Private Traditional Cretan Cooking Class in the Mountains, Chania
Explore Crete's cuisine firsthand in this traditional cooking lesson at a local family's home.
Overview
Highlights
- Pick vegetables and herbs in the garden to use for your recipes
- Sample local wine and cheese
- Learn about Crete's traditional agriculture and the philosophy behind the Mediterranean diet
- Take in stunning views of both mountains and sea
- Discover the origins of some of Crete's specialty dishes
Know before you go
6 hours
All ages
Private
Dinner Included
What you'll do
Begin the excursion with a walk around the vegetable garden to pick the herbs and produce that you'll cook with later on. Thanks to its climate and landscape, Crete is the biggest producer and exporter of olive oil in Greece. Learn the history of these ingredients, as well as the various uses and secrets of local herbs such as dittany.
Next, put your new knowledge to use as you prepare traditional Cretan recipes. Top off local rusk bread with freshly diced tomatoes and cheese to make a dakos or Cretan salad. Mix up yogurt with cucumber and garlic for a tzatziki unlike anything you can find in a taverna or supermarket. Make kalitsouni or a Cretan cheese pie, which is a delicious specialty of the island. These are just a few examples of the dishes you might make in this class, although the options can vary according to the season.
Throughout the day, find out about different customs of Crete, such as the island's centuries-old weaving practice, which you can see firsthand in the family home. Learn about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which is believed to be the healthiest in the world. Enjoy a glass of Cretan wine and cheese before settling in to relax, savor the meal you just cooked, and take in the breathtaking views of the mountains and sea. Make sure to save room for dessert, as there are a variety of traditional jar sweets to taste at the end.
Start times
-
Daily5:00 pm
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SundayNot available
What's included
- Transportation with an air-conditioned minibus/minivan
- An English-speaking driver and host
- A local cook to guide the class
- Wine and food tasting
- Traditional Cretan dinner
- Apron and cooking utensils
- All ingredients for your dinner
- Commemorative gifts
- Recipes and photos from the tour
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Cooking Class in a Village Near Chania
Private Excursion to White Mountains with Wine and Olive Oil Tastings
Private Rethymnon Villages Excursion
The Arkadi Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery. The current catholicon (church) dates back to the 16th century and is marked by the influence of the Renaissance. This influence is visible in the architecture, which mixes both Roman and baroque elements. As early as the 16th century, the monastery was a place for science and, had a school and a rich library. Situated on a plateau, the monastery is well fortified, being surrounded by a thick and high wall. The monastery played an active role in the Cretan resistance of Ottoman rule during the Cretan revolt of 1866. 943 Greeks, mostly women and children, sought refuge in the monastery. After three days of battle and under orders from the hegumen (abbot) of the monastery, the Cretans blew up barrels of gunpowder, choosing to sacrifice themselves rather than surrender. The monastery became a national sanctuary in honor of the Cretan resistance. 8 November is a day of commemorative parties in Arkadi and Rethymno. The explosion did not end the Cretan insurrection, but it attracted the attention of the rest of the world.
After that you will visit Eleftherna, an ancient city-state in Crete, which lies 25 km southeast of Rethymno. Archaeologists excavated the site, located on a narrow northern spur of Mount Ida, the highest mountain in Crete. It flourished from the Dark Ages of Greece’s early history until Byzantine times.
In the systematic Eleftherna project, a team of archaeologists from the University of Crete led by Prof. N. Stampolidis has been in charge since 1984. Surveys and systematic excavations have revealed the city’s settlement patterns, sanctuaries and necropolis in Orthi Petra, even stone quarries in the surroundings of the Prines hill. The discovery of the remains of four females in Orthi Petra was declared one of top 10 discoveries of 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America. The Museum of Ancient Eleftherna, directly linked to the archaeological site, was inaugurated in June 2016.
The next stop will be at Margarites, a scenic traditional Cretan village. You will walk on the stone paths of the village and admire the pottery traditional shops around. Then, leaving Margarites, you ‘ll have lunch in Asteri village. The unique restaurant with the folklore private collection and the traditional Cretan delicacies will take your breath away.
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