion International Airport (HER). Flight time is around three hours and 45 minutes, which is just enough for a couple of movies and not too long that the children will get bored.
Once you’re on the ground, the last thing you want is to struggle with public transport, so I highly recommend pre-booking a convenient transfer with Shuttle Direct. A friendly local driver will meet you at the airport and the door-to-door service means you can all be relaxing around the pool in less than half an hour.
About Shuttle Direct
At Shuttle Direct we pride ourselves on offering the most comprehensive and reliable range of airport transfers in Europe and North Africa. With an easy to navigate online booking system and the choice of either shared or private shuttles, you’ll be met at the airport and a friendly driver will take you right to the door of your accommodation. Couldn’t be easier.
