Private Cooking Class & Winery Visit, Santorini

Perfect for foodies and oenophiles, this private Santorini experience starts with a drive into the countryside, where you'll spend time at two boutique wineries. Stroll through the vines to learn about the island's indigenous grape varieties and unusual volcanic soils, and taste a selection of eight wines with the help of your expert guide. As lunchtime approaches, it's time to move on to a wine estate known for its cellar-door restaurant. Here you'll join a talented local chef for a hands-on cooking class, mastering traditional Santorini dishes before sitting down to a leisurely meal accompanied by more wines.

Your morning starts with a pick-up at your hotel, as you meet your driver and expert guide and step into a deluxe air-conditioned van for a drive into the island's picturesque countryside. You'll spend the first part of the experience at two family-run Santorini wineries, learning about the island's unique viticulture practices and its distinct volcanic terroir. Stroll through the vineyards as you hear about the hardy indigenous grapes like assyrtiko that thrive in the island soil, and see the production rooms and cellars of each family-run estate.

Between both wineries, you'll taste eight different wines, mainly dry, aromatic whites like nykteri and sweet dessert wines like vinsanto. As you sip, your expert guide will help you identify each wine's specific tasting notes, and you can pick up any bottles you particularly love to take home with you. After a morning devoted to wine, it's time to focus on cuisine as you transfer to a beautiful boutique winery known for its award-winning cellar-door restaurant. Under the guidance of a talented local chef, you'll spend an hour in the kitchen learning how to craft a selection of signature Santorini dishes.

Whip up tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) and a local version of the classic horiatiki (Greek salad), and learn about the unusual produce used in island cooking, like white eggplants, katsounio cucumbers, and chlorotyri cheese. This fun and interactive experience can be tailored to your dietary preferences, with vegetarian options available. At the end of your lesson, sit down to a full lunch featuring the dishes you helped create, and pair each course with wines produced on the estate. You'll leave with a recipe card filled with Santorini specialties so you can recreate an authentic meal back home.