THREE GREEK ISLANDS TOUR with Chef Aliza Green

This itinerary is subject to possible changes or adjustments due to weather and traffic conditions or other unpredictable events. We will make every effort to ensure that any substitutions are of equal value and interest.

Departure from the US for overnight flight to Athens. Connect to flight to Heraklion, Crete (one way only; return to Athens is via ferry). Airfare is not included but Celestial Voyagers can help you get the best airfare and schedule. 

Continue with your flight to Heraklion airport on the island of Crete.

We will meet and assist you at the airport. Next, we’ll drive to the village of Axos, a 30 mile drive, about 1¼-hours.

Check in to Enagron for three nights. This eco-hotel is located in a series of apartments artfully set in the natural environment, each with a veranda and views of the area’s mountains and gorges. Enagron is at an altitude of about 1,600 feet near gorges and caves just above the springs of Mylopotamos. 

Join a short, guided hike in the afternoon through Enagron’s network of botanic paths filled with native plants, including more than 40 types of herbs used from ancient times till today for food, medicine, and self-care. Breathe deep and immerse yourself in the beauty of the surroundings.  

Afterwards, relax and then have a drink and join your travel companions for a welcome dinner at Enagron’s restaurant. Then it’s off to bed for a well-deserved night’s sleep in the clean air filled with delightful breezes and star-studded skies.  

After breakfast, take part in a Cretan culinary workshop to discover its seasonal cooking and gastronomic culture. Learn simple techniques to prepare iconic dishes of the Cretan diet. During the workshop, enjoy a simple Cretan lunch.  

In the afternoon, visit Enagron’s farm, gardens, vineyard, orchard, and stable where they cultivate olives, grapes, fruits and vegetables without pesticides or fertilizers yielding sun-ripened produce with deep flavor and superior quality. Milk and eggs are produced on the farm with the same care. 

Next, make traditional bread with Enagron’s cook, Stavroula, and bake it in the wood oven. If the sheep are producing milk, she will show us how to make a unique cheese eaten while hot and fresh.

Savor the dishes that you have prepared at dinner, accompanied by that crusty wood-oven fired bread.

Hike on an easy 11/2-hour walk up into the mountains where the shepherd, Panousis, keeps his herd next to his mitato, the small stone hut which provides shelter and a place to make cheese. View the magnificent landscape of Cretan mountains and the Rethymnon coast.

View of the Cretan Mountains from Enagron

Back at the mitato, enjoy a simple lunch cooked in the fireplace by Aphrodite, wife of Panousis, and relax until the walk back. 

Later, visit the city of Rethymno (1 hour drive) with a guided walking tour of this charming and seductive city. Spot Venetian and Turkish architecture in the minarets and mansions of beautifully-preserved historic district. 

Dine at a local taverna in Rethymno and return to the hotel.

Departure towards Heraklion and Knossos, the capital of Crete in the Minoan era. Visit the famed Palace of King Minos. Today, Knossos is the largest archeological site known to humanity, remarkable among the civilizations of archaic Europe.

Prepare lunch with a local chef at Anabello’s Tavern in the village of Archanes.

After lunch, visit the Archeological Museum of Heraklion which houses the discoveries made in Crete related to the Minoan civilization. Continue with a guided walking tour of Heraklion followed by free time to explore.

Dinner will be at Peskesi (www.peskesi crete.gr), a restaurant in Heraklion specializing in Cretan cuisine with ingredients from their own farm. 

Stroll back to your nearby hotel for an overnight stay.

In the morning, transfer to the port of Heraklion for departure by ferry to Santorini, a 2-hour boat ride through the azure waters of the Aegean Sea. 

On arrival, visit the archeological site of Akrotiri, to explore the ruins and the Prehistoric Museum. Learn about the amazing discoveries of the ancient city before the Minoan eruption of Santorini’s volcano about 3,600 years ago including houses, frescoes and pottery.

Lunch at a local tavern to sample the cuisine and flavors of Santorini.

The next stop is the village of Pyrgos for a tour of the famous Venetian castle. The last stop will be in the village of Oia, where we will stroll the streets and gaze upon the world’s most famous sunset. 

After check-in to your hotel for two nights, enjoy dinner on your own at the hotel or at a nearby local restaurant.

A 6-hour tour exploring the “real” Santorini will give you the magical and authentic feeling of the island.

The first stop is the village of Megalochori where a walk through the narrow streets will bring you back in time.

At the next stop, learn about and sample the island’s unique wine at a family canava (winery). 

Then, learn about seasonal products in the field and cook local dishes in Mrs. Maria’s kitchen. At lunch, eat the dishes you have created accompanied by a tasting of those local wines amidst the splendid colors of the countryside. Typical dishes include yogurt-cucumber tzatziki, Santorini fried tomato & herb balls, stuffed eggplant with feta, and kleftiko meat-filled grape leaves. Receive a certificate of attendance along with the recipes so you can recreate the marvelous flavors of Santorini at home.

Return to the hotel for a free evening and dinner or a snack on your own.

In the morning, embark at Athinios Port on a traditional wooden Caique for a cruise to the island of Thirassia and its volcano. Escorted by your local guide, walk to the crater and visit Thirassia Island. 

Free time for lunch on your own perhaps enjoying some ultra-fresh grilled octopus. In the afternoon, return by ferry to Naxos. Dinner will be at a local taverna with the evening at leisure to discover the area and the capital of Naxos.  

Depart from your hotel for an innovative gastronomic tour that incorporates Naxian history, culture and cuisine and a cooking class taught by local chefs for a unique and unforgettable experience. Experience the joy and richness of all Naxos has to offer at a delicious and leisurely lunch featuring local specialties prepared with ingredients from their own gardens, flocks (milk and meat), and bakery.

After lunch, we continue with our guided walking tour of Naxos, a chance to get to know its charm, sights, flavors, and warm and hospitable inhabitants.

Return at your hotel in Naxos city center to explore and find your own favorite taverna or restaurant for dinner.

Depart to the Naxos to take the ferry for Athens, a ride of about 71/2 hours across the waters. Lunch is on your own on board the ferry.

After arrival at the port of Piraeus, en route to our hotel, we’ll have a panoramic tour of Athens to understand the essentials of Athenian culture and history while viewing classical ancient monuments, such as the Acropolis, Byzantine structures and modern Greek monuments.

Farewell dinner at VAROULKO (www.varoulko.gr), a Michelin-Starred Restaurant. Subject to his schedule, meet and greet Chef Lazarou (chef and owner of the restaurant for many years.) Return to your hotel in the city center for your last night.

Breakfast at your hotel and check out. Transfer to Athens International airport for your departure flight back to the US (or extend your stay in Athens–we can help).