Greece · FOOD TOURS IN CRETE
The shortlist you would send a friend: 15 food tours in Crete that are worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the thing to know before you commit.
From Agia Pelagia, you’ll learn to handle a quad, follow quiet coastal and mountain paths, visit abandoned Achlada, hear how Cretan olive oil is made, taste olives, oil, and honey, then watch sunset over Heraklion Bay. English, French, German, and Greek guides lead groups of up to 10.
Drive a two-person quad from Peninsula Resort and Spa through off-road routes above Agia Pelagia. Guide Stan or a multilingual teammate leads you to an olive mill, the abandoned village of Achlada, and Fodele, birthplace of El Greco, with olive oil, honey, and orange juice along the way.
“Really nice tour to the mountains, good guidance from our guide Vangelis during the tour.”
Spend seven hours in rural Crete with stops at the ancient Olive Tree of Vouves, a family bakery, cheese producer, honey and olive-oil facility, and Pnevmatikakis Winery. Guides such as Linda and Electra add context in English, while tastings include cheese, honey, olive oil, pastries, and up to 20 wines.
“Great trip, Linda was an excellent guide, I highly recommend it!”
At Kleanthi Olive Farm near Heraklion, an English-speaking guide leads you through old olive trees and the working mill before a generous tasting of oil, bread, cheese, fruit, honey, herbs, and other Cretan foods. Guides have included Mary, Theodora, Maria, John, and Giannis.
“Excellent tour, very informative. Our guide Theodora was knowledgeable and friendly. The tour included olive oil tasting, with bread, cheese, fruit, veg and meat, and it totally exceeded expectations. We had a brilliant time and I highly recommend”
Spend four hours walking Chania with a local guide, tasting bougatsa, cheeses, olives, honey, pastries, oils, and other Cretan foods. Guides such as Manos, Aria, Elene, and Adonis mix history with practical restaurant tips. Meet at Bougatsa Chania. Small-group and private options are available.
“Our tour guide monoz, was very nice and knowledgeable. We had a LOT of yummy good do go hungry! Walked the narrow streets, learned some history. Enjoyable!”
Travel from Chania into the Kissamos hills for family-run wineries, generous tastings, Cretan snacks, and an olive oil factory visit. You’ll sample Vidiano, Muscat of Spina, and other local wines, see a 3,000-year-old olive tree, and finish with Tsikoudia. English-speaking guides include Andreas, Alex, Kostas, and Nikos.
“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.”
Join Christos for a 2-hour-20-minute walk through Chania’s modern center, Old Town, and Venetian Port. Taste bougatsa, cheeses, olives, sweets, Greek coffee, raki, and possibly pita gyros, with stops at specialty shops and a traditional Cretan knife maker.
“This food tour was excellent from start to finish! Our guide offered us lots of history regarding the island, with some amazing food stops along the way. You will be full when you finish this tour! Plus it’s a great way to get accommodated with the layout of Crete. Also, they will help arrange transportation to the meeting point if you need it.”
At Cretan Vibes near Mires, Marianna and her mother, Mama Stella, guide you through a hands-on Cretan cooking class among olive trees. You prepare several traditional dishes, taste family olive oil, enjoy a full meal with wine, and receive recipes afterward.
“If there is ONE thing you should do when visiting Crete --- this is it! There were 12 of us in a beautiful open-air building on a farm and we all had our own gas burners, utensils, and pots. We made lamb stew, learned how to make stuffed grape leaves, little sweet cheese pies, learned how to cut a potato(new way) to make french fries and MORE. Marianna and Stella were wonderful. This is a 3 1/2 hour experience not to be missed. There were 5 men and 7 woman in our class. We sat down for our feast with red wine. This is well worth it!”
Walk Heraklion with an English-speaking local guide such as Eva, Margarita, or Maia, stopping for Greek coffee, 1922 bougatsa, cheese, olive oil, Cretan dishes, wine, and raki. The four-hour route mixes generous tastings with churches, markets, fountains, and city stories.
“This was one of the best parts of the trip. the food and drink was outstanding, and our guide was incredible. Not only was she exceptionally knowledgeable on the cities history, but every local was excited to see her when we walked by. It truly made the tour an authentic and unforgettable experience. I can not recommend this enough”
Spend 4 to 5 hours with a local host such as Nasos or Dimitris, beginning at a hilltop café above Chania, then tasting four Cretan grape varieties with sommelier Maria before a generous lunch and guided walk through the Venetian Old Town.
“NASOS was the tour guide extraordinaire! NASOS was fantastic and really brought Chania to life for us. He was so thoughtful and made our tour so enjoyable. We had a spectacular day and we enjoyed every stop in Old Chania. We absolutely loved this tour and highly recommend it to everyone! Yahmas!”
Spend eight hours exploring Crete’s wine country with a guide who speaks English and French, visiting two wineries and vineyards around Archanes and Peza. Taste 15 wines, olive oil, honey, cheese, and preserves, then sit down to a gourmet lunch with wine pairings. Pickup is included across the Heraklion region.
“This tour was fun, informative and well organized ! We enjoyed getting to know our group... would do again!”
Join Marie Claire or Stelios for a small-group walk through Chania’s Old Port, pairing six Greek craft beers with a full Cretan tasting menu. You’ll learn beer basics, follow local backstreets to the Lighthouse for sunset, and finish at a pub near the Venetian harbor.
“Excellent introduction to the different beers on offer in Chania. We learnt a lot we didn't previously know about the differences between different types of beers. Only regret was not doing it sooner!”
Visit Douloufakis Winery in Dafnes for an English guided tour and six 60ml tastings. Georgios or Catarina may lead you through Vidiano, Liatiko, barrel and amphora methods, with Cretan rusks served alongside the wines.
“Catarina was very knowledgeable, friendly and charismatic. We learnt so much about Cretan wines. I took a group of friends and make a few purchases after the wine tasting. I highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Crete.”
Spend seven hours outside Chania visiting the Vouves olive tree, a wood-oven bakery, olive grove, cheese maker and Pnevmatikakis Winery. Your English-speaking guide, sometimes Linda, leads tastings of Cretan bread, honey, cheese, olives, tomatoes and wine, followed by two hours at Nopigia Beach.
“Well organised tour. Interesting stops at family run enterprises. Gave us a small taste of Crete outside Chania. Couldn’t fault our guide.”
Meet Aspassia at Valide Cooking Activities in Rethymno, then ride to a 2,000-year-old olive grove for a three-hour tasting. Learn about Cretan olive oil, sample four oils, and pair them with a four-course menu, drinks, and local spirits.
“This was an amazing experience. Aspassia, our hostess, was a delightful, friendly and experienced lady. She explained all about the different kinds of olive oil and had us sample a few. This was then followed by wonderful Cretan plates to sample with the different oils. We went back home to check all the information on our current olive oil bottles :) I would definitely recommend this activity to anyone who is looking for a nice, relaxing afternoon in an olive grove.”
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