Gastronomy of Greece Tour: Athens, Santorini, and Crete

Today, you will want to dress in comfortable walking attire because your first structured activity will be a guided tour through the legendary Acropolis. The highly modernized and stylish Acropolis Museum will be the perfect place to begin your tour because it contains a remarkable number of well-preserved artifacts in addition to offering visually stunning renditions of what these ancient temples looked like thousands of years ago. After the museum, your guide will lead you to the Acropolis. After touring with the gods, your guide will return you to your hotel to refresh and relax before your back-alley culinary adventure. During your tour, your guide will escort you from cart to restaurant to taverna and will explain how each different dish has evolved over the years.

Today, you will have a sunrise departure for Santorini. When you are ready, your private driver will take you to the charming local airport for a quick flight. Throughout the morning, you will stroll through the charming town of Oia, which is known for its unique architecture. In the afternoon, your personal sommelier will arrive at your hotel to lead you on a handcrafted wine tour of some of Santorini’s top vineyards. During your tour, you will be able to sample some of the most flavorful wine in the world. Your sommelier will also carefully craft a local food pairing for you with each different wine before explaining how the chemical composition of the food and wine fuse to create a vibrant flavor profile.

When you are ready, head down to the dining room for breakfast. Your private driver will arrive shortly after to transfer you to the marina, where they will help you to board your boat equipped with the finest fishing and diving gear. Throughout the day, your guide will lead you to the best fishing sites and dive underwater with you to help you search for octopus and more. Your crew will transport your catch to a nearby restaurant known for its delectable take on Greek seafood, and you will spend the afternoon learning how to prepare a traditional seafood dishes with a distinguished local chef.

Today, you venture to the mystical island of Crete. Your driver will help to load your personal belongings onto the afternoon ferry. As you enter the port in Crete, your hotel will arrange for a driver to transfer you. The scenic drive to Chania will reflect the beauty and diversity of the island before you reach the city's charming Venetian harbor. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to indulge in the seaside aromas and delicate scents of lemon dressing grilled fish that sweeps over the esplanade.

After an early breakfast, you will travel to the Omalos Plateau to start your guided hike of the Samaria Gorge. No trip to Crete would be complete without a hike through the legendary landscape. Your hike will begin at approximately 1,250 meters, and as you slowly descend the switchbacks, the view of snow-capped mountains with the backdrop of the Aegean Sea will be breathtaking. When you return to Chania, you will have the remainder of the day to relax and enjoy the ambiance of the city, walking to the old Venetian lighthouse or wandering the cobbled streets of Old Town.

When you are ready, you can head down to your lobby for breakfast. It will be up to you to decide whether you would like to experience your olive oil and feta cheese tastings in the comfort of a luxury vehicle, or in a 4x4 jeep. Your expert guide will arrive at your hotel early in the morning to lead you on an olive oil tour. After your tour, your guide will escort you back to the hotel for a few hours of rest and relaxation. Early in the afternoon, you will depart for a local feta dairy farm, where you will spend your final afternoon on a private tour with a knowledgeable cheesemaker who will engagingly detail the influence of this product. You will be able to try a variety of different types of cheese as you tour the farm. In the evening, you can also meet with a local chef who can teach you how to prepare a quintessential Greek meal consisting of a Greek salad, lamb, and pistachio baklava.

On your final morning, you will wake up early enough to savor a cup of coffee while the sun gradually illuminates the horizon. Sweet and savory flavors of feta, octopus, and lamb will linger in your thoughts, and world-class recipes will safely reside in your pocket. When you are packed and ready to depart, your transfer will escort you to the airport for your flight home.