Crete · FOOD TASTING TOURS IN HERAKLION
Good food tasting tours in Heraklion fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
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.”
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.”
Travel by premium SUV or minivan from your accommodation to an olive mill, vineyard, raki distillery, and Archanes. Learn from local hosts, taste olive oil, wines, and two rakis, then sit down to a fresh Cretan lunch. Guides such as Angela, Yannis, and Tony are praised for warm, personal service.
“Helen is out guide for today. she tried her best to communicate with us and share with your knowledge about Heraklion. Alex from the Olive farm is also very entertaining and very generous sharing his knowledge.”
Spend 3 to 5 hours riding easy-to-handle e-bikes through Heraklion with Alex, Marina, or Babis. Stop for Cretan food, wine, local treats, and stories at markets, tavernas, and historic sights. Expect generous tastings, friendly local contacts, and a route that adjusts to riding comfort.
“Our tour with Alex was a fantastic experience. We were introduced to a number of different local foods and some delicious wines which Alex provided ingredients and recipes. This day provided us with more local history and cultural traditions. Highly recommend.”
Walk from Liberty Square to Heraklion’s Venetian Port with an English-speaking local guide, stopping at eight neighborhood businesses for Greek coffee, bougatsa, cheese, olive oil, Cretan dishes, sweets, wine, and raki. Eva is one possible guide, and private pickup is available.
“We so enjoyed our time with Eva!! What a great tour guide. She introduced us to all different types of culture and foods and Raki!! Our family had a blast with Eva.”
Meet at Saint Minas Cathedral for a 3-hour walk through central Heraklion with guides such as Marina and Alex. Taste more than 10 Greek and Cretan dishes, including meze, cheeses, pastries, and wine, while visiting the Lion’s Fountain, Georgiadis Park, and the Venetian Walls.
“So much wonderful food, we got full pretty fast. Stopped at 3 restaurants for food. Too much was ordered at each place. And we got pressured to eat it.”
Join Magda from Luxury Crete for a three-hour walk through Heraklion, beginning at Bembo Fountain and Kornarou Square. Taste Cretan pastries, Greek coffee, local snacks, wine, and a generous meal while learning about Venetian, Ottoman, and Cretan culture in a small group of up to eight.
“You will not leave this experience hungry! Our hostess was so welcoming and warm. She was very knowledgeable and we truly had the best time.”
Meet Magda and the small LuxuryCrete group at Cafe Marina for a food-focused outing featuring Cretan pastries, olive oil, five wines, and a generous seafood lunch by the marina. The day centers on a winery visit, not a full walking tour of Heraklion.
“If you are looking for a walking food tour in Heraklion this is not it. Our day started with bus trip to a winery north of town -followed by a seafood lunch at the port. Both were lovely - and delicious. Magda was lively and fun. Unfortunately, it was not what we expected.”
Meet your licensed guide at Morosini Fountain at 10:00 am for a private walk through Heraklion’s food shops and Old Market. Taste bougatsa, cheeses, honey, herbs, loukoumades, dakos, dolmadakia, seafood, dessert, and raki before ending at the Venetian Harbour.
“Wonderful, well-planned foodie walking tour. We meet conveniently in the center of town and walked to various boutique food venues to sample all included! Demetrius with Crista was our guide and he did a wonderful job in customizing the pace. ALSO, he had a great depth of knowledge around Cretan food and history. I recommend this highly!”
Sail from Heraklion to Dia Island aboard an EOS Yachts catamaran, then join certified instructor Thanasis for guided SUP and snorkeling. The five-hour trip includes equipment, Cretan treats, cheese and cold-cut platters, unlimited drinks, and shared 360° camera footage.
“Very well organized, with a presentation that totally matched the description, full of friendliness, attention, and a focus on the client experience. The guide was highly experienced. A beautiful excursion in a stunning location. The catamaran was gorgeous. An experience worth repeating. Thank you for this wonderful day!”
Join Spyros and Anna for a hands-on Cretan cooking lesson in a village home, followed by wine and olive oil tasting at Omalia Olive Press. Hotel, port, and airport pickup, dinner, raki, soft drinks, and private Mercedes van transport are included.
“Making traditional recipes with Spyros and Anna was wonderful and fun. We felt like we were sharing a true cultural experience with hosts that were warm, fun-loving and filled with pride for their traditional delights and Crete in general. Pick up and drop off was seem less and Spyros is a great tour guide.”
Join an English-speaking guide such as Eri or Katerina for a two-hour walk through central Heraklion. See Venetian monuments, churches, fountains, and lesser-known streets while tasting olive oil, local snacks, coffee or tea, wine, raki, sweets, herbs, and Cretan products.
“Katerina was a brilliant guide, very knowledgeable and made it a memorable experience for me.”
Walk central Heraklion with an English-speaking guide such as Marina, stopping for bougatsa, olives, cheeses, cured meats, dakos, moussaka, kalitsounia, wine, loukoumades, and Greek coffee. You will taste more than 10 dishes while learning how food connects to the city’s past and present.
“Our guide was very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating to our requests The food was a nice mix of local and traditional dishes”
Meet Mrs Ralou outside Heraklion Archaeological Museum for a private 3.5-hour walk through the old town. Taste bougatsa, coffee, cheese, olive oil, meats, sweets, wine, and raki at eight local stops, with sights including Koules Fortress and the Pastry Museum.
“I loved the city tour along with the food. Our guide gave us great information and was so friendly. There was no rush, it was like strolling with a friend.”
Travel privately from Heraklion to Lassithi Plateau with a chauffeur and guide, then hunt truffles with Nicos and his Lagotto Romagnolo dogs. Expect a Cretan breakfast, village stops, a cooking demonstration with fresh truffles and wine, plus Dikteon Cave. Wear long sleeves and sturdy shoes.
“This was an unrivaled experience! It was an adventure in an authentic setting. Nicos took us on a hunt with his adorable dogs with the excitement of digging for the treasure. It did not disappoint. We found several truffles. This was all after an amazing Cretan breakfast cooked by Nicos and his wife, all homemade food, eaten picnic style in the woods. After the hunt we came back to more food prepared by Nicos and his wife—tasting raw truffles, pasta, main dish and salad, topped off with wine and honey raki. We also met their goats and became beekeepers to meet the queen bee in the hives and to eat…”
Pick a coast, a gorge or a kitchen.
