8 days Culture and Gastronomy Tour in Crete Greece (copy)

Χανιά, Ελλάδα

TA
TRAVEL AND DO ESERVICES
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Duration: 8 days
Group size: 1 - 18
8 days Culture and Gastronomy Tour in Crete Greece (copy)
Χανιά, Ελλάδα

TRAVEL AND DO ESERVICES
  • Email address verified
  • LinkedIn verified

Duration: 8 days
Group size: 1 - 18

About this trip

The cuisine of Crete, being a crossroad island, has been influenced, at different times, by both western and eastern Mediterranean cultures.

What many don’t know is that the famous for its health benefits Mediterranean Diet has its origin in the Cretan cuisine. The European voyagers and explorers in the 1950s who started to show an interest in the nutritional habits of other cultures have noticed the surprising longevity of the Cretans despite their poverty and the simplicity of their diet. This inspired them to further investigate the eating habits of all neighboring Mediterranean cultures until they formed a clear suggestion of what we today know as the Mediterranean Diet, one of the most healthy styles of eating worldwide.

During your stay and culinary adventure, you will not just learn the secrets of Cretan cooking but will experience with all your senses the journey from the heart to the stomach and from nature to the table.

We invite you to cook, learn, laugh, feel, and travel with us to return back to your country as a proud sharer of our food and cultural tradition.


ITINERARY:



Itinerary

 Day 1: Get to know us better and adjust to the Mediterranean climate

  • Arrival, Airport Pick-Up, Check-in and Settling, Snack, Time to Rest, Greek Language Lesson*, Introductions and Briefing, 19:30 Group Welcome Dinner

* Introductory 2h Greek language lesson (17:00-19:00)This is a class for those who will arrive early enough or/and are not too tired by the trip. It will include the Greek Alphabet, the basics of Greek pronunciation, and a few key phrases. The logical structure of the Greek language and its continuity from the ancient years up till today will be presented in examples. This deeper understanding of the language will hopefully make your trip more enjoyable and help you read the Greek signs with ease or connect with the locals by using a Greek greeting. The class will be taken on video and will be shared with all tour participants by email so no one misses it.Day 2: Explore your new neighborhood

  • Morning is free of activities in order to rest deeply and shift your body clock by sleeping late if needed. Early afternoon we will hike along the coastline to the nearby peninsula enjoying stunning views, beach time, sunset view, and late seaside dinner. The seafront tavern that will accommodate us will introduce you to your first Cretan recipes, all made with pure ingredients from the owner’s garden.

Day 3: Discover the wonders of the Cretan landscape

  • Early in the morning, we will drive to the famous beach of Elafonissi, where you will enjoy the crystal clear waters and the pink sand from the thousands of shells being shattered over the years. Elafonissi is an island to which you can go on foot! A short but beautiful hike on the island is possible towards a secluded chapel overlooking the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea. Later we will depart to the quieter mainland visiting a monastery. The monastery is built on a large rock 35 meters above sea level with breathtaking views of the Libyan Sea. You will be introduced to the dogma of Orthodox Christianity in a spiritual, non-dogmatic way. The monastery has a “hidden school”. What is this and which situation created the need for hidden schools in Greece? Time to be introduced to the Greek modern history and better understand the present of the land via its turbulent past. Lunch at a picturesque mountain tavern. Return to the hotel to rest and/or enjoy beach time.

Day 4: Discover Chania, the most beautiful Greek town

  • Today’s privately guided cultural tour uses food (and optionally wine) as a means of getting to know and having an experience of the local traditions, the authentic people, the history, and the modern lifestyle of Crete. You will be guided around in Chania city and learn about the Cretan food culture over tasting: - Alatsoelies (salted olives) and various sheep cheeses, - the famous Cretan yogurt with or without thyme honey, - traditional sweets and pastries with Malotira beverage (the local mountain herb), - and a tweaked vegetarian Souvlaki with mushrooms and Halloumi cheese. At the end of your food tasting tour, you will have the option of a 40min wine tasting experience. Seafront lunch in the city follows. Then enjoy free time to stroll around and shop in the city. Return to the hotel to rest and/or enjoy beach time.

Day 5: FREE DAY with options

  • Enjoy the pool or the sandy beach in front of your hotel. The fish-tavern of your village is one of the best on the island! Many nearby easy walks are possible. You can walk by the sea to the next seaside village or head south towards the mainland where a gourmet restaurant with tweaked Cretan recipes is waiting for you. Nearby bike tours will be suggested if you have rented a bicycle. Finally, one of two very interesting guided tours may be booked for this day, either a sailing boat tour or a cooking class at a farm. Please, find more information about these tours under the “available add-on activities to your trip” section.

Day 6: Beekeeping experience and honey tasting - Scenic trip to famous Southern Crete

  • We will be starting our day with a drive to a beekeeper’s place for a breathtaking introduction to the world of bees and some honey tasting. Next, we will drive to the wildest and most impressive part of Crete, a part where tradition is alive and time refuses to run fast. To reach this part of Crete we will have to cross the White Mountains, which is an excellent opportunity to visit some beautiful mountain villages on the way and enjoy great landscape views and a traditional pastry shop using rosewater in its recipes! Paleochora, our final destination, is a small seaside town facing the Libyan Sea and Africa. The exotic beach where we will spend most of the day is our personal favorite amongst all the beaches of the island! After sunset, we will enjoy a gourmet vegetarian dinner and the aroma of the town’s nightlife. Late evening return to your hotel.

Day 7: Day dedicated to olive oil including an olive oil tasting

  • We will start today's adventure by visiting the oldest olive tree in Crete, and an olive oil museum. Then you will get a guided tour around a traditional olive oil press where you will learn about traditional olive oil production and why the Cretan olive oil is of unique quality. You will get the chance to taste different gourmet olive oils and buy a small special bottle that can safely be transferred back home in your luggage. Beach time after the tour on a small picturesque beach with a small family-owned tavern where we will have our farewell lunch. Return to the hotel to rest and prepare for tomorrow’s departure.

Day 8: Departure

  • Check out at 11:00 latest, airport drop-off by taxi any time it is convenient for you to avoid airport waiting times

AVAILABLE ADD-ON ACTIVITIES TO YOUR TRIP


  1. Afternoon leisure time on the famous “sunset” beach of Falassarna followed by dinner gazing the best sunset of Crete. Possible only on day 7. Can be decided for and booked last minute.
  2. Cretan night! Live music dinner in the picturesque old town of Chania city.
    Possible only on day 4. Can be decided for and booked last minute.
  3. A 1,5h pottery workshop to learn from our ceramist about the history of the Cretan ceramic art, view his work and watch him transform clay into beautiful artifacts. Then try creating your own ceramic artifact under the artist’s expert guidance.
    Possible only on day 4. Should be booked latest on arrival day. Limited availability.
  4. Sailing boat experience visiting Europe’s most famous lagoon and the wild island of Gramvoussa with its impressive medieval castle. This is an experience beyond words! The sailing yacht with a capacity of 10 people, guarantees a highly privatized experience. You can be the “captain of the day” and enjoy the feeling of the wind blowing on the sails of the boat. The boat-cooked traditional Cretan plates are prepared right in front of your eyes and are served warm out of the oven. The waters you will dive in are like NOTHING you have ever experienced, no matter if you have been to the Caribbean or Thailand. The view from the top of the Venetian castle is breathtaking and life-changing. This is an experience for life. Don’t miss it! Return time: Around 20:00
    Possible only on day 5. Should be booked latest on arrival day. Limited availability.
  5. An authentic Cretan cuisine cooking class at a farm!
    Eleni and her mother Chrisoula are ready to help you prepare some fabulously tasty dishes made with hearty Cretan ingredients such as extra-virgin olive oil, fresh vegetables, local meats, delectable cheeses, aromatic herbs, and a splash of wine. They will also reveal interesting information about the herbs of the island, including the therapeutic properties of olive oil and tips about the products they use. After preparing the main dish and while you wait for it to cook, head out on a guided tour of the farm and their traditional house. You’ll discover their enchanting vegetable garden, see all the produce in season, and take in the scents of the aromatic and therapeutic herbs. You can also admire the free-range chicken and sheep before heading to the olive groves where you can learn about olive oil production. Lastly, you will head to their wine cellar for an entertaining wine tasting session to try a variety of bouquets. Don’t hesitate to try the local spirit called Tsikoudia before passing by the wine press and ending the tour at the citrus orchard. Finally, you will all sit down to try the different plates that you have prepared together, along with good local wine, also sampling some traditional sweets at the end.
    This is a semi-private activity, meaning that a small number of people outside of our group may be participating as well. Possible only on day 5. Should be booked latest on arrival day.

What’s included

  • Small group
    Small group of 2-18 travelers to maximize quality and personal attention
  • Local transfers
    Pickup/ drop-off from/ to Chania port (Souda) or airport (CHQ)
  • Accommodation
    7 nights seaside accommodation in a handpicked venue with a swimming pool
  • Meals
    Half board meals (breakfast and either lunch or supper daily). On the free and departure days breakfast only.
  • Experiences
    Authentic cultural experiences on 5 guided day trips eating at Crete's best taverns or gourmet restaurants
  • Fees
    All entrance fees, transfer costs, and guiding fees for the activities as described in the itinerary
  • Team
    Operated by a team of dedicated travel experts
  • Taxes
    All taxes, fees, and handling charges

What’s not included

  • Air tickets
    International air transfer to/ from Crete
  • Solo stay
    Surcharge for a solo stay in a double/twin room on top of our standard shared accommodation price
  • Extra meals
    No lunch or dinner on a free day and on the departure day
  • Drinks
    Drinks are not in meals included, only bottled water is
  • Insurance
    Travel and medical insurance
  • Extras
    Massage treatments are available on request
  • Gratuities
    Gratuities (optional)

Available Packages

Single stay

 1 adult staying solo in a twin or double bedroom with WC/ bathroom (breakfast included) 

€3,280
Deposit: €200
Shared stay

 1 adult sharing a twin or double bedroom and WC/ bathroom (breakfast included) 

€1,150
Child

 Child 5 to 17 y.o. sleeping on a sofa bed of a twin or double room (breakfast included) 

€815


Your Organizer


TA
TRAVEL AND DO ESERVICES
Travel and Do is an ambitious multi-project operated by a network of Greek travel specialists, social enterprises, NGOs, university professors, environmental associations, agricultural societies, entrepreneurs in the food industry, and health experts, all harmoniously cooperating under the supervision and legal authority of the socially responsible travel company TRAVEL and DO Eservices. The project’s aim is to promote Greek culture and land products through tourism.