Start your small group tour at the arranged meeting point: the magnificent 13th century castle of Androusa, located in the heart of Messinia, just a 20 minute drive from Kalamata and 10 minutes from Ancient Messene. Begin with beautiful olive walks to provide as an overview of the amazing olive groves of Messinia. Witness the olive trees as the guide tells you about the history, the tradition, and the mythical stories of the castle olive trees. The olive grove is the next visit. Walk though the groves and marvel the perennial olive trees. Learn about the different varieties of olive trees in the area and discover the story of the Messinian land as recorded on the stems. In the center of Androusa Village, visit a unique olive oil press and mill, located there for more than 120 years. The fifth generation owner will explain the procedure of extraction, the storage, and standardization process of extra virgin olive oil. Next, join a tasting session, where a dining table is filled with the special blue olive oil tasting glasses ready for you to try. Taste the extra virgin olive oil of 'Koroneiki' variety and learn about its organoleptic characteristics. Learn to recognize the elements that define the extra virgin olive oil. Taste different varieties of Greek extra virgin olive oil, such us 'Manaki', 'Xalkidikis', 'Mavroelia', and evaluate their flavours. What about food? The extra virgin olive oil of different varieties is matched with traditional recipes including fruit, gourmet small dishes, as well as tzatziki, kalamata olives, olive paste, lalagia, pasto (smoked ham) and local cheeses. Enjoy a unique experience in the historic olive groves, and learn about the history, the soul, the tradition, and the gastronomy of Messinia.

Be accompanied by a local Greek guide to visit several food shops. Meet and speak with local shop owners and have the opportunity to taste traditional food and learn about the Greek food culture.  Listen to Greek myths and stories about food that will deepen your knowledge about this beautiful country. Taste food ranging from bread products, olives, pies, meat products, to sweets. Enjoy your lunch at a local souvlaki restaurant.

Explore the Gulf of Navarino on an evening hiking tour with van pickup at your hotel in Kalamata. Learn about the facinating military history of the Gulf of Navarino from your guide. Look for local wildlife, swim at Voidokilia beach and have dinner in a Greek tavern.  Be picked up from the comfort of your hotel in the center of Kalamata and sit back and relax in the spacious and airconditioned van. Take in the stunning Greek countryside on way to the beginning of the hiking trail. Admire views of the  see the old Navarino castle. Start from from the bottom hill and make your way to the top at a leisurely pace. On Keep an eye out for migratory birds like flamingos, ospreys, and royal eagles that travel between Europe and Africa at the Gialova lagoon. Stop for a refreshing dip at the most photographed and well known beach in Greece, Voidokilia beach. Continue to the top of a hill where you can marvel at views of Voidokilia beach, Gialova lagoon, the city of Pylos and the Ionian sea. Have some fresh fruits while learning about the history of the area from 425 BC to today. Finish your tour with a authentic meal in a a Greek tavern right next to the coast before returning to your accommodation.

Discover the richness and inventiveness of Greek cuisine! You will visit the historic centre of one of the most beautiful coastal cities of the Peloponnese: Kalamata, in Messinia region. The place is known for its exquisite olive oil and its world-famous black Kalamata olives. However, the city has so much more to offer and this tour will help you uncover its hidden gems. Visit local family-owned food and pastry shops, learn old stories and feel the authenticity of the locals. Part 1: Visit to Traditional Workshop and tasting of Local Home-made products Many times, you can find the tastiest local products in the most unlikely places of a town you visit, where you’d never think to look. Together we’ll discover a traditional Workshop, literally hidden in the tiny alleys of the city. The local women working at the Workshop will show how to make one of the oldest delicacies of Messinia and Mani, using the simplest of ingredients, flour and olive oil. And while enjoying this staple of the Spartan warriors and satisfying your sweet tooth in the healthiest of manners, you’ll also learn about its long history and inextricable link to the local tradition. Part 2: Tasting of Spoon Sweets, Corinthian Raisins and Healthy Local Delicacies Upon entering the shop, the aroma of the exquisite herbs and spices wafting through the air will transport you to the top of Mt. Taygetos, the local mountain. You’ll get to taste homemade glyka tou koutaliou (spoon sweets), black Korinthian raisins and other products of the Messinian and Greek land, discovering their nutritional value and their importance in a well-balanced diet. Part 3: Greek Coffee Tasting at Local Coffee Grinding Shop It’s time for your morning coffee! And what’s better than a hot traditional Greek coffee prepared by Giorgos, who’ll reveal the secrets to its proper preparation. You’ll find out all about the origins of this type of coffee, how it got its name and how it has become a part of the Greek tradition and temperament. Part 4: Tasting of Local Appetizers at a Traditional Greek Coffee Shop-Cum-Ouzo Tavern Right in the heart of the city, under the shadow of an age-old plane tree, flavoursome Messinian appetizers - mezedes are waiting for you to discover them. Part 5: Visit to an Olive Oil Shop & short Olive oil tasting You’ll find out all about the Koroneiki variety and its unique features, and will taste different quality olive oils. Part 6: Visit to a Shop with Local Wines & Traditional Spirits Find out all the local varieties, including Fokiano, Roditis, Malaguzia and Moschofilero, as well as how they are combined with foreign varieties to produce excellent white, rose and red wines through a short wine tasting along with Mr. Giannis! Part 7: Light Lunch with Mediterranean or Messinian Dishes and Local Wines A light yet filling lunch will conclude your gastronomic experience and spoil your senses, in one of the cosiest Coffee Shop-Cum-Ouzo Taverns in the heart of the city.

You will visit one of the most beautiful coastal cities of the Peloponnese: Kalamata, in Messinia region. The olive oil tour and tasting experience is available all year round either in the mornings or in the afternoons. The Olive oil Experience If you want to get to know all about the unique features of olive oil or simply wonder what an olive-oil tasting seminar involves, this activity is right up your alley! Part 1: Olive grove & Visit at an Olive oil Mill Olive grove (available all year round) You’ll walk through the perennial olive trees and experience a 30' relaxing stroll through an olive grove located just 10' away from Kalamata. During your walk, you’ll get acquainted with different varieties of olive trees in all shapes and of all ages and learn the history of the olive tree and the olive oil from the Neolithic era until today! Olive oil mill (depending on season & availability - From March to October) You will learn all about the extraction process, from the olive grove to bottling and if it is the olive harvesting season, you’ll get to taste fresh and warm extra virgin olive oil, during our olive oil tasting! Part 2: Olive Oil tasting experience Along with our professional and certified olive oil expert, you’ll learn about the queen of Greek olive-oil varieties, Koroneiki, as well as other just as superb Greek olive oils. You’ll discover their key aromas, flavours and tastes, and will learn which olive-oil variety to pair with your favourite food. Part 3: Light or Full lunch (upon request & at an extra charge) If you wish to conclude your olive oil experience with a delicious light or full lunch, full of Messinian flavours, in one of the most welcoming Coffee Shop-Cum-Ouzo Taverns in the heart of Kalamata’s historic centre, just let us know and we can arrange it for you!

Attend an authentic cooking class in an olive grove and combine it with a unique bread making experience. Find out all the culinary secrets from a Greek mum who will share with you age-old recipes! You will visit an olive grove located in a small village 50km (31 mi) from Kalamata in Messinia region, Peloponnese, towards Pylos coastal town, just 10' away from Costa Navarino resort. The Culinary Experience Join us for 3 hour cooking class experience and feast on a mouthwatering full traditional lunch among olive trees! Part 1: Arrival at the grove - Warm welcome Visit a beautiful family olive grove of a small village, located in the west of Messinia, just 10 minutes away from Costa Navarino Bay and Nestor’s Palace. It is the ideal backdrop to unravel the history, tradition and ancient myths of this historical place. The owners will welcome you with homemade local delicacies while they will narrate you the whole story behind their efforts. Part 2: Bread making in a Wood-Fired Oven Make your own bread from scratch along with a Greek mum and bake it in a traditional wooden fired oven. Smell the unbeatable aroma of the freshly baked bread and enjoy it with your lunch! There is also the possibility, instead of bread to make another Greek pastry delicacy like a Greek seasonal pita (pie)! Part 3: Cooking class During a fantastic cooking class, a traditional Greek mum will show you how to make Greek appetizers and food like gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers with rice and fresh herbs), tyropita (cheese pie), lamb or pork cooked in the stone fired oven, Greek salad or other seasonal recipes using the freshest of ingredients. The mum will tell you stories about how, in the olden days, they used to make the hilopites (Greek egg pasta) and trachana (Greek fermented milk pasta) only during summer, to last them all through the winter months. Of course as you may already know, there are plenty food choices also for vegetarians and vegans in the Mediterranean and Greek cuisine so not to worry about; just let us know! Part 4: Full traditional lunch Food is finally ready! Enjoy a full, delicious lunch with everything you made during the Cooking class and feel proud for yourself and your efforts accompanied with a lots of Greek wine! Extra Experiences (upon request & at an extra charge) Depending on availability, you may also choose to participate in extra experiences upon request: Olive oil tasting experience (45’) Enjoy an exciting olive oil tasting experience while your delicious food is being baked in the wood-fired oven! Sweet pastry making session (45') You’ll have the chance to experience a unique sweet pastry making session, guided by the local mum, and make one of the emblematic delicacies of Messinia. Table Olive-Making Workshop In this 45' family friendly workshop, a Greek mum will show you how to make the famous Kalamata table olives, step by step.

Enjoy a 3-hour bike tour experience around Kalamata in Messinia region, one of the most beautiful cities of the Peloponnese, and explore its hidden gems. Whether this is your first or umpteenth time here, one thing that’ll surely amaze you is how quickly you can get from one end of the city to the other. Join us with your own bike or let us provide a bike for you. Where You’ll cycle around one of the most beautiful coastal cities of the Peloponnese: Kalamata. You may have been here before, or you may have already been around it on foot or by car, but how about exploring it on a bike, just for something different? A 5km bike lane starts from the historic centre of the city and ends up at the beautiful awarded beach of Kalamata, making the bike a great way to get around. When The Bike tour experience is available Monday-Saturday, all-year round, either in the mornings or in the evenings. Sundays and official holidays are excluded. The Bike tour experience Put on your helmet and get ready to explore the history of Kalamata accompanied by our experienced bike rider! Meeting Point Maria, our passionate food lover and local host, will be waiting for you at the beautiful square 23rd March Square (Πλ. 23ης Μαρτίου) in front of the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles (Αγιοι Απόστολοι) in the historical centre of Kalamata. Why tour the city Each city has a unique identity that makes its stand out. Some are perfect for winter getaways, while others are ideal for summer holidays. Kalamata is a city where its rich history is evident wherever you go, blending in beautifully with the modern way of life and making it the ideal destination and choice whatever you may be looking for! What you’ll discover Cycling in a laid-back manner and taking in the beautiful scenery, you’ll go past some amazing sights and discover their hidden history. Some of the Bike Tour highlights: •Upper Square / Church of Presentation of Jesus (Ypapanti tou Sotiros) •St. Constantine and Helen Convent •19th century Classical and Neoclassical Buildings •Old Karelia Tobacco Factory •Historical and Folklore Museum of Kalamata •Archaeological Museum / Old Market •Down Square / Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles •Othonos Square and Vasileos Georgiou II Square •Church of Agios Ioannis o Prodromos (St John the Baptist) •Cultural Centre – Nikolaos and Regina Pantazopoulou Building •Kalamata Municipal Railway Park / Open-Air Museum •Old Flour Mill / Roller Mills •Customs / Kalamata Port •Kalamata Beach (Navarinou Street) Naturally, even the most relaxing exercise needs energy. But don’t worry, we’ve thought of everything. If you wish, we can make a quick stop at a shop with traditional, home-made delicacies, so you can get a taste of the rich culinary tradition of this area. During the bike tour, you’ll have time to do some shopping and at the end you may wish to enjoy a mouthwatering local lunch in one of the cosiest Coffee Shop-Cum-Ouzo taverns in Kalamata.

Trip Itinerary 8:00 AM - Mushroom hunting-a Seminar “There would be no forest if there were no mushrooms.” Being informed and educated about the nutritional and medicinal benefits of mushrooms will help you overcome any fears surrounding them. 12:00 AM - Ancient Messina Its wealth and history will transport you to another era! Epaminondas liberated Messinia in 370 – 369 BC. from Spartan influence and built the capital of the free Messenians at the foot of Itomi. 2:30 PM - TASTING TRADITIONAL DESSERTS OF THE SPOON We will visit a workshop with traditional spoon sweets and by tasting we will be able to learn various secrets about them. 3:30 PM - TASTING LOCALS TRADITIONAL PASTA We will visit a workshop that makes local pasta and they will show us how it is made. There we will have the opportunity of tasting. 5:00 PM - Return to the hotel

Tantalise your taste buds with an exquisite meal! A 3-hour private dining experience complete with Cooking class, to satisfy even the most demanding palates. A renowned Greek Head chef prepares and cooks with you a surprise three-course Mediterranean feast in his restaurant, just 8' away from the heart of Kalamata, in Messinia region, Peloponnese, using the freshest of ingredients. It’s private dining with friends and family at its finest! Where You’ll participate in a Cooking class and a private lunch or dinner, prepared by a Greek chef in his restaurant just 8' away from the city centre of Kalamata. The renowned Greek chef has prepared feasts for many politicians, including Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, François Hollande and Mahmoud Abbas, while he also served as Head chef of the former President of the Hellenic Republic. He has over 30 years of experience and is returning to his homeland Kalamata, where he’ll cook a private meal just for you and your friends or family! When This private cooking and dining experience is available Tuesday-Sunday all-year round, for lunch or dinner. Mondays and public holidays are excluded. The Culinary Experience You can have a choice of Greek appetizers, Mediterranean cuisine, or traditional or modern Greek cuisine. Part 1: Cooking Class You have the option of participating in the food preparation, in the form of a cooking class, guided and assisted by the chef. You might even learn how to make pasta from scratch! The chef uses the freshest of ingredients from all over Messinia, converting them into one of the best Mediterranean culinary experiences. He will prepare a surprise menu just for you, tailored to your individual dietary preferences. Depending on the weather and the season, you may also enjoy the meal in the beautiful outdoor area right next to the restaurant. Part 2: Private Dining (Lunch or Dinner) The meal consists of appetizer, main and dessert, true to the Mediterranean tradition, and is paired with amazing Messinian wines. You’ll enjoy private dining with friends and family at its finest and what’s more you can choose between indoor or al fresco dining.

Let your senses guide you through a winery counting nearly 40 years of wine-making tradition! A 3-hour guided wine experience from the locals that includes a tour in the vineyards and the winery, the cellars and a wonderful wine tasting! A visit to Kapsia Cave, one of the top ten Greek caves upgrades the whole wine experience depending on the season. Visit the first certified winery in Arcadia region in Peloponnese to open to the public, taste award-winning wines and discover the secrets of the Greek wine-making tradition. You will visit a local Estate and an organic winery located at a small village at the foot of Mt Mainalo, located in Arcadia region in Peloponnese, 100 km (60 mi) from Kalamata. The Estate is a family business, with a wine-making tradition that goes back nearly 40 years. The private vineyards occupy an area of around 30 acres and produce 3 varieties: Moschofilero, Cabernet and Merlot. The local family use organic methods to produce all their wines, with natural vinification. Part 1: Tour of the Vineyards (May - November) Enjoy a tour of the vineyards and find out all about the history and philosophy of organic farming. This part of the experience is only available from May to November. Part 2: Grape Harvesting (depending on availability - September & October) Get a first-hand look at the harvesting of organic grapes, straight from the vineyards. Find out all the secrets of traditional winemaking from the local experts. Part 3: Tour of the Cellars Take a tour of the wine cellars and discover all the different wine varieties of the beautiful winery! Part 4: Wine Tasting Get a taste of the Estate's entire wine range. Immerse yourself in the deep flavours and rich aromas of the 5-7 different wine labels. Part 5: Petimezi Tasting Discover the flavoursome and aromatic petimezi (boiled grape must). At the Estate, this traditional Greek product and superfood is produced from organic grapes. Part 6: Full local Lunch at a village tavern (upon request & at an extra charge) What could be better than conclude your exciting wine experience with a delicious homemade food that includes mouthwatering appetizers, such as traditional pies with eggs, wild greens, Greek salad and local cheeses? This is followed by a choice of pork cooked in egg-lemon sauce, beef in red sauce served with homemade pasta or oven-baked lamb with potatoes or similar dishes. For dessert, there’s traditional walnut pie with ice cream! Vegan and vegetarian dishes are also available.