Heraklion

Wine Tasting & Winery Tours

Get an introduction to the best food that Heraklion has to offer by treating your palate to traditional Cretan dishes and exceptional local wines! Go on an unforgettable tasty journey through Heraklion’s local neighbourhoods. After meeting your local guide, start off with a traditional Greek coffee also known as ellinikós kafés. Learn why Greeks love coffee and see it brewed the traditional way in sand and be taught “cup reading”, a centuries-old tradition that reads your future. Enjoy Heraklion’s well-known bougatsa in a family-owned business that has mastered its bougatsa technique since 1922. Consisting of semolina custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo, bougatsa is a must-taste pastry that you shouldn’t miss while being in the city. Continue to a local market where you’ll meet the local vendors and learn about their products. Sample some of the basic elements of Cretan cuisine such as olives, rusks, and cheese. Become a cheese-tasting expert by receiving local hints and learn how to spot the best local cheeses. Taste the island’s famous olive oil and find out why organic Cretan olive oil is one of the best oils in the world. Sit down for a local organic meat dish or if you want to show yourself how brave you are, sample a dish that is loved by most Cretans: fried snails. Move on to your last stop and taste some local Cretan wines in a family-run shop. Keep in mind that winemaking in Crete has a long history that dates back to the Bronze Age. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for more tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay.

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! 

Your day will start with a pickup from your hotel where you will travel to the Archanes region. In a small and friendly group you have the opportunity to visit one of the last olive oil family domains and learn the secrets of Cretan extra virgin oil. You'll also visit a dynamic boutique winery, take a guided tour amongst its facilities and discover more about the magic world of wine production, terroir, and local grape varietals. Partake in a sensational visit to a family estate and a traditional olive mill. The owners will lead you to their production area and introduce you to the fantastic world of extra virgin olive oil. This will be followed by some olive oil sample tasting. You will also have a chance to taste other local products. Next up, meet a promising and dynamic winemaker who will guide you through his winery and domain. Get exclusive access to the facilities and get a glimpse into the production process. Then, after a wine presentation, you will experience a wine tasting featuring 5 different varieties made on the island. After your winery tour, visit a traditional restaurant and taste true Cretan mezze cooking for lunch. Enjoy prepared plates consisting of warm and cold traditional mezzes featuring salads, grilled cheese, olive fritters, different meats and vegetable plates. Whilst here, continue your wine tasting and sample a sweet desert wine to aid digestion.

Taste 6 of wines on a luxury wine tasting tour of Crete, and sample exceptional wines, including local dishes and more. Travel through the wine-producing villages of one of the world's most famous wine regions. Admire the vineyards of Crete, where great wines are produced. Stop on the hillside of the village to experience a unique location for red and white local varieties of wines. Take part in a prestigious wine tasting in a wine cellar, where you can choose wines paired with typical Cretan dishes, cheeses, and elegant cuisine. Learn more about the local wine growing practices and history of Crete wines. Visit a boutique winery and meet the winemaker.

Feed your body and mind in Heraklion, the capital city of Crete. Visit its major monuments with your guide, discover the the modern aspects of the Cretan diet its connection to the history of the city. Learn how the people of Crete eat, and how Crete's enviable food culture was born. On this Heraklion tasting tour, stop at a Cretan family bakery, the daily meeting point of locals. Taste Greek coffee assorted with kalitsounia (traditional sweet pies with soft cheese filling), raisin pies and cinnamon cookies. Discover the herbs and spices at a traditional Cretan shop, and take the chance to savor Cretan mountain tea. Move on to try organic extra virgin olive oil, considered to be the best in the world, made with varieties of table olives. Try goat–sheep cheese, Gruyere, parmesan, soft cheese and natural yogurt with honey.

Explore the historical city center of Heraklion. Visit, along with your expert tour guide, Heraklion’s major monuments; travel through time and its rich history. Discover the past and the present of a city that combines old with new. The 7th labor of Hercules was performed here, the birthplace of El Greco and Nikos Kazantzakis. On this tour hear stories about Heraklion's turbulent past and visit its legendary churches, fountains, and monuments. On this tour you will also get to enjoy local products finger food and wine amidst Venetian monumental buildings. Stroll through off-the-beaten-path areas in the city, learn about the Mediterranean diet. On this 2-hour tour feed your body and mind.

Begin your journey of Knossos by meeting your guide at your hotel in Heraklion, where you will be greeted by your guide who will take care of you throughout the day.  Head straight to Knossos, where you will visit the ancient Minoan Palace, an important city in antiquity that supported continuous life from the Neolithic era to the 5th century. According to tradition, Knossos was the seat of the wise king Minos. Learn about the archeological site's fascinating myths, including the famous labyrinth and the minotaur legend, and that of Daedalus and Icarus. Next, head into the Heraklion mainland, which is known for its vilana, kostifali, and vidiano indigenous Cretan grapes. Crete's winemaking tradition dates all the way back to antiquity, and Cretan winemakers have consistently produced outstanding, award-winning wines. Taste some of these flavorful wines at a family-owned organic winery, where you'll enjoy six different wines along with local nibbles. Next, tuck into a delicious local lunch in a cozy, traditional, family-owned tavern that serves home-grown and freshly made delicacies from farm to table. This is your chance to sample truly authentic Cretan cuisine. Then, explore a typical village in Archanes as you wander its narrow lanes, and discover a world concealed from time. Here, savor the local liqueur called raki before heading back to your accommodation in Heraklion.

Escape on the most romantic and exclusive of Cretan brunch journeys with your beloved one or a group of friends. Marvel at the beautiful handy work of ceramists in the picturesque village of Margarites, or enjoy the tranquility of a sacred gorge on your way to your brunch in a winery. Once at the winery, you'll explore their vineyard, cellar, and other production facilities before diving into a homemade Cretan brunch. On the menu you will discover fresh eggs form the hen coop, local cheese, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, an aunty’s pie, sheep’s yogurt, and honey from the Psiloritis Mountains. Cold cuts from a small producer and homemade rusks will also be available, and your brunch will be served in hand-made natural ceramic plates and dishes for an elevated experience. Once having finished brunch, you will be returned back to your tour starting point.

On this private wine tasting tour, dive into the world of Crete’s indigenous grapes, explore some of the region’s most beautiful scenery and vineyards, lightly trek to ancient wine presses and hidden Byzantine churches, and taste some of the best wines that Crete has to offer. Get picked up from your accommodation before visiting two authentic Cretan wineries, their vineyards, and their cellars while learning their stories. Afterward, indulge in a full wine and Cretan lunch pairing, one of the healthiest cuisines of the Mediterranean. Enjoy a total of 11 wines and a traditional 5-course Cretan meal, designed especially to match the wines served.

Αdmire the Minoan civilization through a walking tour of the area's various charismatic paths. This experience will allow you to let your eyes wander over the endless vineyards, as you follow the various wine routes. Following your tour in Knossos, you will head towards the picturesque town of Archanes to begin your journey over the Cretan wine routes. Crete boasts a wine tradition that is 4,000 years old, and if you are a wine enthusiast you may complement your gastronomic experience by taking part in a wine tasting session at a vineyard of your choice. The area is reminiscent of Tuscany in Italy. There are cultural, archeological, religious, and historical interests there, as well as Byzantine churches with frescoes on the walls, and historical monuments which date back to the 15th century. At the conclusion of your tour, you will be left with a fantastic taste of Crete.