Lonely Planet Experiences Private Crete Tour: Foodies Feast of Heraklion
Crete, Greece
From EUR 156.00
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Lonely Planet Experiences Private Crete Tour: Foodies Feast of Heraklion
Crete, Greece
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
Crete is a foodies’ paradise and Heraklion is the capital! Come experience the city like a local on a private tour exploring the neighbourhoods where residents live, eat, and shop, all while snacking away on the best local treats on the island.
Experience the best travel stories for yourself. Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this city adventure hand-picked by the world's leading travel publisher. Lonely Planet Experiences powered by Urban Adventures bring stories to life in the best-loved cities around the globe.
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Highlights
- Experience real Cretan food at 8 authentic stops away from the tourist crowds
- Become a cheese–tasting expert by learning how to spot the best local cheeses
- Savour Heraklion’s bougatsa, a 'must-taste' for any visitor to the city, and find out why organic Cretan olive oil is one of the best oils in the world
- Enjoy a glass of local wine and learn the process from harvest to bottle
- Learn about Greek coffee and see it brewed the traditional way
- Each Lonely Planet Experience comes with six-months free access to Lonely Planet’s Guides App which includes over 8,000 destinations guides and unbeatable discounts to Lonely Planet Guidebooks.
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- By joining this tour you are supporting a 100-year-old local bakery so it can continue thriving and serving authentic local delicacies.
- All the food you sample during the tour is locally sourced from villages, farmers, and stock-breeders of Crete.
- On this tour you will visit 100% local, family-owned businesses and meet a local greengrocer, butcher, fishmonger, and winemaker who sell their own and Cretan-only products.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 4 hours
- Meeting point:
Eleftherias Square, in the city centre. Eleftherias Square is the main square in Heraklion, near the Archaeological Museum, the Astoria Hotel, the Prefecture, and the Gate of Saint George. Your guide will be holding a Crete Urban Adventures sign.
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 12.00 PM
- Ending point:
Venetian Port of Heraklion
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, food and beverage samples as indicated in the itinerary (coffee, rusks, olives, cheese, pastries, traditional sweets, local wine/spirit tasting, meats). The inclusions are more than enough that you can skip lunch! (Vegetarian options are available but please let us know at the time of booking.)
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, items of a personal nature, tips/gratuities for your guide.
Join us on this private food and wine tour of Heraklion that will treat your taste buds to authentic Cretan dishes and local wines! During our three-hour walk, we’ll introduce you to the best food that Heraklion has to offer. The Cretan cuisine is one of the healthiest and tastiest diets in the world, and the base of the Mediterranean diet, and you’ll find out how Crete’s culture, history, and geography have all helped to create the region’s unique cuisine. On this Crete food tour, we’ll take a stroll through Heraklion’s local neighbourhoods as we share with you our passion for food and discuss local culinary traditions.
We’ll start our Heraklion tour with a traditional Greek coffee, also known as ellinikós kafés. Drinking coffee is a daily ritual in Greece, and as we sip our freshly brewed dark liquid, you’ll learn all about the history of coffee in the country.
At our next stop, you’ll savour Heraklion’s famous bougatsa, a must-taste for any visitor to the city. Bougatsa is a pastry consisting of semolina custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo. Best of all, you’re going to taste the best ones in town, as the owners of this spot have been mastering their bougatsa technique since 1922!
Leaving the historical centre, we’ll then visit a local market to chat with vendors and learn about their products. You’ll get to sample olives, rusks, and cheese — and we’ll even teach you to how to maximise your enjoyment and appreciation of cheese (yes, it is possible to love it even more than you already do). And of course, no food tour of Crete would be complete without tasting the island’s famous olive oil, so that’s next on our agenda!
After all these tastings, we’ll then sit down for a local meat dish — or if you’re brave enough for fried snails, you can sample a dish that’s loved by most locals!
We’ll then finish up your private Heraklion food tour by trying some local wines from a family-run shop. Wine has a long history on Crete, having been made on the island since the Bronze Age.
(If you’d prefer to travel as part of a regular group experience, please book our Heraklion Foodie Feast group tour.)
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, food and beverage samples as indicated in the itinerary (coffee, rusks, olives, cheese, pastries, traditional sweets, local wine/spirit tasting, meats). The inclusions are more than enough that you can skip lunch! (Vegetarian options are available but please let us know at the time of booking.)
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, items of a personal nature, tips/gratuities for your guide.
Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. During the summer months, don’t forget your sunglasses!
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Dietary Notes
This tour can be customised to cater for dietary needs at your request. Please notify us if you have any allergies or other dietary requests when you book. You can do this in the “Additional information” box at checkout.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Email address: info@creteurbanadventures.com
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