Top Crete Classes & Workshops

Visit the family mountain home of a local Cretan for a completely authentic evening of cooking, eating, and cultural exchange. Begin your visit with a walk through the vegetable gardens, where you harvest ingredients to use in your recipes. Learn traditional dishes from your hosts, and hear the stories behind each dish. Enjoy a walk through the mountain paths with views of the Aegean Sea. Sit down to a meal you helped prepare, including local wine and a sweet dessert.

Go to hidden-away corners of Crete few travelers get to see with this guided all-terrain vehicle tour. Follow your guide off-road to quiet tracks far from the traffic and crowded resorts. Explore the near-abandoned ghost village of Achlada, where only a few locals still live, and Fodele, the birthplace of El Greco.

Our bus will pick you up early in the morning! We will drive you directly at Elafonisi beach (4 hours) where you will have the chance to swim! On the way back we will have an 1 hour stop at Elos village for lunch! We will be back around 18:00.

The Greek islands boast a rich history dating back to the days of antiquity, but exploring independently means missing the hidden secrets they hold. On this private tour of Crete, delve into the island’s colorful past with your guide—with round-trip transport from your Crete hotel or the port included. Travel back 4,000 years at the Palace of Knossos, and learn of ancient civilizations at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

Escape the hum of bustling Crete and get into nature on this full-day tour of pristine Elafonisi, a small island famed for its beautiful pink sands. Soak up the Grecian sun as you explore this protected wildlife sanctuary, enjoying a walk on the sand, or swim in the clear, azure waters of Elafonisi's paradise-like beach just a stone’s throw from the southwest corner of Crete.

Walk one of Europe’s longest canyons on this full-day hiking experience through the Samaria Gorge from Chania. With an experienced guide, hike the 10 miles (16 kilometers) through this breathtaking gorge, part of the Samaria national park in Crete’s White Mountains. Walk between towering cliffs, pass abandoned villages and absorb the awe-inspiring natural scenery and tranquility. Keep a steady pace during the 6-hour hike, sometimes over rocky terrain, and finish with time for a swim and lunch at Aghia Roumeli village. Numbers are limited for a more personalized, small-group experience.

With traditional villages and plenty of warm Mediterranean sunshine, the Samaria Gorge is the longest of its kind in Europe—but it’s also a challenging and rewarding hike, considered by many to be among the toughest in Crete. This adventurous full-day combination bus and hiking tour from Chania takes you deep into the gorge itself, where large boulders lie beneath soaring limestone cliffs. Follow a 10-mile (16-km) route though the Samaria Gorge and experience the best of the Crete countryside with a guide.

This tour combines two of Crete’s top historical sights—Knossos Palace; a Bronze Age archeological site, and Heraklion Archaeological Museum. See impressive ruins and artifacts along the way, and benefit from having guide commentary so you understand the historical background information. Highlights include seeing the original throne of Minos at Knossos Palace, and rare examples of Minoan art at Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Cruise from Crete to Dia Island aboard a luxury boat, for a lazy day of sea, sun, and swimming. While the capable crew take care of the boat, you’ll kick back on deck with freshly prepared Greek food and drinks, or just have fun in the water; snorkel gear, fishing rods, a stand-up paddleboard, and even an inflatable unicorn are among the toys for grown-ups and kids alike.

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Minoan artifacts, making it one of Europe’s greatest and a must-see for history buffs. This skip-the-line entrance ticket is worth prebooking to save you time and hassle in Crete’s capital, and enable you to avoid long ticket-purchase lines. Once inside, you’re free to view the 15,000-plus exhibits from Knossos, Neolithic, and Roman times, as you wish, at your own pace.

Go off-roading in the rugged landscapes of Crete's northern coast on a ATV adventure from Rethymno. Splash through streams, wind along ancient gorges, and look for island wildlife from behind the wheel of a personal quad vehicle that can access tucked-away reaches surrounding Maroulas Mountain. Get a taste of Cretan history and culture during several stops along the way, including a traditional Greek coffeehouse and medieval villages that date to the 11th century.

Snorkeling is very relaxing and at the same time a very exciting activity which is suitable for all ages. Join us in a daily (morning or afternoon) guided “snorkeling” trip, take the mask, fins, snorkel and shorty wet suit from us, board on our 10 meters shady rib boat and take the chance to relax watching the marine life of our island. We visit always two different spots with a lot of marine life, such as caves and an open water area always depends on the weather conditions

We have been born and bred in Crete for more than three generations. The Cretan lifestyle & diet runs in our veins. Along with my mother, we would love to share with you all the secrets of traditional Cretan cuisine, cook authentic Cretan recipes and learn cooking techniques that we follow for more than 3 generations. All in all, we want to make you feel like a local Cretan and also as a member of our family. We want to immerse you in Cretan culture & spirit. Smell, taste & feel our tradition, through a unique hands-on cooking experience!

Creating each pot is a unique moment. The ability that clay gives you from a piece of amorphous matter to create objects that will make everyday life more beautiful give it invaluable value. The hours I go to the atelier are for me a source of energy and relaxation, and that’s what I’m looking for those who visit my atelier. The workshop is located 16 kilometres from Heraklion ( acces only with car ), in a unique location in the nature, with a spectacular view of Cretan mountains. The area around offers many opportunities for walking and visiting the nearby villages.

We have been born and bred in the South Crete (in Messara Plain) for more than three generations. So, the Cretan lifestyle runs in our veins. Along with my grandmother & my mother, we would love to guide you in our way of life and make you feel like a member of our family! We will visit our family's olive groves and greenhouses. We will share with you every detail we know about the extra virgin olive oil and the products we cultivate. And the best part comes to the end... My grandma will show you live how we make cheese and you will have the opportunity to taste warm mizithra (kind of cheese)! Moreover, you will enjoy a traditional picnic, rich in flavors and with the company of the Cretan nectar: our precious raki! Our picnic will takes place under the shadow of a big olive tree located in our family's olives groves. All in all, we want to make you feel like a local Cretan and immerse you in our culture and spirit!

Get a hands-on experience of Cretan cooking that goes far beyond simply eating in a Greek restaurant. You’ll be invited into your chef guide’s home to try making some Cretan specialities, including tzatziki, homemade cheese, moussaka, Greek salad, and others. Learn alongside a small group of just 10 fellow food lovers, which makes for an intimate atmosphere and plenty of time to ask questions.

It is of major importance for our customer to be able to judge and select the finest Olive Oil for their table. But we here to provide something more than that. We want to educate people to judge a quality olive oil instead of a defective one. We are dreaming of people accepting nothing less than quality olive oil for their daily nutrition. For this reason, we also offer our visitors the opportunity to experience a guided olive oil tasting session and watch our olive oil seminar in our brand-new visitable area in Agia Varvara. In our facilities they will also be able to watch step by step everything that has to do with olive oil labeling and storage. It is our concern to treat our visitors as our guests and make them feel like “home”. We invite our guests to embark on a delicious journey which will absolutely stimulate their senses. Above all trying Savouidakis Products is a “Love at First Tasting” Experience.

The house of wine offer you an amazing experience to native varieties of the Cretan vineyard through the delicious and aromatic character that floods from our glass. The visitor will know the varieties through the final product that will reveal the characteristics of the places as well as the personal touches of the winemaker offering a unique result

Immerse yourself in Crete’s delectable, rustic cuisine—and leave the bustle of the city behind—when you sign up for this private, hands-on cooking class. Pick a time that works best for you, and meet your driver directly at your Heraklion hotel which then takes you to the village where you meet your guide. It’s a quick drive into the hills, where you’ll cook amidst the Mediterranean scenery. With your guide’s instruction, learn to prepare a number of traditional dishes, from dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves) to lamb with artichokes. Then, sit down to enjoy your multi-course meal, complete with wine.

Teaching yourself Cretan cooking would usually mean working from a recipe book. This village culinary experience from Rethymno and Heraklion lets you learn hands-on from a local cook, so you pick up authentic techniques from a master. As you prep and savor dishes such as ‘stifado’ stew, you’ll also experience a Cretan village house and rural life, and hear stories from the cook—all difficult to arrange independently.

Steeped in ancient custom, Crete holds a special place in Grecian history and myth. But Crete is more than its past – the island thrives today, bustling and brimming with industry, family, and culture. Experience vibrant island life first-hand in Vatos village and take the opportunity to learn artisanal bread-baking in Crete’s own traditional style.

Feast your senses on the best of Cretan cuisine—and get a more intimate glimpse into the culture than you would in a restaurant—during a cooking class in Rethymno. As well learning how to prepare traditional Cretan dishes, you’ll enjoy an olive oil tasting session and a walk through a local village.

If you were to travel all over Crete, crossing it from coast to coast, you would be astounded by the abundance of exceptional dishes and the unique traditional products that you’ll discover. Cretan recipes are based on Traditional local products such as honey, herbs, vegetables, meat and olive oil, and many more that complete the palette of Cretan gastronomy. Some of the best and most distinctive recipes have been collected and presented in our place by our Cooks through Traditional Cooking Classes. • You'll get hands-on training from a professional local Cook. • You'll learn new cooking techniques that can easily be repeated at home. • You'll discover our traditions and learn historical tips about our unique cuisine. • Vegetarians are welcome. Let me know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions.

You will start your experience visiting the biggest archaeological collection of artifacts on Crete. You will explore the Minoan Art and go deep into its significance and forms through unique artifacts, such as Minoan unique clay vessels, golden jewelery, impressive seal stones and seal rings, clay, ivory and faience figurines and figures, small sized statues and amazing frescoes. After that, you will enjoy an hour and a half workhop on the ancient Greek Music in theory and practice, in private studio.During the experiential part of the lab you will experience a coordinated interactive attempt on playing yourselves copies of ancient Greek percussion musical instruments.