Cretan Traditional Cooking Lessons

Home

Tours

80€

per person

80€

5 hours

Duration

Metochi Farmhouse

Location

Age

Tue, Thu

Dates

Cost 80 €

EVERY: Tuesday & Thursday

PLACE: Metochi Farmhouse

Looking for a unique and tasty way to experience Cretan culture? Join us for traditional Cretan cooking lessons and a farm tour every Tuesday and Thursday, available year-round at Metochi Farmhouse. Led by Eleni and her mother Chrisoula, you’ll learn to cook with delicious, locally-sourced ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, fresh vegetables, local meats, delectable cheeses, aromatic herbs, and local wines. During the farm tour, you’ll explore our enchanting vegetable garden, free-range chickens and sheep, olive groves, wine cellar, and citrus orchard.

Our small group lessons are open to all ages and can be adapted to suit your dietary needs, whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or lactose intolerant. At the end of the 5-hour experience, we’ll all sit down together to sample the dishes we’ve prepared, accompanied by local wine and traditional sweets.

Note: The tour can be operated on any day for groups consisting of at least 6 people.

Cretan Cooking Lessons Price & Contact Information

Our Cretan cooking lessons and farm tour are an excellent opportunity to experience the Mediterranean diet and the flavors of Crete. We offer pick-up from key points near your hotel in the Chania and Kissamos region. The cost is 80€ per person, including transfer and a delicious meal (children up to 4 years old are free, and children between 5-12 years old are 40€). Contact us to make a reservation, and be sure to let us know of any special requests.

To reserve your spot for our traditional Cretan cooking lessons, please fill out our Request Form, call us at +30 28220 22900 / +30 694 7091549, or email us at info@balos-travel.com. We kindly ask that you send your request at least 24 hours in advance so that we can process it. Once we receive your request, Eleni or Yannis will get back to you as soon as possible to confirm your booking and provide any additional information you may need. Don’t miss out on this unique and delicious experience!

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION

PICK UP FROM YOUR HOTEL (Or near to your Hotel) from Chania center - Agioi Apostoloi - Kalamaki - Stalos - Agia Marina - Platanias - Gerani - Maleme - Tayronitis - Kolimbari - Kissamos - Falassarna and more

Include

Delicious meals

Pick up & bus transfer

Water

Homemade wine & raki

English speaking escort (other languages upon request)

Not Include

Don't Forget

Camera

Light jacket (Spring & Autumn)

Discover Crete at Metochi Farm: Over 115 Years of Authentic Cretan Farming

Join us for an unforgettable experience at Metochi Farm, a family-owned farm with a rich history of over 115 years in Crete. Our program includes a tour of the farm and traditional Cretan cooking lessons using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Here's a breakdown of our program:

16:30 - Arrival at the house

17:00 - Start cooking

18:30 - Enjoy a traditional snack

19:00 - Take a tour of the farm

19:30 - Prepare dessert

20:30 - Enjoy a dinner consisting of the dishes we prepared together

21:30 - Indulge in dessert with raki, the strong local pomace brandy

Our program is available every Tuesday and Thursday, and we're happy to accommodate other days upon request. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the authentic flavors and hospitality of Crete at Metochi Farm.

Metochi Farm: The History and Legacy of Our Great Grandfather Haralambos

The success of our farm today can be attributed to its intriguing history. The farm's roots can be traced back to 1890 when a couple eloped from the "9 villages" area of Kissamos to the uninhabited area of Metochi near Gramvousa. The couple had two children, including our great grandfather Haralambos. In search of a better life, Haralambos was shipped off to the "New World" at the age of 16 and ended up in Kansas City, Missouri, where he worked hard to help build trains. One day, he found a wallet full of money that belonged to a co-worker and returned it to his boss, which earned him a promotion.

Over the next 14 years, Haralambos saved his earnings and sent them back to his brother Antonis in Crete to build his dream farmhouse. In 1924, upon the insistence of his ageing mother, Haralambos returned to Greece and built the farmhouse on family-owned land. Settling down with his new wife, the couple gave birth to two daughters – Chrisoula and Eleni (my grandmother). The farm grew wheat, sesame, beans, onions, olives, and grapes, producing products such as virgin olive oil, Cretan olives, sweet raisins, and full-bodied wine. The farm also raised cows, sheep, goats, and chickens, which provided fresh milk, feta cheese, yellow Cretan "Graviera" cheese, country eggs, and much more.

The farm became almost entirely self-sustainable, and nearby residents began flocking to it to trade goods, including fish, grain, fruits, and vegetables. The Metochi Farm became known for its true Cretan hospitality, leading to many spontaneous get-togethers over food, wine, and raki, a.k.a. tsikoudia, the strong local pomace brandy.

Today, the farm still operates almost as it did a century ago, under the guidance of my sister Eleni and my mother Chrisoula. Visitors are welcome to experience the scents, flavors, and hospitality of the real Crete and learn about the legacy of my Great Grandfather Haralambos and his farm. Come and experience all the Cretan delights the farm has to offer.

- Yiannis, owner of Metochi Farmhouse