Winery Tours and Wine Tasting in Crete

Crete food and wine-tasting with wine factory visit

Crete is the cradle of wine history, with its authentic country life and indigenous grape varieties dating far back to the ancient Minoans. Veta, one of our local guides, says ‘What I like most about showing visitors around on this tour is that they meet the local producers and farmers and hear their stories.' Over the course of the day, you'll taste locally produced olive oil, enjoy a typical Cretan lunch, and sip on regional whites and reds at an award-winning winery.We'll begin our culinary adventure at the Kriti Allios olive oil producer, set among olive groves to the south of Heraklion. Here we'll tour the facilities and surrounding groves before a Cretan olive oil tasting session. ‘Olive oil has been a Cretan staple since Minoan times. Archeologists have found evidence that the Minoans, the earliest Cretan civilization, used olive oil for rituals, medicine and culinary purposes,' adds Veta. After the tasting, there's a tasty farm fresh lunch to tuck into with traditional local delicacies.Next, we'll pay a visit to family-run Titakis Winery. Its wines have won multiple awards in the past decade, especially the Kotsifali reds. After a tour of the estate and the wine production areas, you'll taste four different wines, accompanied by breadsticks and olives. Veta says, ‘There's always a bottle on the dinner table in Cretan homes – and often it'll be from this winery. The Titakis family has a strong focus on the production of rare local varieties.'

Flavours of Crete 4x4 tour with olive oil mill and winery visits

Crete's rugged mountaintops, sun‑kissed plains and sleepy little villages take centre stage on this off‑road 4x4 adventure. You'll bounce between a winery, an ancient church, an olive oil mill and even a honey factory, getting a real taste of local life along the way. Katerina, one of our expert local guides, says, “the winery owner in Klados welcomes you in personally before showing you around and guiding a tasting session. You'll also learn why Cretan olive oil is such a staple of our cuisine – and why Cretans tend to live longer than the average Greek.”Your day starts with a 4x4 drive out to a family‑run winery in Klados. Here, you'll get the lowdown on indigenous grape varieties that thrive in Crete's climate and soil, giving the wines their unique character. After your tasting, you'll roll into the village of Garazo for a peek at everyday local life and a wander through a folk museum to check out traditional crafts and skills that have been preserved across generations. Then, it's back off‑road towards Halepa Monastery for a quick stop to soak up the peaceful surroundings and snap a few photos from the hilltop viewpoint.Your adventure continues at the Melidoni Olive Oil Mill, where you'll dive into the full journey of extra virgin olive oil – from ancient harvesting traditions to modern techniques, complete with tastings of the island's famous ‘liquid gold.' After that, it's on to a honey factory in Apithano to learn all about beekeeping and sample a selection of delicious local honeys. To wrap up the day, you'll head to the heart of Melidoni Village to tuck into a spread of classic Cretan platters at cosy taverna before heading back.

Tour of western Crete with winery and olive oil estate

From quality local produce to postcard-perfect beaches, western Crete has it all. This full day tour showcases the area's best bits, with wine tasting at Karavitakis Winery, sampling organic olive oil at the Biolea Estate and relaxing on Falassarna beach. Vasso, one of our expert local guides, says: ‘This is one of my favourite excursions, as it gives a good taste of many aspects of Cretan scenery, lifestyle and monuments. You get to visit an olive oil factory and a winery that produces some of the best wines in Crete'.The day starts with some viticulture on a guided tour of the family-run Karavitakis Winery. Delight your taste buds by sampling local wine and tasty snacks at the state-of-the-art visitor centre. Next, you'll head for lunch to a traditional Cretan restaurant by the sea, where food is prepared using locally sourced products. Plus, you'll have some time to relax on the blond sands of blissful Falassarna beach, which, says Vasso, ‘has been voted as one of the best beaches in Europe several times'.You'll then be taken to the Biolea Estate, a family-owned olive oil factory that specialises in the artisan production of organic olive oil. Find out everything you need to know about olive oil production, from how the olives are grown to how the oil is pressed and then bottled. What's more, your visit contributes to a local business and helps the wider island economy.

Full-day Crete wine-tasting and 4x4 off-road tour

This full-day guided tour is all about getting to grips with a few of Crete's most popular local products, olive oil and wine. You'll learn how both are made, and you'll get to sample some for yourself, all while travelling between stops in the back of a 4x4. Ioannis, one of our expert local guides says “in my opinion, there's no better way to understand the culture of a destination than by meeting the people who make local produce. They know the area better than anyone, and the produce is a reflection of the culture.”You'll kick things off at the Terra Creta Olive Mill. Here, you'll see how olives are turned into oil before a tasting session. Then, you'll be welcomed into a boutique winery for a tour of the grounds and, of course, to sample the wines produced here. You'll learn about the different grape varieties, including some experimental wines made from rare grapes. Next, you'll continue to the village of Ano Vouves, home to an ancient olive tree – it's thought to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old, but it still produces olives to this day.Afterwards, you'll set off on an off-road adventure in a 4x4 towards the mountain village of Sebronas. As you zoom through the gorge, you'll see pretty chapels, vineyards and olive groves – and you'll have time to snap a few photos along the way. Then, once you've worked up your appetite, you'll stop for lunch at a small village tavern, where you'll tuck into some traditional dishes.

VIP tour of ancient palaces, Minoan wine routes and Matala Beach

All the best bits of Southern Crete feature on this tour. Start with a stroll around the picturesque village of Agios Myron and enter the sacred cave. Then head to Palace of Gortyna, Crete's old Roman capital. You'll discover the Messara Plain, with a short visit to the Minoan Palace of Phaistos for photos and a boutique winery. Savour scrumptious seafood and stroll around near the iconic caves of Matala.

Private heart of Crete tour and optional wine tasting

Embark on a journey to the Cretan mountains, where you'll take in breathtaking views, and more with this private experience.

Juktas Mount, Raki and wine distillery guided tour

Book your spot now for this 7-hour 4x4 tour of Crete including wine tasting and lunch!