Greek Gastronomy on Santorini
With its warm breezes, white-washed stone homes, flower gardens, vineyards, and a lagoon surrounded by a stony cliff, the Greek island of Santorini in the south Aegean Sea is a piece of heaven on earth. While it’s a part of the Cyclades group of islands, Santorini is a mythical island that has a magic all its own. Once known as Kalliste, or ‘the most beautiful one,’ Santorini today is named after Saint Irene. Despite its name change, it continues to be regaled for its beauty; Travel+Leisure magazine named it the number one island in all of Europe in 2011, in large part due to its natural beauty.
The island, also known as a caldera (volcano), dates back to the Minoan civilization. Once part of a larger island, a volcanic eruption during the Bronze Age 3,500 years ago split the island away from others in the Cyclades island chain. With the island’s volcanic soil, Santorini is particularly suited to a wonderful array of vegetables that are grown with very little water, including the island’s famous fava, white eggplants, large cucumbers, capers, and, especially, cherry tomatoes. Their ancient winemaking traditions are also important on Santorini; most vintages are made with Assyrtiko grapes, and locals are particularly proud of their sweet Vinsanto wine.
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Trip Details
We work with a variety of chefs on Santorini who will teach you about the traditions and techniques of Greek Island cooking. The cooking classes might be held at a local cooking school or at a local restaurant.
Itinerary
Day One
- Arrive at Santorini airport or port, and take a private transfer to your boutique hotel for the week.
- Dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Two
- Breakfast.
- Get to know the history of the island with a private tour starting with the Akrotiri excavations, a prehistoric settlement. After the Bronze Age eruption, many of the Minoan civilization’s buildings were protected by volcanic materials, similar to Pompeii. Explore sacred areas, admire ancient wall paintings and frescos, and walk through ancient buildings.
- Continue the tour with a visit to the mountain of Prophet Elias — located at an altitude of nearly 2,000 feet — and stopping at a Christian monastery that dates back to the 1700s. With the stunning views, it’s the perfect time to take some beautiful panoramic photos.
- Next, participate in a wine tasting, where you’ll also hear about the island’s ancient viticulture traditions.
- Stop for a light lunch.
- Return to the hotel for some time on your own to relax. Perhaps visit, on your own, the villages of Oia, Firostefáni, and Imerovigli.
- Dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Three
- Following breakfast, take part in your first hands-on cooking class focussing on Greek cuisine.
- Lunch to follow based on your efforts, local wine included.
- Time on your own in the afternoon.
- Dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Four
- After breakfast, depart for the beautiful countryside, which is home to a number of charming villages and old vineyards. Not only will you discover how the volcanic soil has influenced the island’s winemaking for the past 4,000 years, but you’ll also tour some artisanal wineries and cellars. During the wine tastings, you’ll get a chance to try a variety of local and Greek wines, including Nykteri, Assyrtiko and the popular sweet Vinsanto, along with Greek olives and cheese.
- Lunch on your own.
- Enjoy the afternoon on your own to relax or continue exploring the beautiful island.
- Dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breafkast. Take the day to explore Santorini at your leisure. Perhaps visit Droso-Chrysos, a folklore museum in Pyrgos. Or, tour the island by taking the local buses or renting a bike, car, or scooter. You could even take a boat to the neighboring island of Ios.
- Lunch and dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Six
- Breakfast.
- In the morning, learn more secrets of Santorinian gastronomy during your second hands-on cooking class with a local chef. He will not only teach you about the local volcanic products of Santorini but also the cuisine of the Cycladic Islands.
- Lunch to follow based on your efforts, local wine included.
- Afternoon and dinner on your own.
Day Seven
- Following breakfast, spend the morning on your own. Feel free to go shopping, swim, or simply relax on your last full day!
- Lunch on your own.
- In the late afternoon, depart for a sunset sailing tour. While out at sea, you’ll have the chance to swim near the island, or in the local hot springs. A dinner that features local specialities will be served aboard the boat.
- Return transfer to your hotel and overnight.
Day Eight
- Breakfast and check out.
- Private transfer to the port or airport of Santorini.
Trip Details
Included in the 7-Night Trip
Accommodations
7 nights accommodations in a boutique hotel
Food & Beverages
- Daily breakfast
- 3 lunches
- 1 dinner
- Local wine included with all included meals
Classes & Instructors
We work with a variety of chefs on Santorini who will teach you about the traditions and techniques of Greek Island cooking. The cooking classes might be held at a local cooking school or at a local restaurant.
Excursions
- Private guided tour of Santorini
- Visit to an 18th-century monasterey and the mountain of the Prophet Elias
- Winery visits & tastings
- Sunset sailing tour
Transfer Details
- Round-trip transfers from/to Santorini airport or port. Same-day connections to Santorini are possible if you arrive in Athens in the morning. Otherwise, plan to arrive on Friday and stay the night in Athens. Alternatively, you can take a boat to the port in Santorini and be transferred from there instead. Please note that you may also have to overnight in Athens on the return unless you can connect through to an afternoon flight.
Country:
Greece
Tour Dates:
Available any week with a Saturday start April to November for a minimum of two people. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$2,790
Accommodation Information
Your accommodations for the week will be in a charming 3- or 4-star boutique hotel, which will be determined at the time of booking based on availability. All hotels are well located, with many on the caldera, and all offer modern amenities. These photos are only a representation of the type and quality of the hotels.
Pricing & Tour Dates
2024 Pricing:
7-night Program
US$2790 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$870 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Tour Dates
2024
Available any dates April to November with a Saturday start date for a minimum of 2 people. Please inquire for specific dates.
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Country:
Greece
Tour Dates:
Available any week with a Saturday start April to November for a minimum of two people. Please review our complete pricing details.
7 Nights
Starting at
$2,790
Want more flexibility? We can customize all of your trip details for you, including:
- Trip length and Itineraries
- Hotels and Tours
- Transfers and Airfare
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