Sun, sea and sport create memories in family-friendly Crete

“I’m bored!” – the words no parent wants to hear on holiday.

Fortunately for us, a family of four, we’re staying somewhere that means both parents get to relax while our sports-mad boys get to stay active, so the boredom doesn’t last long.

On the western edge of the sweeping Gulf of Chania in Crete, on the island’s northwestern coast, the impressive five-star Giannoulis Cavo Spada Luxury Sports and Leisure Resort is located directly on the beach, along with state-of-the-art sports facilities (the reason why the Swedish winter Olympics team train here).

‘Sports hospitality’ is a growing trend in tourism, offering holidays and wellness for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and active travellers.

But you don’t have to be an Olympian to take part – there are activities at the resort for all ages and abilities. With an emphasis on the ‘social’ aspect, rather than competition, there are more ‘dad bods’ than ‘sun gods’ enjoying their stay here.

Family training sessions with my sons Aidan, aged nine, and Louis, 12, at the well-equipped indoor and outdoor gyms become a daily routine.

After the morning workout, Louis does stand-up paddleboarding on the sea and Aidan joins in with gentle exercises outdoors in the shaded, beachside ‘shala’, an open-air structure where classes are held.

Whilst we’re busy enjoying the sporting facilities, my wife Laura goes for a 5km run followed by a visit to the hotel’s tranquil spa, including a rejuvenating, two-hour signature treatment of a heavenly, anti-stress face and body experience. An experience I am told was “out of this world”.

The hotel is built around the impressive lagoon swimming pool with swim-up rooms and loungers on a landscaped grass area shaded by parasols and cypress trees. The area is expansive and there are no early morning battles to secure a sun bed for the day.

Many days end with a fun game of beach volleyball guided by sports instructor Jacob Stroier, along with other hotel guests and the general manager, Argiris Kantaras.

“It is very windy,” jokes Jacob, as one guest over-hits a serve, during the not-too-serious keeping of the score.

There’s no pressure to participate with daily activities but from high-intensity interval training to social running groups, yoga classes and aqua aerobics, classes are all included.

The resort also has tennis courts and, inevitably now, a Padel court along with recommended Strava running routes mapped out among the olive and lime groves in the surrounding countryside.

The refreshing ‘Meltemi’ wind keeps the temperatures comfortable and we are told by more than one local that Chania is “where the Greeks like to go on holiday”, for the refreshing breeze during stifling summer.

But even in autumn, temperatures average, 28 to 32C, making it a perfect getaway for October half-term or a shoulder-season break.

Fortunately, with two active boys with very healthy appetites, we have the ‘gold ultra all-inclusive’ package for unlimited a la carte dining, access to themed nights, premium drinks and the in-room mini-bar.

Our room, to the delight of the children, is one with a swim-up, semi-private pool, so after a daily morning dip, breakfast is served in the main Arsenali restaurant, offering a buffet of copious fresh hot and cold food, alongside fruits, meats, cheeses and pastries.

The Sea Line beach tavern provides delicious Mediterranean and traditional Cretan dishes, along with all-day snacks, handy after hunger-inducing swims in the pool or sea. All three hotel restaurants offer outdoor terrace dining, including the a la carte Italian fine-dining restaurant Azzuro.

A typical evening meal here includes a starter of squid with romesco, aioli, frumenty and onion, followed by rolled lamb with artichokes and baby carrots a la fricassee, and a dessert of white chocolate namelaka, almond cake and rose preserve.

My foodie wife signs us up to a demonstration of Cretan cooking by the hotel’s chief chef de cuisine, Sifis Balomenakis, who soon has us all salivating, preparing shrimps saganaki with a dash of olive oil, ouzo, fresh vegetables, garlic, Tabasco and truly colossal sized shrimps (heads still intact), all topped with feta cheese.

A half-hour stroll along the beach from Cavo Spada, passing protected turtle nests and huts offering watersports, lies Kolymbari, a traditional, sleepy Greek fishing village.

The boys watch fascinated as the day’s seafood catch is hauled ashore in the harbour, before being roasted and served up in the local restaurants.

We lunch at Edem, one of the unpretentious seafront tavernas, and are promised, “Crete on a plate,” selecting a delicious stew of mountain lamb, huge tuna steaks, calamari and salads, along with unsung but very drinkable Cretan wine, Mythos lager and soft drinks for the kids, all for around €100.

For the second half of our Greek adventure we stay just along the coast in Agia Marina, at the Santa Marina Beach Hotel, another of the family-friendly group of hotels by Giannoulis, one of the oldest hotel companies in Chania.

Our spacious family room in the new five-star Pearl Wing complex overlooks one of the hotel’s two relaxing swimming pools, where the kids cool off, before a lavish all-inclusive lunch in the immaculate grounds, dining al fresco in the beachfront outdoor terrace.

It’s clear this hotel is a firm favourite with Greek families, oozing Cretan charm and hospitality and feels a million miles away from some of the ‘could-be-anywhere’ all-inclusive packages lacking authenticity.

Sunset is stunning here as the pink glow of the sun fades behind the mountains, turning the sea into a shimmering liquid gold for a family evening swim.

Along the coast lies the historic old port of Chania, a ‘must see’ destination.

Chania carries Venetian, Ottoman and Greek influences, with its sweeping horseshoe-shaped harbour ringed by waterfront restaurants and bars.

From Santa Marina, a taxi costs around €40, but we opt for a €16 family return bus ticket, stopping right outside the hotel.

Twenty minutes later we’re exploring the old town, a warren of narrow, cobbled streets, overlooked by old stone buildings and wrought iron balconies draped in flowers. Below, the twisting alleyways are crammed with restaurants, bars and shops selling everything from toys to pottery, handicrafts, high-end fashion, leather goods and jewellery.

The boys wander into shops, returning with handcrafted catapults and bows and arrows, while Laura and I keep our eyes on them from a corner bar, watching the passing horse-drawn carriages of tourists and locals’ promenading along the harbour. And there’s plenty of time for it, buses run back to the hotel as late as 1am.

After 11 nights, our Cretan holiday closes with two very tired boys and two relaxed and refreshed parents.

How to plan your trip
Prices at Giannoulis Cavo Spada Luxury Sports and Leisure Resort start from £111 per room, per night, on a B&B basis, based on two people sharing. All-inclusive rates from £160 per night. Prices at Giannoulis Santa Marina Beach start from £87 per night on a B&B basis, based on two people sharing. All-inclusive rates from £134 per night. To book to go giannoulishotels.com, call +30 28240 22640 or email info@giannoulishotels.com.