Chania Cooking Class

Cooking Lessons in Chania – The Real Cretan Cooking Experience

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Cook like a local with pure Cretan ingredients & live one of the best culinary experiences in Chania. Enjoy your wine & food in nature!

All pick-up points for this tour are within Chania region. For pick-up from the other regions in Crete, please contact us.

  • Reviews 6 Reviews
    5/5
  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
    Culture, Gastronomy, Wine
  • Activity Level
  • Group Size Small Group
    20 people
All about the Cooking Lessons in Chania – The Real Cretan Cooking Experience.

Tour Highlights

  • Introduction and welcome drink
  • Vegetable picking from the family garden
  • Cooking class of traditional Cretan recipes
  • Experience the use of the old wood-oven
  • Hear the stories and origins behind each dish
  • Introduction of the Cretan weaving tradition
  • Tour around the theme rooms of the family house
  • Feel part of a local family inside an embracing environment
  • Savour the freshly made dinner along with good Cretan wine
  • Wine tasting combined with cheese platters in Cretan varieties.
  • Enjoy the spectacular view of the cottage to the sea and the mountain.
  • Admire extraordinary artefacts and learn about the Cretan way of life in the previous centuries

 

Description

Follow us on the extraordinary journey through the Cretan flavours and taste the real Cretan way of life. Up in the White Mountains’ high peaks, you will prepare some traditional and delicious home-made dishes. Using only healthy organic Cretan ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, fresh vegetables picked from the garden, dairy products and the most aromatic herbs.

You will have the chance to walk around our vegetable gardens to see, feel smell, touch and taste the pure products of Mother Earth. Your host will also reveal the secrets of local herbs, how the Cretan olive oil affects people’s health and useful tips about the local products you will use. You will prepare a traditional Cretan recipe with your own hands, learn how Cretans cook.

After the magnificent cooking experience, you will taste delicious Cretan wine paired with local cheese. The view of the mountain is breathtaking right out of our window. Enjoying the extraordinary wine, you will feel just like it’s heaven on earth! Later, after the tasting, you will prepare some appetizers like “Ntakos” and “Tzatziki” and, of course, the popular Cretan Cheese-pies “Kalitsouni”. You will love the bread-making as well. In the meanwhile, the meal will be ready. You will taste your own dishes paired with fruity local wine and taste some traditional jar desserts at the end. The healthy Mediterranean diet and the famous Cretan cuisine have already been revealed in front of your eyes.

If you wish to explore more options return to the Wine & Food Tours page.

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • English speaking, local driver/escort – host
  • Local Cook
  • Wine and food tasting
  • Transport by air-conditioned minibus/minivan
  • Traditional Cretan dinner
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Small-group cooking class (up to 20pax)
  • Use of apron and cooking utensils
  • All ingredients for your dinner
  • Commemorative gifts
  • Recipes and photos taken on tour are sent via e-mail
What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
  • Gratuities (optional)
  1. Shedule March to October

    Every Day except Sundays

     

  2. Location Tour starts from

    Chania, Crete

  3. Duration of the tour Including pick-up and drop-off time

    Approximately 6-7  hours

     

  4. Pick up points & times Departures

    *We recommend you to be at the pick-up area (your hotel or the pre-arranged meeting point) 5-10 minutes prior to your pick up time. Our driver/escort will be on time to welcome you and show your seat.

  5. What to bring with you for this tour ...except your best mood & smile :)
    • Your Camera
    • Comfortable clothing & shoes
    • Sunscreen & hat during summer months
    • During spring and autumn, we advise you to bring a jacket.
  6. Booking & Cancellation Policies Please Read Carefully
    • Reservations must be made 12 hours before the tour. Cancellation must be made 24 hours before the tour for a full refund. In the case of later cancellations, no refund will be made from the company
    • If a tour is cancelled due to low participation or bad weather conditions, the company will refund 100% of made payments.
    • In the case of allergies, tolerances or food preferences, please inform the company in advance.
    • The company reserves the right to make minor changes in the program when considered necessary, for example, in unfavourable weather conditions. This can be done without prior notice.
  7. Meals & Alternatives Vegetarian - Vegan- Allergies
    • Meals (when included) usually contain traditional Cretan recipes.
    • Appetizers, main courses and desserts will usually be served in platters according to the local way of eating.
    • We can offer vegetarian – vegan alternatives, but we require prior notice during reservation.
    • The client has the responsibility to inform the company in advance of any food allergies to find suitable alternatives if possible.
    • Alcohol consumption is not allowed for children and teenagers under the age of 18 years old.

     

  8. Children Price Discount
    • Children 0-2 years old: Free
    • Children 3-11 years old: 75€
  9. Covid-19 Info Tour regulations

    Further to the Government’s announcements, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to keep our guests safe and healthy, our staff will be intensely and detailed trained to meet all the requirements. The company has fully complied with all the Government’s necessary measures, The WHO and the National Public Health Organisation.

    • Our fleet will be thoroughly cleaned and hygiene after each transfer and trip. All sensitive touch areas such as seats, armrests, sidewalls etc., are intensively cleaned and sanitized daily before and after each tour.
    • Our staff is trained in the latest hygiene protocols and cleaning procedures. They use personal protective equipment (face masks/shields and optional gloves) to ensure a safe travel experience for you and themselves.
    • Hand sanitizers antiseptic will be provided during clients’ embarkation
    • Our vehicles are filled up according to governmental covid-19 law of their capacity. Those governmental laws and regulations against covid-19 infections might change but are strictly followed at all times.
Tours in Crete - Meet the Locals

We keep our group sizes low so you have the freedom to move around and get involved with your surroundings, as well as more personal attention from our local guides. This intimate size ensures that your group will not crowd your experience. You can expect up to 15 travelers on a trip but the average is 8-10. Check individual trip pages for maximum group sizes.

It’s extremely difficult if not impossible to join a tour after it has begun. It is possible to leave a tour early however you will be responsible for your own arrangements from the moment you decide to leave the tour. You would also be responsible for all costs associated with joining a tour late or leaving one early. If you feel this may be necessary please consult a Fabulous Crete Specialist before you book your adventure.

The most of our company’s vehicles are Mercedes-Benz and VolksWagen 7-9 seaters.

For privacy reasons we cannot provide you with advance details on your traveling companions. However, our tours appeal to a wide range of travellers, most of whom share an adventurous spirit and a desire to experience these destinations at a grass-roots level. Our tours are conducted in English and so they attract many travellers from North America, UK, Australia and Europe

The availability listed on our website is updated every minute however on some tours we must confirm arrangements with our people on the ground, a process which usually takes no more than 24 hours. When you book online you will receive a follow-up email confirming your arrangements or a timeframe for when they will be confirmed.

The security that comes from knowing your trip is locked-in is a feeling that can’t be topped. We like that feeling – so much, so that we figured everyone should have it.

Every departure is guaranteed to run. Yup, all of them. Once you’ve booked and paid, that’s it, you’re going. Guaranteed. Your trip won’t be cancelled by us for any reason (beyond harsh weather or safety issues). Promise.

All documentation is sent electronically by email. Shortly after we receive your payment we will send you your initial documents. Final documentation will be sent by email no later than two days prior to the departure.

Yes, all of our Tour Managers and Tour Drivers speak English, some speak additional languages as well, but your tour will be conducted in English

If your group consists of 6 or more people, then please contact our friendly staff who will be happy to assist you with your inquiry and see what we can arrange for you at info@gstours.gr

You will automatically receive an e-voucher to your email address. Please print your voucher/ticket or keep a picture to your mobile phone which contains your unique reference number. Please remember to bring this with you on the day. You will not be allowed entrance to an attraction without a valid ticket.

If there is any problem with your booking or payment details, we will contact you on the telephone number or email address stated in your booking. Sometimes tours may not operate due to insufficient numbers, and we may need to contact you to advise you of any such changes.

All entrance fees and costs are included in the tour price except unspecified fees.

If you book more than 2 tours with us, then please contact our friendly staff who will be happy to assist you with your inquiry and see what we can arrange for you at info@gstours.gr

As you can expect some landmarks take more time to get to on coach tours and some are more time-consuming than others. With this in mind, we have no set time for the exploration of each attraction. Our tour guides are trained to watch how their group progresses at each landmark and they adjust each tour accordingly. You should keep in mind that some tours cover three landmarks over a single day, so there are a limited number of hours in which to do a lot of sightseeing. Consequently, you may not have an extensive amount of time to spend at each attraction.

You could lose your seat to a walk-up passenger. We encourage you to arrive at the pickup point a minimum of 15 minutes before departure. Once on the tour, your guide or driver will give you a time that the coach will depart each location. You must be at the coach at least five minutes before this time. If you are late and miss the time given, the coach will depart without you in order to not keep the other passengers waiting. If you are in any doubt about a departure time whilst on your tour, you must ask the guide or driver.

Any items we find on our coaches are taken to our office at Episkopou Chrysanthou 37 str. Chania old town and are kept there for 72 hours before being destroyed or given to charity. Please call our office on +30 28210 43243 for any lost items.

5 days before the tour starts –> 50% refund, no refunds after that

 

35% Deposit on booking time and final payment 7 days before the tour date.

Overall Rating
5/5
Malcolm (Marko) Menzel
Reviewed On 04/09/2018
5/5

Best ever day tour. Yiannis was friendly, informative and entertaining. We received a warm welcome from his aunty Adamantia and uncle George on reaching his village. The food, the wine, the companionship (Kelly & Drew from USA and Peta & Nick from England), the conversations are things we two Aussies won’t forget. Thank you Yiannis.

natasha tsalikis
Reviewed On 06/06/2018
5/5

I loved this tour! It was everything I wanted as a visitor to Crete looking for an authentic experience. We had an incredible evening preparing delicious Cretan food, wine tasting, learning about Cretan history and getting to know Yiannis and his family. All this in literally the most picture-perfect setting you can image (it felt like I was in a movie set). I can't speak highly enough of this experience - we came as strangers and left as friends :)

Henrik Svendsen
Reviewed On 06/06/2018
5/5

It was a "once in a lifetime" experience. Our family had a wonderful time in the most beautiful surrondings we have ever seen. Thank you for a unforgettable evening, we truely felt the greek hospitality with all of your family. Best wishes for the future Henrik, Susan, Toke, Celina, Tanja & Christian

Martine Claus
Reviewed On 06/06/2018
5/5

Oké experience with the real Cretan coming was Fabulous graat super fantastisch.i I have not enough wordt doe or. Thanks to the boys and alsof at the lovely ladÿs cor thuis real experience .We are real imprest

Gary and Janet McCalden
Reviewed On 02/06/2018
5/5

We and our friends (2 couples) enjoyed the most extraordinary half-day cooking experience. Giannis and his family made us all feel very welcome, and couldn't do enough for us. GIannis picked us up from our hotel and drove us to his grandparent's cottage in the mountains, where his uncle and aunties were waiting for us. A great location with exceptional views down into the valley below. They introduced us to real Cretan hospitality, including sharing their home made wine. The cooking experience was so much fun, led by his aunty who spoke little English, but kept us all engaged and amused throughout. We prepared several of the dishes under her guidance, including stuffed vegeables and tzatziki. All of the ingredients were so fresh and tasty. The family then cooked the meal while we had some wine tasting with Giannis, where he explained about Cretan winemaking techniques. After we had eaten all of the delicious food, we were treated to a look through their family museum, a room with many momentos from the time of his grandparents - which helped us understand what life was like in those days. We thoroughly enjoyed the laughs and the friendly nature of all of the amazing people in the family, but most of all the cooking preparation was so interesting and fun. All in all a great experience with a wonderful family.

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