Things to do in Chania Prefecture, Crete: The Best Food & Drink

We drive towards the picturesque village of Maxairoi. We meet Kostas & Litsa who will introduce us to the processes of herbs collection, herbs oil extraction and making of essential oils. Litsa learns us ways of using the herbs in our daily life and their healing benefits. After that, we drive to the mountain village of Ramni to visit the local cheese maker. We watch Yiannis on duty, making his "graviera", the most typical Cretan cheese from sheep's milk & taste different kind of cheeses: graviera, anthotyros, myzithra. This brings us to the necessary first raki of the day! (Available : 01/11 to 14/06) Then we drive to the small village of Hiliomoudou, to visit Vasilis, the last person in Western Crete, who makes sheep and goat bells. We watch Vassilis working and enjoy a second raki! We continue to our last stop, an amazing view tavern with authentic Cretan dishes cooked by Eleftheria, with vegetables from her garden.

A fun hands-on journey through Crete’s culinary traditions for food lovers and cooking enthusiasts. An insight into regional cuisine, a key element of the island’s culture, this creative market to table activity highlights the simple, seasonal foods of Crete. Friendly and informal, it features hands-on instruction and delicious home-cooked food. The activity is hosted in an 18th century farmhouse surrounded by organic gardens, just a short drive from Chania. The location has been selected for its character and ambiance, which makes for a perfect backdrop. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, guests discover how to prepare a number of Cretan dishes under the directions of a local cook. Those who prefer to take a less active role may choose to just relax and appreciate the atmosphere. Our fun experience culminates at the table, where together, drinking Cretan wines, we will enjoy the food and the company.

Visit the first microbrewery of Chania since 2007 and the first open to the public brewery in Greece. Get the chance to taste the fresh, unpasteurized and unfiltered famous Charma beers! In our spacious open-air terrace of our restaurant, you can enjoy fresh made beers of your choice with delicious dishes. Our tours offer an insight to the brewing process. Children and vegetarians are welcome!

Our boutique winery produces organic wines from our vineyards located just 20 minutes outside of Chania city center. We invite you to visit our tasting terrace to enjoy a relaxing glass of wine! Combine a tasting with lunch or dinner at our restaurant and sit among the beautiful olive trees and orange groves and take in the wild peacefulness of your surroundings. See opening hours below: April 1-30: Monday-Saturday, 11AM-5PM May 1-October 31: Monday-Sunday, 11AM-10PM November 1-15: Monday-Saturday, 11AM-5PM November 16-March 31: By Appointment

If you are interested in Cretan cuisine, Greek food, or you are just crazy about cooking, we invite you to join our traditional cooking lessons.You cook, taste and enjoy local recipes and prepare delicious dishes with the guidance and assistance of our professional cook Mrs. Koula.All dishes are made of genuine, pure Cretan products such as olive oil, vegetables, cheese, meat, wine, etc. and of course all the ingredients are fresh and local. Combine your visit to Crete with a journey through the Cretan Cuisine!

DJ bar with a large variety of music from scandinavian hits, mainstream rythms, dance hits to oldies from the 70's, 80's and 90's. All music request are taken with a smile, while you can enjoy exotic cocktails, drinks and coffees.

Opening hours : Monday until Saturday 10:30-18:00 for guided tour and wine tasting please contact with us for scheduled appointments. If you prefer different visiting hours or days please contact us by phone or email or in our facebook account

GS Tours Chania Ltd is a travel and tourism company with long experience and dynamic presence in Crete’s travel industry. Our primary goal, since 1990, is to serve our clients in a special way and at the meantime, make more known the cultural and natural elements of our island. Aiming at continuously improving our position in the market, we follow the international trends in servicing and travel technology, with the contribution of our partnerships. Services & Partners We mainly offer the best services in the fields below, providing complete travel solutions to our customers. Our services include: Incoming Tourism Services, Leisure Travel, Alternative Tourism, Exclusive Luxury Travel Services. Our company is an authorized partner of GS Travel SA (IATA – HATTA-P.E.T.A.GA.-HAPCO and ISTAA member). Our services are certified pursuant to ISO 9001:2008. GS Tours Chania Ltd is also a partner of Region of Crete and member of Western Crete Travel Agencies Association.

We start from the local Olive Oil factory. The taste of pure local oil is followed by the explanation of the secrets of Cretan virgin olive oil. Question will be answered such as: what virgin olive oil means? Why olive oil? Why the Cretan olive oil is better than the Spanish and Italian one? After, we visit Stavros the bee-keeper close to the mountain village of Embrosneros. We will wear the bee-keeper's costumes, open the hives and see the bees, including the Queen, and discover all the secrets of bee-keeping. At the end we will taste honey with cheese and drink the first raki of the day! After that we drive really high up, to the pastures of Yiorgis the shepherd. Under the oak trees Yiorgis milks his sheep with the valuable assistance of his dog! And then prepares "tyrozoulia", the freshest cottage cheese you will ever taste! Meanwhile lamb will be boiling in the vat and will become, along with traditional "pilafi" rice, our meal... in the heart of the mountains!

Chania Gastronomy was founded by the Academy of Gastronomy and Tourism, a certified educational establishment specializing in Cretan Gastronomy. It is due to the love for our region and its gastronomy, we decided to expand our educational activities to the visitors of Island Crete and help them grasp the essence of our wine and food culture. From this summer we launched cooking classes Loucerna Art Hotel The cooking Class take place every Tuesday only 10.30-14.30 Detailed information about cooking classes: Highlights: Preparation of a traditional Cretan village five-course lunch (wine and refreshments included). Includes: Five-course meal with local wine, apron and bandana, Book with recipes, coffee and refreshments on arrival. Time: 10:30 to 14.30 (~ 4 hours) Days: Tuesday, Location/Meeting place: Loucerna Art Hotel Language of instruction: English. Cost: 65€ per person (all taxes included). Payment: Cash, Visa or Master Card.