Oliveology’s Gastronomic Cretan Holiday

Oliveology’s Gastronomic Cretan Holiday

Oliveology’s Gastronomic Cretan Holiday

Get ready to discover the fascinating Greek island of Crete! This holiday experience is a week of gastronomic adventures. You will enjoy a culinary activity every day, savour Cretan seasonal produce and visit local food festivals. You will spend time with artisanal producers and local craftsmen. You will explore gorgeous beaches. And for the adventure lovers, Crete has wonderful gorges and mountains to trek – with wonderful lunches planned, of course.

With every meal you will get to experience Cretan gastronomy, via local recipes, memories and stories. Throughout your holiday, you’ll have the chance to discover Oliveology’s unique ingredients and taste special local products such as Cretan graviera cheese, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, wine, dakos rusks, handmade pasta and much more.

You will be accompanied by Lida member of the Oliveology team.

During Oliveology’s Holiday, you will wake up to a delicious breakfast -think Greek yogurt, local honey and fresh fruit, freshly baked bread from the island bakery, artisan cheeses, and home-made jams. You will enjoy a culinary activity every day, be it learning how to make your own stuffed vegetables, meeting local cheese producers and wine makers, visiting local craftsmen, or even trekking if you wish. And of course enjoy al fresco lunches and dinners with vibrant salads with grains and pulses, fresh vegetables herbs and extra virgin olive oil, all freshly prepared by Lida.

Suggested activities:
-cooking classes
-visits to local producers and wine makers
-visits to local pottery/weaving craftsmen
-attending local food festivals
-eating at local tavernas

Suggested dishes that you will prepare and savour on board:

Cretan Dakos salad
Mixed beans hummus
Fried eggs with staka
Cretan pastries with spinach and wild fennel
Stuffed vine leaves and stuffed courgette blossoms
Stuffed tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes and crispy roasted potatoes
Courgette/ Tomato fritters with feta cheese
Stuffed aubergines with cracked wheat
Galomizithra pies drizzled with wild thyme honey
Handmade preserves – gluko tou koutaliou – with Greek yoghurt
Pastry ribbons with walnuts and honey
Bougatsa
Our meals will always be accompanied with various fresh salads and steamed wild greens.

A unique experience, especially for a group of friends or family members! We welcome groups of 10 guests. Please contact us in case you are not a group of ten, so that we can bring you together with other guests.

Price: £2700 per room (for two people)
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Suggested Dates: 20-26 June & 12-18 September – more dates available, email us with your availability!

Bookings and waiting list: workshops@oliveology.co.uk

Past Event

Oliveology’s Gastronomic Cretan Holiday includes:

A culinary expert from the Oliveology Team to accompany you during your trip.

Accommodation for 6 nights on a unique villa at Skalani village.

Daily culinary (and other) activities:
-cooking classes
-visits to local producers and wine makers

-visit to local pottery/weaving craftsmen
-local food festivals

-eating at local tavernas

You will also get a chance to visit a selection of the following places: City of Heraklion, Archaeological and Historical Museum of Heraklion, Minoan palace of Knossos, Village of Myrtia, Kazantzakis Museum, Town of Archanes (awarded by EU for restoration and long term development), and others depending the time of the year – check with us for more details!

All activities on offer can be adjusted according to your interests, so that we create together the perfect holiday!

Freshly prepared meals, with pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan options available.

-All breakfasts (6 days)
-All lunches (6 days)
-Dinners (5 days)
-Snacks, soft drinks, herbal tea

-Alcoholic and other drinks are not included but will be available in special prices

Full use of the villa and facilities.

Price includes all taxes. Flights are not included and need to be booked

separately. Please see How to Get there for more details.

Your local host:

Lida Papamatthaiaki is a trained chef and an anthropologist, focussing on food and the senses. Her experience working with food is diverse. Lida has worked in professional kitchens in Greece and London, consulted artisan food companies, joined food conferences and culinary seminars. She has also been writing and developing recipes for Oliveology for the last five years. In addition she has been volunteering in social kitchens for refugees in Athens. Lida is passionate about tangible and intangible heritage. She participated in an oral history research project documenting food practices in Northern Greece and worked for museums in Greece, developing food-related creative learning programs. She brings in her memories from her place of origin, Crete. Her workshops are inspired by the intersection of food heritage, culture and history.

Dietary requirements:
All menus are finalised one month before the departure date. Please contact us directly with any dietary requirements and we will do our best to accommodate you.
As the kitchen on the yacht is shared, we cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment.

Cancellation policy:
Please be advised that due to nature of the experience, there will be no refunds or cancellations. So please ensure you will be able to attend before registering. Of course, you have the option to give your ticket to a friend or family member.

Payment information:
Upon registering, a deposit of 50% is required. Final payment is due 2 months before the holiday.

Gastronomic Experience: You will enjoy an all-round gastronomic and cultural experience, with visits to local food markets and artisanal producers, hands-on cooking classes by local cooks and Lida, learning the secrets of Cretan Diet and tasting unique ingredients. You will savour meals in local tavernas and at the villa, all cooked only with local ingredients, organic whenever possible.

What to bring with me:
Here are some ideas on what to pack: swimsuits, beach towels, flip flops, sunscreen, comfortable clothes for warm weather, trainers, a light jacket, a hat. You will also need your camera and a beach read!

You will also find on the villa: Welcoming basket on each bedroom with local delicacies, including homemade jams, local honey, and fresh fruits from the garden, bed linen, towels, slippers, iron and ironing board, hair dryer and hair straightener, toiletries.

The Villa

The villa is fully accessible to people with disabilities.
The size of the villa is 420 m². It has three floors and a large basement with a fully equipped gym and spa. It has a fully-equipped kitchen, a large living room with a smart TV, and a dining room area. Wifi and satellite channels are offered free of charge.
Bedrooms: All bedrooms have private verandas with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside and the Cretan sea.
-2 ensuite bedrooms with 1 double bed each.
-2 ensuite bedrooms with 1 double bed and a double sofa-bed each
Bathrooms: 6 bathrooms (1 accessible to people with disabilities)
Other amenities: Washing machine, dishwasher, private swimming pool, private garden, private gym (with sauna and jacuzzi), safe deposit box, printer-fax

How to get there:
Flights

You will fly to Heraklion, Crete.

Jet2.com, Easy Jet & British Airways fly to Heraklion, daily.

EasyJet has 3 direct flights on Saturdays.

British Airways has 2 direct flights on Saturdays.

Transport to-from Skalani village

By car:

Follow the Heraklion-Archanes National Road. Skalani is located 10km after the Heraklion international airport.

By Taxi (approx. cost: 20 Euros)

There are Taxis from the port/airport to Skalani.

Occupancy: 4 people with luggage.

Duration: about 10 minutes.