- 9.00AM
- Shared (max 12 people) and Private
- 4 hours
Discover the hidden laneways and the lesser-known backstreets, but also explore the city’s highlights, and indulge in local tastes.
Tour Highlights
- Wander through the Old Town of Rethymnon and taste real Cretan food samples such as the classic “kalitsounia” in a 100-year-old bakery.
- Experience a wine tasting workshop and food pairing in one of the most unique cellars in town.
- Learn about famous Cretan local gastronomy and how it has led to one of the healthiest diets in the world.
- Sweeten your palate with a freshly baked baklava and a local ice cream made from sheep’s milk.
- Sip a Greek coffee that was freshly brewed the traditional way on sand.
Meeting point:
We will be standing at The Square of the Four Martyrs in the centre of modern Rethymnon (in front of the Four Martyrs Church).
We will be standing on the square in front of the church holding a Crete Local Adventures sign.
Gerakari 6, Rethymno 741 00. See the Map
Discover Rethymnon’s Old City through food
The Gourmet Rethymno Food Tour by Night is the best way to explore the Gourmet Cretan recipes and have a fun night out in the city.
Learn about the culinary culture, talk to shop owners and chefs, and admire some of the city’s best sights as well hidden spots not found in guidebooks as you eat and sip your way through the medieval town of Rethymnon.
Local impact — How you help the local community by joining this tour
- By tasting local kalitsounia from a 100-year-old local bakery, you support a family-owned business to continue thriving and serving authentic local delicacies.
- By experiencing the centuries-old tradition of brewing Greek coffee on sand in a kafeneion, you support local traditions that could be lost if not preserved.
- During this tour, you sample locally-sourced food from Crete’s villages, farmers, and stock-breeders as well as wines of the region’s vineyards.
- The creativity of Greece’s new generation of mixologists is supported by tasting signature cocktails and other liquors that are based on traditional spirits and recipes.
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With a local by your side, wander around the old town of Rethymnon and discover the unique culinary treasures of the region.
During this four-hour Cretan private walking tour, you’ll be introduced to the best flavors and tastes, of course, wines too, that Rethymnon has to offer! Did you know that Cretan cuisine is considered to be one of the world’s healthiest and tastiest diets? Being the base of the Mediterranean diet, local cuisine has a plethora of unique dishes as it has been influenced by Crete’s culture, geography, and its turbulent past.
You’ll start your tour by meandering along alleys and back streets of Rethymnon’s oldest neighbourhoods, sharing with you “spicy” local stories and food traditions. Before kicking off your culinary delights, you’ll stop at a local kafenion for a freshly brewed Greek coffee. Learn about coffee tradition in Greece as you see it brewed the traditional way… on sand!
Continuing your walk through the labyrinth streets of the old town, you’ll visit a 100-year-old bakery where you’ll sample yummy kalitsounia. Filled with cheese and spinach, fennel, or wild local greens, kalitsounia are one of the most local-favourite appetisers of Crete.
Our next stop will be the highlight of the evening, as it is one of Rethymnon’s most unique cellars. Here, you’ll participate in an exceptional wine and food tasting session presented by a qualified sommelier. Learn all about Cretan viticulture and local wines while sampling red, white, rosé, and dessert wines, all accompanied by delicious food plates.
Leaving the cellar, it’s time now to sweeten your palate by visiting a local sweets shop famous for its fresh sweet delights that are produced from local, organic ingredients. Have you ever tasted baklava with ice cream on top, made from a-local-farm sheep’s milk? Trust us, you can’t even imagine how mouthwatering ice cream can be until you’ve tried some with us!
Next, you’ll quench your thirst by heading to a local art venue instead of a tavern! Sample some locally brewed beer paired with a local meze and chat with the artist finding out how Cretan land and soul never fail to inspire artistic hearts.
Our culinary Rethymno tour couldn’t be completed without visiting a hidden spot for a glass of an exclusively-for-you signature cocktail, based on our liquid royalty, raki, the grape-based spirit of Crete!
Before you go, we will be more than happy to make recommendations for what else you can do on the island.
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local food (3-course meal), wine tasting and beverage samples, coffee or soft drink
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Additional food and drink, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities
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- Food Allergies: Unless you suffer from multiple, combined food allergies, or unless you are a vegan, we will figure it out. Vegetarians are welcome on all tours.
- Please wear comfortable shoes for walking.
- In general, there are few dress restrictions in Europe and dress codes are similar to those you are used to at home. Please note though that in many churches modest dress is required; no shorts or
skimpy tops are permitted. - If you are happy with the services provided by your local a tip – though not compulsory – is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. Please consider this when budgeting for your extra expenses on this tour.
- All our team members are fully vaccinated.