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.
