Amoudara Holidays

With a name that translates to ‘huge sand’, it’s no wonder Amoudara’s main draw is its beach. This caramel-coloured stretch unravels as far as the eye can see. Bars are dotted all the way along it, so you’ll never have far to go for an ice-cold drink. And when it comes to watersports, you’ve got everything from body-boarding to snorkelling.

Amoudara’s night scene is geared up for families. Seafront tavernas rub shoulders with live music bars and pubs. If you want something a little livelier, Heraklion is just a 15-minute cab ride away. As Crete’s biggest city, it packs in bars and clubs by the bucket-load.

Stays here put you only a 20-minute drive from Crete’s must-see attraction, the Palace of Knossos. Legend has it, a half-man, half-bull ‘minotaur’ lived in an underground labyrinth here. Alternatively, head out into the countryside for a trek around the Almyros Gorge. Although only a 10-minute drive out of town, it’s really peaceful, with only a 14th-century monastery and the odd trickling waterfall.