Food Odyssey, A Historical Culinary Tour of Chania

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Summary
Experience Details
What You’ll Experience
Where to Meet
Reviews
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Duration
4 hours
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Number of Guests
1 - 8 guests
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Language
English
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Digital Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Uncover Chania's culinary history on a 4-hour tour with an expert guide. Enjoy tastings and explore specialty shops as you delve into the diverse flavors and societies that shaped the region.

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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals

Experience Details

Travel off the beaten tourist path on this 4 hour delicious culinary adventure with an experimental archaeologist- food historian, Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winner. Get a glimpse of Chania gastronomy and society and satisfy your appetite for fascinating food history, food politics and culture with delectable tastings.


Following the trails 'carved' by the Arabs, Jews, Venetians, Ottomans, Greeks from Asia Minor and other immigrants who have passed through Chania, adding their flavors to the local cuisine, you will experience a multisensory food event and  delicacies from one-of-a-kind specialty food shops while enjoying the opportunity to understand better the culinary history of the city and how the locals eat.

What You Get

Meal
Multi-sensory food experience
Lunch
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Good To Know

  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to bad weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
  • Please advise of any food restrictions (e.g. allergies) upon booking. Your guide will do the best to accommodate your specific needs
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Casual dress, comfortable shoes and clothing recommended

What You’ll Experience

1

Chania Town

Meet up with your guide in front of Chania Town Hall. As you walk to a local coffee shop, learn from her about the food history of the area. Start your food adventure with  olives, handcrafted cheese made according to ancient Greek information, homemade bread made according to Byzantine baking method and sip on herbal tea the way that Cretans enjoy it . Learn about the herbs and wild greens that are used in the local cuisine. Move  on to delighting your taste buds with some  kalitsounia, the famous Cretan small pies which are filled with cheese or wild greens or a combination or them. Admission included.
40 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
2

bougatsa Chania

Visit a bougatsa factory and then savour  the most delightful bougatsa  (a kind of cheesy/milky pastry pie) in the city and learn about the skills of the cooks and the food consumption during the Ottoman occupation of Crete.
30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included
3

Municipal Market of Chania

Visit the Central Market of the city, discover a whole world made of cheese, cured meat, fish, vegetables, bread, rusks, pies, olive oil and honey and sample some of the best products. Visit a coffee shop in the market: Learn about the coffee culture in Greece tasting the so- called Greek coffee and its savory accompaniments that were popular in 19th and early 20th century.
30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included
4

Chania Town

Visit a phyllo factory.
10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
5

Old Venetian Harbor

Walk through the Venetian part of the city and learn about the Venetian trade and food politics and their impact on Cretan gastronomy and food security. - Have a short multi-sensory experience. -Visit a Cretan knife maker.
40 minutesAdmission Ticket Included
6

Splantzia Square

Walk through the Ottoman part of the city and taste an almond beverage of Byzantine origin under the shade of a plane tree. Learn about beverages made with flowers and nuts.
30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included
7

Splanzia

Your final stop will be in a local taverna, where you will have a chance to enjoy a short lesson on ancient cooking and you will be treated to fine delicacies of traditional and historic Cretan cuisine.
40 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Meeting & Pickup

Meeting Point

Kidonias 29, Kidonias, Chania, Greece, GR, 731 35

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In front of Chania Town Hall
End Point

The PLATANOS OF SPLANTZIAS, Platia 1821, Chania, Greece, GR, 731 32

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Splanzia Square

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.

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What People Are Saying
Overall ratings and reviews
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(2)
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Chania foods and their histories from an expert
May 12, 2024
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(Viator)

Mariana was generous with her time, her knowledge, and her cooking talents. We learned about the history of Cretan foods, sampled many things including her homemade cheese, and left with a sachet o...read more

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Outstanding all around
April 23, 2023
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(Viator)

Mariana was an outstanding host! She is an archeological culinary historian and has such a deep understanding of the history of food. She brought us to four different shops for morning pastries (sa...read more

from  $174.45 
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Please note: The price varies based on group size. The time is in Eastern European Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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Earliest available date: July 22, 2025
from  $174.45  per guest
Book Now
Please note: The price varies based on group size. The time is in Eastern European Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals
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