Airport or Port Transfer

Private transfer from Chania International Airport or the port of Chania to the village cottage. Depending on arrival time, there may be a chance to take a first wander through the cobbled laneways before the group gathers for the evening.

Welcome Dinner

A relaxed first dinner together, introducing the flavours and characters of the week ahead over local wine and a spread of Cretan meze.

Breakfast & Morning at Leisure

A leisurely breakfast made from local Cretan ingredients sets the tone for the week ahead. The morning is yours to enjoy at a relaxed pace — wander the cobbled streets of the village, discover a local kafeneion, or take a short bus or taxi ride to one of the beautiful villages nearby. Lunch is at leisure; recommendations are happily provided.

First Cooking Class

Just a five-minute walk from the cottage, the afternoon brings the first hands-on cooking class at a historic olive mill set in the Cretan countryside. Working alongside a celebrated local chef, the session focuses on traditional Cretan recipes using the finest seasonal ingredients the island produces. Whether choosing to roll up the sleeves and cook, or simply to observe and absorb, dinner follows directly from the lesson — a feast prepared together and enjoyed in good company.

Half-Day Herb Walking Tour

A half-day guided walk through the Cretan countryside with a specialist in the island's native plants. The tour traces the story of Crete's aromatic herbs from the texts of ancient authors — who attributed to them exceptional therapeutic properties — right through to the modern kitchen. Along the way, discover oregano, basil, linden, marjoram, thyme, mint, rosemary, laurel, chamomile, sage and the distinctive Cretan dittany, treasured since Minoan times. Lunch follows the walk.

Free Afternoon

The afternoon is completely free. A drive or bus ride to the handsome Venetian town of Rethymno makes an excellent option — or simply find a stretch of beach and settle in with a cold drink and a good book. Dinner this evening is at leisure.

Olive Oil Demonstration

The morning begins at a local olive pressing factory, where a specialist walks through the entire production process from fruit to finished oil. Every question is welcome — from what 'extra virgin' actually means to why Cretan families still press their own oil and what makes it so distinctive. Tastings throughout make the differences unmistakably clear.

Winery Lunch

From the pressing factory, the group moves to a local Cretan winery to explore the cellar and surroundings before a guided tasting of quality Cretan wines served alongside traditional meze. A relaxed and convivial lunch, and a perfect introduction to indigenous Cretan varieties including Vidiano, Kotsifali and Liatiko.

Second Cooking Class

Back at the olive mill for the second cooking class of the week. Another afternoon in the kitchen with the chef, building on the first session — and another dinner prepared together from the results.

Return to the Olive Factory

The day begins back at the olive factory for a deeper, question-driven session on the story of Cretan olive oil. How do villages cultivate and press their own oil? What distinguishes extra virgin from lesser grades? Why is Cretan olive oil considered among the finest in the world? The specialist answers all.

A Vanishing Craft

A drive to a neighbouring village to visit one of the last craftsmen in western Crete who still makes traditional sheep and goat bells by hand. Watch the craft in action and learn the subtle but entirely unmistakable difference between the sound of a sheep bell and a goat bell — a small detail that carries the whole texture of Cretan rural life.

Ancient Olive Press, Kri-Kri & Lunch

The final stop is one of the last old-style olive presses still in operation in western Crete, where the owner continues to produce his own biodynamic oil using traditional methods. The property is also home to a small herd of kri-kri — Crete's native wild mountain goats, rarely encountered up close. A magnificent three-course Cretan lunch, cooked on-site by the family using local produce, rounds out the day. Dinner this evening is at leisure.

Day at Leisure

The day belongs entirely to you. A guided morning walk through the mountains can be arranged on request. Or head off independently — suggested options include the ancient palace of Knossos at Heraklion, the breathtaking walk through Samaria Gorge, a drive south to the remote Libyan Sea coast, or a long afternoon on one of Crete's beautiful beaches. Lunch and dinner are at leisure.

Free Morning

The morning is entirely free to relax, read, wander the village or pick up any last mementos to bring home.

Third Cooking Class

In the afternoon, the third and final cooking class takes place at the olive mill — a chance to round off the techniques and recipes gathered across the week and to spend one last afternoon in the kitchen with the chef.

Farewell Dinner

The evening culminates in a celebratory farewell dinner, raising a glass to a week well spent at the Cretan table — and, most likely, to a return visit already being planned.

Checkout & Transfer

Check out from the cottage and transfer to Chania International Airport or the port for the onward journey home.