Enjoy a beautiful day on the Cretan countryside exploring its rich history and wonderful nature! Starting from Chania, you will visit diverse sites such as the Ottoman Koules Fortress of Aptera, which stands on a hill and offers magnificent panoramic views of the region and the historic Monastery of Agios Georgios near Karydi which houses an old olive factory with magnificent stone arches. Crete is known for its traditional villages and during the day you will visit two of them, the serene Armenoi, and the seaside village of Georgioupoli. Life flows differently in these places and you will have a chance to experience the Cretan rhythm of life firsthand. On every stop you will be picking up delicious ingredients which will comprise a farm-to-table picnic that you will enjoy on the banks of the Kyliaris river!
Most Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April to October. For a specific date, check availability here
Only guests ages 5 through 12 are eligible for "children's rates"
April to October:
After we pick you uop from slect spots around Chania, we will make our way to the the historic Koules Fortress near the site of ancient Aptera. Built by the Ottomans during the 19th century, it was used as a means to control the port of Souda. The hill on which the fortress stands offers panoramic views of the Apokonas Valley, the Bay of Souda as well as the surrounding Cretan coastline! You will be afforded ample time to take several pictures of the stunning scenery!
From there, we will descent towards the mouth of Souda Bay and reach the serene village of Armenoi, driving throuigh orange, olive and avocado groves. In the village square, you will enjoy a traditional Greek coffee under the refreshing shade of a centuries-old plane tree, a staple in every Greek village. In Armenoi, we will begin our selection of picnic treats with an assortment of cheeses and delicatessen, which will become part of your countryside feast at the end of the day.
Afterwards we will proceed to the Monastery of Agios Georgios near the village of Karydi, explore the grounds and visit a 200 year old stone olive factory, a timeless reminder of Cretan heritage in the production of olive oil. We will pick up some olive oil for our picnic before moving on to our next destination, the seaside village of Georgioupoli. Time to get a supply of freshly baked bread and rusks to go with our delicious treats, so a visit to a traditional wood-fired bakery is in order. We are now ready to begin our feast!
We shall then reach Platanakia, near the river of Kyliaris, on the banks of which we will set up our picnic. Under the shade of trees we will recreate a traditional countryside meal as they used to have during the harvest; bread, rusks, olive oil, olives, vegetables, cheese, delicatessen and Cretan wine! What a way to conclude a wonderful day!
Not included:
