This tour provides an opportunity to experience 'the real' Crete and some of its long held traditions and culture
Taste and see how some of the local products, cheese, wine, olive oil and Cretan sweets, are made
Enjoy the wonderful untouched western Crete scenery and some of its traditional villages
Experience the tasty local cuisine
Stelios, the local guide for this tour, will share his passion (and humour) for his island
Join local restaurateur Stelios to celebrate the food, wine and culture of a very traditional Crete. You’ll find his passion for this island is irresistible as you taste gastronomic delights, take part in a cookery lesson, learn about local produce and experience the local way of life. This adventure isn’t just for ‘foodies’ but for anyone with a love of all things Greek.
Available Departures |
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| 06 - May - 2025 | £ 1735.00 | Travel Info Book Now |
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Provisional Timings London Gatwick Departing: 06th May 2025 at 09:20 Returning: 13th May 2025 at 14:35 |
Day 1: Fly from London Gatwick to Chania.
On arrival, transfer by coach to Kissamos (approx. 30 mins). Tonight there will be a welcome dinner at the Cellar Taverna, situated right on the seafront. This well-established, family run taverna of over 20 years has an excellent reputation with locals and tourists alike.
Day 2: Morning cookery lesson with the afternoon at leisure.
This morning we will have a cookery lesson at the Cellar Taverna, with hands-on preparation of traditional Cretan dishes such as tzatziki, Greek salad, delicious cheese and spinach pies made with local cheese, yemista and dolmades (stuffed vegetables) and kleftiko (lamb stew). Lunch will be at the Cellar Taverna, enjoying the food that you help prepare. This afternoon is at leisure giving you time to explore the town and to visit the interesting archaeological museum. Evening at leisure.
Day 3: Morning visit to a rural village, home to Stelios’ parents.
Today’s visit to Stelios’ parents’ house and their small farm in a tiny village in the hills, provides the opportunity to learn about traditional Cretan life and how it is still possible to be almost self-sufficient when you grow all of your own produce and keep some livestock. There will be some wine tasting, from Stelios’ own barrels, cheese tasting and the chance to taste some of his mother’s produce which she continues to make, grow, or prepare - these include Greek spoon sweets, walnuts, olive oil, raki (a strong Cretan spirit), honey, lemonade and even snails! Lunch today will be at a local taverna in the hills and the afternoon is free to spend as you wish before dinner at the Cellar Taverna.
Day 4: Morning visit to local producers.
This morning we will visit a winery, a cheese maker, sweet maker and an olive oil factory where you will learn about the cultivation and production of these local products that play a huge role, culturally and economically in Cretan life. Lunch today will be in a taverna in the picturesque village of Deliana, which is also home to a beautiful 13th century church, which we have the opportunity to visit. This evening will be at leisure.
Day 5: Full day visit to Chania.
An atmospheric Venetian harbour town, Chania is set against a spectacular backdrop of majestic mountains and aquamarine seas. A turbulent history saw its occupation by the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Genoese, Turks and Egyptians, but this has left behind a rich and captivating architectural heritage. We will wander the streets and alleyways of the old town to get a real feel of the atmosphere of this lovely historic town. This afternoon will be free for you to explore Chania further at your leisure. Lunch and dinner are not included today, giving the opportunity to stay and enjoy a meal in Chania harbour if you wish.
Day 6: Full day to relax or explore at your leisure.
A day at leisure, giving you the opportunity to explore further afield if you wish, or just relax in Kissamos.
Day 7: Morning visit to Crete’s botanical park.
Strolling through the wonderful scenery of the botanical park we will learn more about plants, herbs, fruit, vegetables as well as plenty of fascinating local knowledge. There will be an opportunity for lunch (not included) at the Botanical Park followed by the afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner at the Cellar Taverna.
Day 8: Transfer by coach back to Chania airport for your return flight to London Gatwick.
NB: Exact order or excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 15 passengers.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Sunny Bay Hotel
Our base for the week is the Sunny Bay Hotel situated on Kissamos' small promenande, right next to the sea. It has simple comfortable bedrooms with private bath/shower, air-conditioning (extra charge payable locally if required), TV, and balcony.
Sunny Bay Hotel Website
We would have liked another day cooking. The tour to the olive factory was a bit disappointing as we just watched a film and tried 2 different oils. With the winery and the bee factory it all felt very rushed . We were surprised not to be given maps of Chania especially as there was no tourist office there. Vengelis was a joy. Yianna could have given us lots more info before the trips.
Review by Harris who travelled 24-September-2024
Travel Editions feedback:
We do hope that you enjoyed the tour and we have noted the suggestion about the map of Chania, it is proving difficult to get printed maps from tourist boards now but will see what we can do in the future. We have also discussed your comments with Strata, and although they were disappointed to hear your feedback about Yianna they have taken this on board.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 24-September-2024
Great hotel especially as we had booked a room with sea view. Whole trip was really enjoyable helped by good weather. Stelios and Vangellis from Cellar Tavern were brilliant along with tour guide Yianni. Hotel in great location and very relaxing. Time of year being late September probably preferable as limited number tourists (like ourselves of course) . 5*
Review by Morgan who travelled 24-September-2024
This tour stayed in a lovely small hotel. The staff were all very good and the cleanliness was fine. The bathrooms need updating! The tour leader Gianna and driver Vangelis were both friendly and knowledgeable adding to the enjoyment of the tour. The two hands-on cooking experiences were great fun and informative. The other trips were interesting. Chania was a good opportunity for shopping. The included Dinners at 'The Cellar' were delicious and authentic. The cook book was a welcome bonus. Kissamous is a quiet, laidback town with interesting culture.
Review by Mellanby who travelled 25-September-2023
We have had the most amazing holiday. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. We certainly hope to try another trip.
Review by Rushton who travelled 25-September-2023
A very good tour
Review by Holmes who travelled 25-September-2023
An excellent holiday ,everything was so good . The joy was made greater by the wonderful services of our tour manager and our delighful driver Vangelis. As for my room it was well worth paying for a sea view.
Review by Hughes who travelled 25-September-2023
A superb , well organised tour ! The team involved were excellent especially Stelios ,Yianni and Vangelis ! The Sunny Bay hotel , a great first class 3 * clean , comfortable and very friendly , The balance of cooking / cretan culture and free time was just right ! Another great TE holiday .. Thank You
Review by Salkeld who travelled 08-May-2023
Although I enjoyed this werk very much I did not think that Culinary Tour was the right title. The two sessions we had were surprisingly basic and the guide knew nothing about cookery , merely translating from the Greek. What about 'A Tour of Cretan Culture' for a title?
Review by Alton who travelled 08-May-2023
Gianni was excellent, nothingtoo much, problems solved without fuss, The meals at the Cavern were excellent, although I thought that water should have been provided without charge given that we were a large group and most were buing alocolic drinks. Selios was agreat host. The walk around the Botanic gardens was too short. Perhaps next time the tour could start earlier. Although all drivers were good Vangelis was excellent and very helpful. Enjoyed the cookery lessons, good fun.
Review by Askew who travelled 27-September-2022
The lady in charge of us there was really excellent. Whole tour was very good. Hotel staff very friendly. Well worth paying for sea view - room was lovely. Only thing that was a bit disappointing was the Botanical Gardens trip - very hard to walk even on the "easy" walk & lunch disappointing, with grumpy staff.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 27-September-2022
Exceptional tour guide Giannas who went above and beyond our expectations Very impressed with the cleanliness of the hotel and the very helpful and friendly staff who couldn’t do enough for us Botanical gardens visit was too exhausting We were disappointed with the visit to Chania with all its souvenir stalls and full of tourists - probably from the cruise ships we saw later anchored there Stelios was most attentive at his Cellar Taverna and the cookery lesson was a lot of fun Not an attractive location for the hotel as it resembled a building site all around but presumably this will improve eventually Overall a good experience and we felt we had learnt a lot about the “real” Crete
Review by Fagan who travelled 27-September-2022
Excellent hotel, great trips
Review by Anonymous who travelled 27-September-2022
This was a enjoyable tour. The tour manager was extremely helpful and friendly. The public areas of the hotel were slightly unfinished and some aspects of the catering at breakfast lacked finesse. In a country where oranges are falling of the trees , offering lurid orange liquid as a substitute is weird. Machine coffee similarly horrible. The transport was also not great for this demographic. Cramped mini buses with difficult high steps not great for people who are mostly 70 +.
Review by Scott who travelled 10-May-2022
My sister and I (yes, more sisters travelling together!) thoroughly enjoyed our third trip with Travel Editions. A small friendly group, who looked out for those who were travelling on their own. Our tour manager Yanna, was very knowledgeable, and kind, organising our trip immaculately, so we could enjoy, the wonderful food, scenery, and Cretan way of life.
Review by Inman who travelled 10-May-2022
My first trip with Travel Editions. Very enjoyable, would definitely consider another trip. A great way for solo travellers to holiday with others, I thoroughly enjoyed the company of the group I was with. A matter of chance I know, but worked well on this trip. I liked the mix of organised tours and downtime. The hotel was very nice, very clean and I liked the breakfast provided. Our tour guide, Gianna, was excellent, as were the people we met during the week. As a vegetarian and can say I was very well catered for, the vegetarian dishes offered by Stelios & his team at The Cellar, especially, were delicious, including tips for improving my own vegetarian moussaka recipe. Happy Days.
Review by Morris who travelled 10-May-2022
Review by Anonymous who travelled 10-May-2022
This was my first ever solo holiday and I found everyone friendly and welcoming in the group. I would say that the walk to the Taverna for dinners was quite long after a busy, walking day but it was made easier by the congenial companions. Our guide Yianna was really good and took lots of photographs which I hope will eventually arrive by email. I would be happy to share some of mine with the group - if I had the emails. Overall a most enjoyable holiday.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 10-May-2022
I really enjoyed the trip. Group was just the right size and I met some nice people. The Greeks we met during the tour were so welcoming. I am so delighted to be travelling again with Travel Editions and look forward to my next trip.
Review by Bardoni who travelled 10-May-2022
The lovely revamped hotel has lots of marble steps and slopes but no differentiation in colour so some sort of markers by edges would avoid accidents. Last morning a French guest walked straight into plate glass window in restaurant - some sort of stickers to indicate it's not an open window needs to be implemented. My room (321) didn't have an outside window in the bathroom and the sun didn't shine on the balcony at all so difficult to get swimsuit to dry. A sun worshipper might not enjoy that room. Staff lovely in hotel. Best tour manager ever! The trips to Chania were all bunched together at the end of the trip - maybe mix them up a bit to avoid all that time on the same old road.
Review by Strawson who travelled 10-May-2022
NB as I wasn't coming from London I made my own travel arrangements, which is why I have left blank the line above [Flight/Train/Ferry]
Review by Hankins who travelled 01-October-2019
NB I am Judith Staples, holiday booked by Suzanne Elcoat. Overall experience v good. Excursions well-planned with only 1 or 2 slight drawbacks (honey producer didn't speak much English). Minibus arrived & departed punctually. Food splendid & abundant. Good to have small group of 8 - easy to get to know others. Hotel (Sunny Bay) clean, roomy, welcoming (apart from one stand-by unhelpful receptionist); balconies v good; breakfasts excellent, supper ok. Beautiful pool, swimming towels provided. Not far from various tavernas, & v little noise from outside (dead-end road). They need to equip rooms with client-operated safes: at present they charge for a key to use them (never come across that before). We needed maps (eg Chania) at the beginning rather than the end of the tour!
Review by Elcoat who travelled 01-October-2019
Altogether an enjoyable tour. Travel arrangements were fine but it was disappointing not to meet our courier till the evening. Stelios seemed very busy and so not always able to devote himself fully to our group. Hotel very comfortable and staff pleasant. Visits were interesting but we had perhaps just a bit too much down time, usually in the afternoon - I would have liked more activities. I felt the documentation was sent out a little later than I would have liked and there were no luggage labels included.
Review by anonymous who travelled 01-October-2019
Taverna some distance from Hotel. Cooked breakfast at Hotel always cold! Assistance at Gatwick North on return appalling. Slelios brilliant.
Review by Gould who travelled 07-May-2019
Both the Hotel Sunny Bay and the Cellar Taverna were excellent. The guides, Sophia and Stelios , went out of their way to help . The food without exception on the tour was excellent. The hot food at Sunny Bay was a little disappointing, however there were plenty of other choices.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 07-May-2019
It would have been helpful to tell us in advance that the Cellar Taverna , where we ate most of our included meals , was 10+ minutes walk away.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 07-May-2019
Sophia was very helpful. I wanted to see the real Crete and get to know the food better and I feel these aims were met. It was a very relaxed trip with plenty of free time. As a vegetarian, I was well catered for.
Review by Knibbs who travelled 16-April-2019
The tour manager, Sophia, was the tops!
Review by Fellowes who travelled 16-April-2019
Very well organised tour and the guides (Stellios and Sophie) did an excellent job introducing us to the Cretan culture, their food and how to cook some of the same. Most enjoyable holiday.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-April-2019
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-October-2018
We had a delightful time and felt immersed in the real Crete. Stelios is such a lovely man and looked after us very well even coming to take us from the hotel to the taverna when it was raining heavily. His passion for all things Cretan, history, family, customs, religion and food was truly infectious. We loved our week.
Review by Ruff who travelled 16-October-2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. The hotel accommodation was good and I was impressed that as a single traveller, I paid not much extra for a large room with balcony overlooking the bay. Good to have a hotel pool when it was too windy to swim in the sea. Stelios, our tour guide, is a one off! He is a proud Cretan and was anxious to show us the Cretan way of life. His restaurant food was excellent and it was good to eat and share with the other 12 people at a communal table. The whole holiday was just the right mix of cooking demonstration, interesting visits to local food and wine producers and sightseeing at a leisurely pace.
Review by Williamson who travelled 02-October-2018
Interesting trip with good visits to local people. Stelios worked extremely hard but did feel that the walking group dominated at times. The arrival was a muddle at the airport with so many walkers and Iris rather bossy! The hotel was passable but our rooms looked out over the car park! Not very good! Food good and a great privilege to visit Stelios's mother and the restaurant in the hills. Botanical Gardens excellent and the food producers good and meal in the market in Chania. Also Aptera on our extra day very good. A great insight into Cretan life - thank you!
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-October-2018
Hotel coffee and juice dispensers abysmal. Greeks can do so much better - as the hotel's bar managed to. Stellios a splendid tour manager. High points: (1) visit to his home village, (2) botanical garden like no other!
Review by Anonymous who travelled 16-October-2018
Prior to the Culinary Crete tour we spent a week in E. Crete, hotel based and with a hire car. Our impressions of the Eastern side of the island were better than the Western side. It seemed more developed, cleaner and less expensive the menus were more varied and more interesting. Sunny Bay Hotel was fine, friendly and helpful staff, good food and facilities. Stelios was very friendly and helpful. The tours were interesting. The Cellar restaurant was disappointing, particularly the final dinner. Thanks to everyone for the kindness shown to my wife, who had an accident on arrivsal at Chania airport and was incapacitated for the week.Thanks too to Travel Editions who arranged the special assistance at Gatwick on our return.
Review by Anonymous who travelled 02-October-2018
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, but would point out that the walk from the Sunny Bay hotel to the Cellar Taverna was really not seven minutes. Perhaps you can do it in that time if you really stride out. But it is a holiday! Our party was middle-aged to elderly people, which I guess is fairly normal for this tour and we all agreed that it was fifteen minutes or more. It is also a somewhat depressing walk. Also the transfer time to and from Chania Airport is stated as 45 minutes. Our journey time was just under the hour with a very fast driver and a clear run and just over the hour on the other trip.
Review by Dalton who travelled 02-October-2018
Review by Anonymous who travelled 02-October-2018
A thoroughly fascinating trip. Enjoyed every minute of our experience. Thank you.
Review by De lara who travelled 02-October-2018
We enjoyed the cooki ng but would have liked to do more, maybe using fish. A tour of the food stalls at the market in Chania would have been good. The visit to the cheese producer was not interesting.
Review by Brown who travelled 01-May-2018
What a lovely trip. We felt we were experiencing 'real' Crete while learning about and eating food. It was interesting to visit food producers and we appreciated our hands on cookery lessons. It was good to eat the food we made, straight out of the oven. The visit to a local home was appreciated. Our tour guides and hotel staff were cheerful and helpful and the accommodation was spotlessly clean. We had a happy holiday
Review by who travelled 24-April-2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual holiday in lovely Crete. Stelios and Lyn worked very hard to ensure they more than delivered on the itinerary. The food was delicious and the hotel was ideal with very helpful staff.
Review by Lamb who travelled 24-April-2018
The hotel was good and the management and staff extremely helpful but it was a bit more isolated and basic than I would have liked eg. no hairdryer/TV in room
Review by Benemar who travelled 26-September-2017
Review by Bishop who travelled 26-September-2017
a very instructive and educational tour. Angela and Stellios were great hosts. perhaps more cooking would have been more interesting.
Review by Bean who travelled 26-September-2017
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip
Review by who travelled 26-September-2017
