The olive road · OLIVE OIL AND WINE TASTINGS IN CRETE
Good olive oil and wine tastings in Crete take small groups and the best-known ones fill weeks ahead. Below: the 10 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend seven hours in rural Crete with a local English-speaking guide, often Linda or Electra. Visit the ancient Olive Tree of Vouves, a bakery, cheese maker, honey and olive-oil producer, and family winery. Tastings include Cretan breads, cheeses, honey, olive oil, local delicacies, and up to 20 wines.
“Our guide was amazing. She truly loves her job. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable”
Leave Chania for the Kissamos hills with an English-speaking guide such as Andreas, Alex, or Kostas. Visit family-run wineries, taste Vidiano, Muscat of Spina, and international grapes, tour an olive oil factory, see a 3,000-year-old olive tree, and enjoy Cretan snacks during this six-hour outing.
“Incredible tour! Myself and my mum were fortunate enough to have an unintentional private tour as it was just the two of us. Our driver Alex was invaluable, so friendly and knowledgeable and couldn’t do more for us. The tour stops themselves were amazing and Alex checking up on how we were was so lovely. I would recommend anyone who comes to Crete to book the wine tour through this company as it fully exceeded our expectations!”
Spend eight hours exploring Crete with guides such as George and Antonis. Visit an olive mill, organic winery, raki distillery, village taverna, and pottery studio. Taste olive oil, five wines, raki, local foods, and a generous lunch in a group limited to eight people.
“george our tour guide was such a cool guy who had a lot of knowledge about everything on the tour. it really was an amazing experience and all the food and wines/spirits were delicious. i would totally recommend it to everyone who likes good cretan/greek food and good wines and raki”
Spend 6 to 7 hours exploring Crete’s food and craft traditions with a small group of up to eight. Visit an olive mill in Skalani, taste five wines at a family winery in Meleses, enjoy lunch and raki at a distillery in Stironas, and try pottery in Thrapsano when the optional stop is available. Guides George and Anthony have been praised for their warmth and local insight.
“The entire tour was memorable. Every stop we made we meet the nicest and informative people. The last stop at the Raki was ver special and great food. We would highly recommend this tour. We were picked up from our cruise ship and returned with no problems. Anthony was gracious host.”
Travel by private car or minibus from Rethymno with an English- or French-speaking guide such as Vincent, Hector, Nora, or Michalis. Visit the Kanakis olive oil mill, tour Dourakis Winery, taste up to five Cretan wines, and finish with lunch in Nipos or Vryses.
“It was very informative and interesting to hear all about the olive oil mill and the winery. If anything, I would say we could spend more time at the winery but overall it was great! The meal at the end was also fantastic and Vincent was a great guide! Highly recommend.”
Spend about 6.5 hours with guide Vasilis exploring Crete’s olive oil, wine, and honey traditions. Visit a family-run mill, taste oils and local sweets, sample barrel wine, and help prepare a generous Cretan lunch in the vineyards. Pickup is offered, and groups are limited to eight people.
“Had so much fun with friends! I thought the wine was going to be the star of the show, but the food was absolutely amazing. In addition to the Cretan salad, we had dolmas, bread with cheese with the honey from on site, and pork. Definitely no shortage of food and the best meal I had in Crete. Highly recommend donating to the bees and bringing home the heather and cardamom honey and thyme honey. Wish I got more while I was there.”
Spend six hours visiting Knossos, tasting Vilana and Kotsifali wines, learning about Cretan olive oil, and eating a traditional village lunch. George and Antonis are among the guides who may lead the day. Transport, tastings, wine, raki, and hotel pickup are included, but Knossos admission is extra.
“Friendly, knowledgeable guide and comfortable transport. Knossos was very crowded (not his fault) but winery/olive experience was magical (and yummy) and authentic lunch at taverna was enjoyable.”
From Chania, join a local guide such as Dimitri or Andreas for a six-hour journey through Apokoronas. Taste Vidiano and Kotsifali wines, learn how Cretan olive oil is made, cook traditional dishes in Melidoni, and share a generous Cretan lunch in a family home museum setting.
“This was a 5 star tour. We were the only two in the group and had a private car with an excellent English speaking Cretan guide. He gave us a private tour of a typical family home that had been converted to a museum and we went to a local wiRead more”
Spend about three hours near Peza visiting one available winery, which may be Lyrarakis, Titakis, or Digenakis. Your private group tastes house wines, olive oils, and cheese with a sommelier, then enjoys lunch. Pickup is offered, vegetarian meals can be requested, and the winery depends on availability.
Spend eight hours exploring Crete by Land Rover with guides such as Thanass, Antonio, or Petros. Visit an olive mill, see a 3,000-year-old tree, taste six wines, and eat a traditional Cretan meal prepared by locals. Hotel pickup from central Chania is included, with a maximum of eight people.
“This was a fabulous day of exploring Crete outside of the main cities. Athanasios (I hope I got the spelling right), was a wonderful guide who knows a tremendous amount about the island - you'll learn a lot! Manalo was also along for the ride as a new trainee and was wonderful. The wine is delicious, the rural scenery is stunning, the olive oil is SO good (I was traveling light otherwise I would have gotten some), the oil tree is way cool, and the food at the tavern is delicious....highly recommend.”
By what you do, not by what is nearest.
