Mythical Crete

Arrive in Athens and take a taxi to your hotel, the delightfully artistic 5-star New Hotel. It's steps from the Plaka. Relax and recover from your travels.

After settling in and taking time to unwind, we'll embark on a guided walking tour through the streets of Athens in the early evening. We will be dazzled by magnificent stories from our expert guide, trying to understand the people and the society around Acropolis and Ancient Athens. Afterward, you will get to know the topography of Athens and be introduced to some of the city’s most famous landmarks and picturesque spots on a walk through its central neighborhoods. Your guide will help you navigate the winding streets and grand avenues of Athens with an insightful map, locate the best boutique shops for souvenirs, and get a ‘Greek Language Survival Guide’ crash course. We will explore Plaka (the oldest neighborhood of Athens), Anafiotika (the ’island without a sea’), Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, and Thiseio. After the tour, your guide will drive you back to the hotel for dinner.  

At around 6:30 pm, we’ll toast our ensuing adventure on the hotel rooftop. Dinner is at the rooftop Art Lounge, where we'll watch the sunset and admire the view of the Acropolis.

After a lovely Greek breakfast, we’ll embark on a guided tour to explore the history and culture of the nearly 2,500-year-old Acropolis.  

Grab a quick gyro before we hop onto an afternoon flight to Chania, the capital of Crete. We’ll check into The Domus Renier, a 5-star boutique hotel facing the ancient Venetian port of Chania. This is our home for the next three nights.

After unpacking, we’ll head out for a “sites and bites” guided walking and tasting tour of Chania, the largest city on Crete. Your tour begins in the old town near the hotel, exploring its Venetian and Ottoman monuments, like the Firkas Fortress, the Franciscan Monastery of San Salvador, the Venetian church of Agios Rockos, the Venetian Grand Arsenal, the Venetian “Neoria”, Gialli Tzamissi and the Ottoman district of Splanzia.

On our way, and between the sites, we’ll try local delicacies, pastries, and sweets, like the famous “loukoumades” donuts with honey, “bougatsa” a sweet cheese pie, “kalitsounia” pastries and filo sweets.

The day ends at the cruciform open-air market, unique in Crete. We’ll sample various Cretan products, like pure olive oil, scrumptious cheeses, “raki,” (a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy from Crete that is almost 50 % alcohol) and local wines. Then, we’ll sit down for a few more bites.

As the sun gracefully sets on another day of exploration, we retreat to the comfort of our hotel.

Today, we’ll learn about traditional Greek cooking. After breakfast, we’ll head out with our private English-speaking escort to a traditional village in the Chania region. Here, we’ll attend an authentic cooking class in an 18th-century olive mill. A local chef will share her olive oil secrets. We’ll learn how to use the legendary Cretan Mountain herbs and discover the best way to select fresh and pure ingredients while cooking these specialties.

After working alongside the chef, we’ll sit around an old monastery-style table with fresh, homemade bread and local wine and savor the food we've just made. Before you kiss our host goodbye, she’ll give us her recipes so we can take our new skills home.

After our delightful culinary workshop, our senses enriched with new flavors and cooking techniques, we'll embark on a captivating village tour, immersing ourselves in the vibrant tapestry of local life. 

This afternoon, you’re free to roam around Chania to shop and explore. There is superb shopping in this town at excellent prices. Make sure you leave room in your suitcase. 

In the evening, we’ll enjoy a special dinner at Pallas Chania.

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll begin the day by visiting the newly excavated ancient city of Eleutherna with its unique museum. Many impressive discoveries, dating back from the 9th century BC, can be found in this city, between three hills.

Passing through beautiful small villages along the way, we’ll reach the traditional village of Margarites, renowned for its long tradition of pottery making and local cuisine. Our setting for lunch is a local café with a stunning view. After lunch, we’ll visit a pottery shop, where the local potter will demonstrate regional techniques. We’ll have an opportunity to buy affordable and beautiful wares here. Hint – they ship!

We’ll head back to our hotel for a rest. 
We'll have dinner on our own tonight.

We’ll say goodbye to historic Chania today, making our way to the vibrant city of Heraklion. Here, we'll indulge in a delightful lunch to satisfy our taste buds and wanderlust. 

Following our culinary exploration, we bid farewell to Heraklion, and take the scenic route to our new hotel, The Minos Palace, a 5-star spa/wellness hotel right on the beach. The view will make you swoon.

After some free time to refresh and rejuvenate, we'll leave the village of Plaka on a small traditional boat to the fascinating island of Spinalonga, one of Crete's more important historic sites. The island became a fortress in the middle of the 16th century and constitutes one of the best examples of Venetian defensive architecture.

On Spinalonga, we’ll enjoy a guided tour followed by a small boat tour of the area, heading to quiet bays where we can take a dip in the Sea of Crete as we enjoy some adult beverages on board.

We'll end our day in Plaka for a picture-perfect sunset dinner on the boat.

After breakfast, we’ll visit one of Crete's most important archaeological sites – the Minoan Palace of Knossos – the mythical Labyrinth of Homer. Prepare to explore a prehistoric city of 22.000 square meters. This is where the oldest European civilization started and flourished over 5,000 years ago. 

We’ll experience a unique dance session, which our instructor calls the Minoan Nature Dance, at a nearby nature park. We'll explore our feminine Goddess energy as we connect with nature, our bodies, and each other. We’ll find the meaning of the Cretan Labyrinth Dance through its movement and steps based on Minoan Art depictions and ancient literature.

A delectable lunch will tantalize your taste buds and leave you satisfied.

We'll arrive at our hotel as the day draws to a close, ready to relax and unwind, cherishing the memories of our delightful dance adventure. 

Enjoy dinner alone or with friends tonight.

Our morning starts with a trip to a stunning scenic village built amphitheatrically into the hills named Kritsa. In addition to its charming appeal, this village is known for its strong women, among them a famous Greek heroine named Kritsotopoula, who fought off Turkish invaders. In this lovely village, we’ll visit a local female boutique owner who will share her passion for Greek designers. We’ll also stop to learn about local textiles and the nature museum. Afterward, you'll have time to shop and browse around on your own.

For lunch today, we’ll feast on specialties made at the women’s cooperative.

Later on, we’ll head towards Agios Nikolaos, a picturesque port town with a unique story where you'll have free time to explore charming shops and immerse yourself in the local culture. 

We'll reluctantly bid farewell to this picturesque town as we depart for our hotel.

Later, we'll gather at the hotel's restaurant, Amaltheia, for a memorable farewell dinner, where delectable cuisine and heartfelt conversations will mark the perfect end to our time together.

Αντίο, Adio, Farewell. After breakfast, we’ll catch our flights from Heraklion back to Athens to return home. Your new friendships and seaside Grecian memories will last a lifetime.