Crete · FOOD & DRINK
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 food & drink experiences worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
You’ll learn to handle a quad with a short lesson, then follow a multilingual guide from Agia Pelagia along quiet coastal and mountain paths. Visit abandoned Achlada, hear about Cretan village life, taste olive oil, olives, and honey, and finish with a sunset over the bay.
You’ll drive a two-person quad from Peninsula Resort with guides such as Stan or Vangelis, following off-road routes above Agia Pelagia to an olive mill, Achlada’s abandoned village, and Fodele, El Greco’s birthplace. The 3.5-hour trip includes helmets, insurance, fuel, and tastings.
“Mr Stan was amazing, truly a great host and made the experience so enjoyable!”
Spend seven hours exploring rural Crete from Chania with a local guide such as Linda or Electra. Visit the Vouves olive tree, bakery, cheese factory, honey producer, olive mill, and Pnevmatikakis Winery, with generous tastings and hotel pickup included.
“What a fun day! Linda was a superb guide and was full of knowledge, stories and enthusiasm! All of it was fun (and tasty) and I especially loved learning about bees and tasting all the honey! So glad we went, and highly recommend it!”
Walk Chania with guides such as Manos, Elene, Aria, Adonis, and Goldy, combining Venetian and Ottoman history with generous tastings of bougatsa, cheeses, olives, honey, olive oil, pies, sweets, coffee, and Cretan dishes.
“Absolutely amazing and worth doing. Small intimate group and so many things to eat, see and learn. I loved every minute and bite! Our guide Aria is amazing and so passionate about food and Chania. She took us all around the old town teaching us about the history and culture.”
Travel from Chania into the Kissamos hills for two family wineries, an olive oil factory, and the famous ancient olive tree of Vouves. You’ll taste Vidiano, Muscat of Spina, international grapes, local oils, cheeses, snacks, and tsikoudia with an English-speaking guide such as Andreas, Alex, or Kostas.
“Our tour guide Andy was wonderful. He was knowledgeable about the olive oil and wine industry in Greece. He was entertaining and informative about Crete culture. Great tour guide!! Best ever.”
Walk Chania with Christos, tasting bougatsa, Cretan cheeses, olives, sweets, coffee, raki and gyros. Visit a local herb shop and knife maker, then finish near the Venetian Port. This small-group tour lasts about 2 hours 20 minutes and includes generous food portions.
“Fantastic tour. Incredible street food experience, nice pace. Not easy to find transportation from and to the ship, but our guide went above and beyond to help.”
Spend eight hours with guides such as George or Antonis visiting an olive mill, organic winery, raki distillery, village taverna and pottery studio. Taste fresh olive oil, five wines, local food and raki, then try throwing clay yourself. Groups are limited to eight.
“George was our guide. He knew how to engage the small group, was knowledgeable, and shared his insights in a kind and thoughtful way. The food on this trip was the best local food I’ve had. Getting to know small, family owned producers was great. Overall, I got a lovely view of local life in Crete through the food and drinks. the best way to experience it.”
At Koronekes Olive Mill in Epano Archanes, you’ll learn how organic olives become extra virgin olive oil, compare first cold pressed and centrifuge methods, and taste three oils, two flavored oils, sweet vinegar, and petimezi. The private English-language visit lasts about an hour.
“L’enthousiasme et la connaissance du produit par la propriétaire ! Un dépaysement total Merci beaucoup”
Meet mother-and-daughter hosts Marianna and Stella at Cretan Vibes near Moires. You’ll prepare a hands-on Cretan meal with fresh farm ingredients, taste premium olive oil, learn family recipes, and eat beside the olive trees with local wine.
“They were very welcoming and warm. The food we cooked was excellent! Fresh and delicious! Beautiful atmosphere.”
Walk Chania with a private English-speaking guide and eat your way from a bougatsa shop to the Venetian harbor. Expect Greek coffee, raki, goat cheese, olives, pastries, souvlaki, local desserts, and Cretan stories. Guides have included Manos, Eleni, Adonis, Goldie, and Sophia.
“This was an absolute highlight of our trip to Greece! Crete is wonderful and the food incredible. Our tour guide was Aria and she was a delight! I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone coming to Crete”
Walk Heraklion with local guides such as Eva and Margarita, stopping for Greek coffee, 1920s-style bougatsa, cheese, olives, olive oil, Cretan dishes, wine, and raki. You’ll also see local neighborhoods, a market, Agios Minas Cathedral, and Rocca a Mare Fortress.
“Great introduction to the cuisine of Crete. Varied foods and locations.”
Ride a small-group 4x4 from your hotel to Richtis Gorge, then walk about 30 minutes through shady forest to a cool waterfall pool. Your day also includes lunch with wine, olive tasting, and the 3,250-year-old olive tree. Guides such as George, Mihai, Alba, and Enrico are praised for local stories and care.
“Our trip with Gaetan was amazing! Funny and informative guide! Amazing food at Panarama Taverna as part of the trip. Would go on another trip if we weren’t leaving the next day!”
Start with coffee or mountain tea above Chania, taste four indigenous Cretan wines with sommelier Maria, then walk the Venetian harbor and enjoy a large lunch of local dishes. Guides such as Nasos and Dimitris tailor the 4 to 5 hour private outing to your pace and food preferences.
“We had a great tour. From our morning coffee to the fabulous lunch it was all excellent. Sommelier Maria was fantastic”
Join Petros, also known as Pierre on some departures, for an eight-hour Cretan food and wine tour from Heraklion. Visit two wineries in Archanes and Peza, taste about 15 wines, sample olive oil and local products, and finish with a generous lunch paired with wine.
“Excellent wine tour. Two wineries. One very small, possibly the smallest I've visited anywhere. The other fairly commercial. Both good in their own way. Then the lunch at a shop/restaurant in Archanes. Tried around 16 wines. Most were to our liking, just a couple not. Pierre was an excellent guide, full of information about Cretan and other wines. Lunch was not huge, you'll probably want to eat again in the evening, if that is part of your value judgement. Overall, it was great to discover Cretan wines, we will look upon them favourably in future.”
Join Virginia and the Filiko Tours team for a three-hour evening walk through Rethymno Old Town. You will visit family-run tavernas, a bakery, and a historic phyllo workshop, tasting Cretan dishes, local wine, raki, rakomelo, baklava, and lokma in a group of up to 12.
“Had an amazing time with Virginia, walking through parts of Rethymno I wouldn’t have seen by myself, tasting and learning about the lokal food. Great start to my vacation,thank you!”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
