Day 1: Arrival - The City Food Tour: An Exploration of a City and its Flavors
After arriving at Heraklion, you will get transferred to a central boutique hotel. A member of the team will meet you there to give you a more detailed explanation of the following days, plus some hints about Heraklion. You will then start the food tour at Heraklion city:
Organic fruit market
The day starts in the organic fruit market of Heraklion, in a park in the city center. Here, you will meet with local producers of fresh fruits and vegetables, you will get to know the seasonal production and discuss with them the challenges of organic farming on the island of Crete.
Chat & coffee
No walk is done properly unless it involves a stop for a chat. Therefore, next, you will stop for a quick coffee to catch your breath and discuss the island, the food traditions, and the culture surrounding its cuisine as well as the reason this cuisine has not made it into fine restaurants around the world.
Deli shops & tasting
All rested and renewed with a boost of energy from the coffee, you will move to two deli shops where you will taste cheese and other interesting local products in one of the city's most interesting squares.
Galaktoboureko at a great pastry shop
Tasting the best galaktoboureko made in the village of Anogeia at a local pastry shop. After the mini tasting and shopping, you will end up in the tasting room.
Day 2: The food culture of Crete, olive oil, cooking, and say cheese
The day starts with breakfast in your hotel. You will then get transferred to a beautiful village, 35 kilometers from Heraklion, passing through a picturesque hilly scenery with olive and vine cultivation and interesting rock formations.
There you will experience a day of flavors, aromas, scents, and sensations while getting acquainted with the culture of Crete. An experienced foodist will initiate you to the basic nutritional elements of the world-renowned Cretan Diet, one of the healthiest around the planet while engaging in a hands-on experience with Cretan Cooking.
Olive Oil Tasting
Experience olive oil and the characteristics that make it special and unique. Through this session, you will be able to experience 4 different qualities of olive oil. During this process, you will learn to identify the different characteristics of its flavor and to distinguish the different qualities available.
Cheese Tasting
Taste a variety of cheeses that exist in the daily food consumption patterns of the people of Crete. Let your pallet wander through the several textures, densities, and flavors of the Cretan cheeses. You will soon understand why the people of Crete are among the biggest consumers of cheese in the world.
Cooking Class
This experience would be incomplete without your engagement with the local cuisine together with two local Moms. Get involved in the kitchen, use the local ingredients, and make your own creations from the variety of dishes in the Cretan cuisine. Match olive oil with different flavors and learn how to use it in your daily routine.
This experience can only make sense in a proper setting. This is why you will experience this in a small village in Crete in order to come closer to the ways of the people and their everyday practices. Walk through the small aisles, experience the true local hospitality away from the mass attraction sites, and get to know the true culture of Crete through engaging with the locals.
You will experience the passion for Crete, which will unfold in front of your feet through your senses. Experience Crete with the taste of the local products, the smell of the local cuisine, the touch of the local handshake, and the sound of the Cretan nature.
Please note that the dishes you will prepare are based on seasonal products and might change from one season to the next. If there is a special product you would like to taste or get to know please inform Petassos Travel in advance.