The village of Fodele is located 28 km west of Iraklion at 60m a.s.l., and has 500 permanent residents.
The area of Fodele expands over approximately 24,000,000 sq.m, extending from the northern side of the mountain "Strouboulas" to the northern coast of Crete, at the bay of Fodele.
Most of its area is forest covered by bushes. Another 3,000,000 sq.m covers the famous Fodele orange grove. The river Pantomantris and its banks which form a perfect refuge for hundreds of flora and fauna species, cover another 600,000 sq.m.

The name "FODELE" probably comes from the name of one of its first settlers, since 1248 it is mentioned three times at the Kalergis- Venetians treaty.