Heraklion Food Stories Walking Tour

Meeting point:

We will be standing next to the statue of a soldier in the middle of Eleftherias Square at 11:00 AM

Eleftherias Square is the main square of Heraklion, near the Archaeological Museum, and opposite the Astoria Hotel.

We will be standing on the square holding a Crete Local Adventures sign.

Statue of Unknown Soldier, Heraklion 712 01.

Guests’ pickup is offered for the private group option. Pick-up time is adjustable upon your request. We will meet you at your hotel lobby or port at your cruise ship. Our guide will be holding a sign with your name.

Did you know that Crete is a foodies’ paradise?

Walk with us to experience Heraklion like a local and explore the best the city has to offer. Learn about the culinary culture and wander in local neighborhoods as you eat and sip your way through authentic Heraklion.

Local impact — How you help the local community by joining this tour

• During this tour, you sample locally sourced food from Crete’s villages, farmers, and stock-breeders.
• On this tour, you meet a local greengrocer, cheesemonger, butcher, and fishmonger, and other family-owned businesses that sell their own Cretan-only products.
• By joining this tour, you are supporting a 100-year-old local bakery so it can keep flourishing and serving authentic local delicacies.

Full Itinerary

Follow this four-hour Heraklion food and wine walking tour that will introduce you to the best food that Heraklion has to offer by treating your palate to traditional Cretan dishes and exceptional local wines! Being one of the healthiest and tastiest diets in the world and the base of the Mediterranean diet, the Cretan cuisine is so unique due to its strong tie with the local culture, history, and geography of the region. The best way to get to know a place is through its food and we will take you on an unforgettable tasty journey through Heraklion’s local neighbourhoods.

After meeting us, you’ll start off with a traditional Greek coffee also known as ellinikós kafés. Learn why Greeks love so much coffee and see it brewed the traditional way in sand and yes, we will teach you “cup reading”, a centuries-old tradition that reads your future!

Next, you’ll enjoy Heraklion’s well-known bougatsa in a family-owned business that has mastered their bougatsa technique since 1922!  Consisting of semolina custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo, bougatsa is a must-taste pastry that you shouldn’t miss while being in the city.

Passing through the historical center of Heraklion, you’ll continue the exploration to a local market where you’ll meet the local vendors and learn about their products. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to sample some of the basic elements of Cretan cuisine such as olives, rusks, and cheese – and yes, we’ll teach you how to become a cheese–tasting expert by giving some local hints and learning how to spot the best local cheeses! And of course, taste the island’s famous olive oil and find out why organic Cretan olive oil is one of the best oils in the world.

At our next stop, you’ll sit down for a local organic meat dish or if you want to show yourself how brave you are, you can sample a dish that is loved by most Cretans and it is  …fried snails!

Moving on to our last stop, your Heraklion food tour couldn’t end without tasting some local Cretan wines in a family-run shop. Keep in mind that winemaking in Crete has a long history that dates back to the Bronze Age!

Before you go, don’t forget to ask us for more tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay.