Best 18 Cooking classes activities on Crete Island

Taste the authentic foods of Crete at a unique cooking class using only healthy organic ingredients, such as extra virgin olive oil, local meats, aromatic herbs and freshly picked vegetables. Stroll around the vegetable garden to get a feel for the raw produce and learn more about the herbs. Then, prepare a traditional meal and learn the secrets of how the locals cook. Go for a mountain walk to a shepherds and hear how olives are harvested. Return to the house to sample some cheese and wine from Crete and prepare some appetizers such as ntakos and tzatziki. End with a tasty lunch with wine pairings and traditional jar desserts.

Journey through the authentic flavors of Crete at a private wine tasting with professionals from the industry, and sample 15 different wines. Join a small and friendly group of no more than 8 people and learn more about the vines, terroir and gastronomy of Crete. Hear about local produce, such as olive oil and cheese. Benefit from the services of a guide who is a former journalist and restaurant chef, and speaks both English and French. Meet some of the best producers of the island’s wines from the central regions of Archanes and Peza, where wine was first made in Crete. Take a tour of 2 of their wineries and vineyards, and then experience the flavors of the wines at a private tasting of 15 wines following a wine presentation. Enjoy a sensational tasting of olive oil and other traditional products from Crete, such as honey, marmalade, wine vinegar and more. Then, meet a selection of chefs at a gourmet lunch in one of the best restaurants in the wine making region; and get ready to be dazzled by their creative talents in the kitchen! 

Dear guests, it will be our great pleasure to welcome you to one of the most beautiful sights in Crete, Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village. We will walk around the little streets visiting the premises and the museum where you will see the exhibition of our familial collection of old objects. We will visit the two old houses which will travel us back in time. Later on, we will go to the taverna where we will prepare together the delicious dishes of several recipes which we also consume in our weekly diet. Traditional Cretan cuisine is considered to be one of the healthiest in the world. Here you can learn from us the secrets around each dish and participate hands-on in the process. You can create stuffed vine leaves, stuffed vegetables, pork with wine sauce, lamb with green beans, ntakos, tzatziki, and cheese pies. In case you have special dietary needs or allergies then you shall inform us beforehand to adapt the menu to your demands. You will enjoy the dishes you have prepared. Local wine and mineral water are included. The taverna has a panoramic view over the nearest valley and Heraklion City. You will have in front of you a lovely scenery of vineyards, olive trees, and the holy mountain of Giouchtas. Sounds of animals’ bells will come to your ears. Your host and our team will be there to make you feel welcome and offer you a precious experience. In your own free time Arolithos village you may have lunch and relax after such a creative experience in the tavern and the swimming pool.

Dear guests, it will be our great pleasure to welcome you to one of the most beautiful sights in Crete, Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village. We will walk around the little streets visiting the premises and the museum where you will see the exhibition of our familial collection of old objects. We will visit the two old houses which will travel us back in time. Later on, we will go to the taverna where we will prepare together the delicious dishes of several recipes which we also consume in our weekly diet. Traditional Cretan cuisine is considered to be one of the healthiest in the world. Here you can learn from us the secrets around each dish and participate hands-on in the process. You can create stuffed vine leaves, stuffed vegetables, pork with wine sauce, lamb with green beans, ntakos, tzatziki, and cheese pies. In case you have special dietary needs or allergies then you shall inform us beforehand to adapt the menu to your demands. You will enjoy the dishes you have prepared. Local wine and mineral water are included. The taverna has a panoramic view over the nearest valley and Heraklion City. You will have in front of you a lovely scenery of vineyards, olive trees, and the holy mountain of Giouchtas. Sounds of animals’ bells will come to your ears. Your host and our team will be there to make you feel welcome and offer you a precious experience. In your own free time Arolithos village you may have lunch and relax after such a creative experience in the tavern and the swimming pool.

Cretan Cooking Lessons Chrysoula’s Traditional Cretan Cooking Lessons Welcome to Traditional Cretan Cooking Lessons by Chrysoula! Immerse yourself in the rich culinary heritage of Crete as you embark on a gastronomic journey like no other. Chrysoula, a passionate cook and proud native of a charming Cretan village, invites you to her Home, to discover the secrets of traditional Cretan cuisine using fresh products sourced from her family’s farm or local farmers. Our lessons take place in my house and the food is baked in an old fashioned wood oven. The menu can also be adapted for our vegetarian friends or those with allergies. Your visit to our house includes a warm welcome with Greek coffee or herbal tea, homemade lemonade, ladokouloura. (Rolls made with olive oil) and loukoumakia (Greek delight) and chatting to get to know each other. the cooking lesson The recipes are cooked using old traditional practices and most of the food is baked in the wood-oven. Starters • dakos (Cretan salad) (rusk with tomato, cheese, olive oil, herbs) • tzatziki (the famous Greek dip) • Greek salad Main dishes • gemista (stuffed vine leaves, zucchini flowers (in season), tomatoes, zucchini, and pepper) • mousaka Dessert • Tyropitakia (traditional pies with homemade cheese, local honey and cinnamon springled) Meal the meal includes the dishes we prepare and some extras: Starters • dakos (Cretan salad) (rusk with tomato, feta cheese, olive oil, herbs) • tzatziki (the famous Greek dip) • Greek salad Main dishes • gemista (stuffed vine leaves, zucchini flowers (in season), tomatoes, zucchini, and pepper) • mousaka Dessert • Tyropitakia or loukoumades • homemade ice cream • traditional spoon sweet • seasonal fruit Included: local wine and raki. • Please let us know about any special requests (food allergy, vegan etc.) Hosting you at Chrysoula’s cooking lessons would be an honor, and the team would go above and beyond to ensure your comfort and satisfaction. From the warm smiles to the genuine connections forged during the experience, you will feel like part of the extended Cretan family, creating lasting memories and forging a deep appreciation for the traditions and flavors of this remarkable island.

Explore the Cretan countryside on this tour to a farm in Potamies, the dam of Aposelemis, the gorge of Embasa, the Lassithi plateau, and the village of Krasi. Try farm fresh products, take a cooking and ceramics lesson, and tour an olive oil mill. Be picked up from the comfort of your accommodation in Analipsi, Heraklion, Hersonissos, or Sisi. Sit back and enjoy the scenery on the way to a farm in the rural village of Potamies. Watch as a farmer milks the goats and savor some products made with the milk. Continue to the dam of Aposelemis which is the largest water supply project in Crete. See the sight where the village of Sfendili is submerged in the waters of the dam. Capture pictures of half-submerged houses in this natural wetland with a variety of birds. Drive uphill on dirt roads through the gorge of Embasa. Take in views of mountains and have the opportunity to pick local herbs. Learn how to cook like a local with step-by-step instructions. Prepare dishes from pure ingredients and local products. Visit the Lassithi plateau and head to a pottery workshop to uncover the secrets of Cretan ceramic art. Create your own ceramic masterpiece. Tour the plateau and meet some of the local. Stop at the local cafeteria for a delicious meal baked in a wood oven. Make your way to the picturesque village of Krasi. Stop to see a square with an 18th-century aqueduct and centuries-old plane trees. End your day trip with a tour of an olive oil factory. Learn how to produce olive oil and try some oil samples before returning to your accommodation.

Once in a lifetime experience where you become the chef for one night at our Cretan restaurant! You’ll say hi to our chef & receive a master class on Mezze dishes, feed our customers and afterwards get to indulge in dishes you prepared yourself as well as others from our Cretan Buffet. While dancing the night away and breaking a few plates at the Greek Cook Out. Welcome to our table We will be waiting for you at the longest restaurant table in Crete – 15,3m

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 or allergies.

About During the first hour, our visitors will taste 4 samples of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Brands and 2 sample of defective olive oil to learn the positive flavors and aromas of quality Olive Oil and evaluate them opposite to the negative characteristics of a low-quality olive oil. They will learn to combine olive oils with different aromas with specific cooking recipes. Finally, they will enjoy dishes from our local cretan cuisine. What makes this activity unique? In this session you will become an olive oil expert for one day. You will learn the “fruity”, “bitter” and “spicy” part of extra virgin olive oil. You will learn how to combine different cretan olive oils with special food recipes and you will enjoy our local cretan cuisine. We strongly recommend this tasting experience, because we believe that we can offer our visitors a combination of relaxation and new knowledge as far as our daily nutrition is concerned. Our visitors will learn to judge the quality of olive oil they buy, or they are served.

Learn how to make typical local specialties from the world-famous Cretan diet in a traditional home with an outdoor kitchen! Androniki will teach you to make a selection of traditional Greek appetizers, mains and desserts, and then you’ll be able to enjoy them! The cooking class place takes place outside using Androniki’s wood oven, homegrown produce (vegetables) and homemade ingredients (olive oil). From classic Greek dishes like kremidokalitsouna, Chortopities and Sfakianes pites to homemade drinks like Raki, you’re in for a treat! Expect plenty of food and delicious Greek wine, traditional Greek hospitality and great company!