Private Crete: Slow Food & Wild Views tour
Crete, Greece
From USD 372.40
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Private Crete: Slow Food & Wild Views tour
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
Immerse yourself in the bewitching Cretan countryside for the day and bask in the glorious natural surroundings of the Therisso Gorge. Enjoy beautiful views and lush vegetation while listening to stories of the area’s thrilling past. Explore traditional villages, discover Cretan culture and indulge yourself by trying the best food, wine and raki in the region.
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Highlights
- Explore the delightfully traditional hilltop village of Therisso and marvel at the scenery around its namesake gorge
- Sip a Greek coffee or glug back a glass of local raki in an old-time kafenion and try our famously sweet sfakiani pita
- Enjoy a private visit to one of the island’s best vineyards to learn more about local wine production and taste some fabulous local wine
- Stop off for delicious tastings of local dairy products and honey at a family-run hive
- Indulge in the pleasures of slow food with a full-flavoured but healthy Cretan lunch
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- By joining this tour you are helping to promote rural tourism, which supports local economies that don't generally benefit from tourism.
- As part of your tour you visit a family farm to learn about local dairy products and sample its freshly produced cheese and yogurt, supporting the farm financially.
- You'll also visit a locally-run restaurant and its farm where you'll learn about traditional culture and a way of living that could be lost if not preserved.
- All of the food you sample during your tour is locally sourced from villages, farmers, and stock-breeders of Crete.
- By visiting a small-scale family winery, your tour helps to promote indigenous grape varieties and the making of local Cretan wines.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 8 hours
- Pickup location:
Pick up from your Chania hotel.
- Pickup time: 8.30 AM
- Drop off location:
Drop off back at your hotel
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, transportation during the tour, a sampling of 3 local wines accompanied by feta cheese, olives and rusks, bottle of water, 1 glass of raki, a seasonal, slow-cooked Cretan lunch (consisting of meat and vegetables), tastings of local honey, olive oil, cheese, yogurt and local sweets. Entrance to the National Resistance Museum.
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
Therisso is a pretty ‘lost’ village about 15 kilometres from the city of Chania. The dramatic mountain scenery and impressive gorge hide a remarkable history that has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the island.
Our tour will start with a drive through the gorge (yes, you can actually drive through it!) where you will be impressed by the spectacular forest landscape, filled to the brim with oak and chestnut trees.
We will venture into the nearby Sarakina Cave and wander down ancient paths that have a tendency to transport you back in time to the mythical Minoan past of the island.
Time for a quick refreshment stop now and where better than a local’s favourite kafenion (a sort of traditional Greek café)? Here we’ll try the famous sfakiani pita, lovingly drizzled with thyme-infused honey and wash it back with a glass of raki or a coffee, depending on what you would prefer.
Sitting at the foothills of the beautiful Lefka Ori (White Mountains), the village of Therisso’s story is firmly rooted in modern history; this is where the revolt of 1905, stirred up by Eleftherios Venizelos, began, which in turn led to the union of Crete with Greece in 1913. As we meander through the village we will see several historical monuments, such as the headquarters of Venizelos, who went on to become Prime Minister of Greece and the National Resistance Museum.
Along the entire route of the tour, we will pass lots more traditional Cretan villages that are off the beaten path and still untouched by tourism. If we have time, we may make one or two additional photo stops.
We will then make our way to a family-run farm to sample the famous dairy products of the region, such as freshly produced cheese and yogurt.
Our culinary journey will continue at a typical slow food restaurant where our lunch will be cooked over an open fire in clay pots. As our food is being prepared, we will have an opportunity to visit a small, nearby farm to experience local life in the Cretan countryside and see how locals use the land to make their living.
Back at the restaurant, we will visit the wine cellar to discover the delights of Cretan vines before your mouthwatering lunch is served. And if this wasn’t enough for your taste buds, we will go on to sample what is considered the best honey in the region at a small, family-owned business.
We will end our day in the best way we know how, at one of the island’s most impressive wineries. Set in a truly unique location, we will sample three different local wines accompanied by local cheese and learn about the vibrant plethora of Cretan wines and indigenous varieties available on the island.
After drinking in those spectacular views and all that wine, we will take you back through the countryside for one last look at perfection before dropping you off at your hotel for a well-earned wine nap. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for hints and tips on what to do next during your stay on beautiful Crete.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, transportation during the tour, a sampling of 3 local wines accompanied by feta cheese, olives and rusks, bottle of water, 1 glass of raki, a seasonal, slow-cooked Cretan lunch (consisting of meat and vegetables), tastings of local honey, olive oil, cheese, yogurt and local sweets. Entrance to the National Resistance Museum.
Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs or personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking on uneven and sometimes rocky terrain. Please also bear in mind that the temperature drops when you are high in the mountains, so please ensure you are dressed appropriately.
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 are permitted on this tour at the same rate as an adult ticket. This is due to the transport requirements of the tour. Please select ‘child’ when booking and kindly inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. Please also let us know if you require a child car seat. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +30 698 678 0970
Email address: info@creteurbanadventures.com
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