Museum of El Greco Iraklio Province

Experts dispute that the tiny village of Fodele is El Greco’s birthplace, and those expecting the real thing on all fronts may be disappointed, but this quaint little stone museum has 24 backlit replica slides of the artist's works. The museum's prettily located about 1km from the village and has an idyllic shaded cafe. Located 25km west of Iraklio, Fodele snuggles into a fertile valley fed by the diminutive Pantomantris River. It's dotted with Byzantine chapels, like the beautiful small Church of the Panayia (open at weekends between 9.30am and 5pm), built on the ruins of an 8th-century basilica and opposite the El Greco museum.