(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis) Athens, Crete, Istanbul
This private luxury tour allows you to savor the flavors of this region’s renowned cuisines by shopping legendary markets, enjoying private cooking classes and dining at top restaurants. At the same time, you’ll also delve into the fascinating ancient history of two world-class cities, Athens and Istanbul, and get to know Crete, an island steeped in both culinary and mythological traditions.
Begin in Athens for three nights. Enjoy private cooking classes and learn to prepare Greek specialties such as tzatziki (garlic and yogurt dip) and spanakopita (delicious spinach and feta pie). Also enjoy privately guided touring of Athen's top sights, such as the ancient Agora, the Acropolis and the spectacular new Acropolis Museum. Sample the flavors and enjoy the aromas of Greek cuisine during visits to the charming Plaka neighborhood and the Dimotiki Agora (Athens Central market) with its stalls overflowing with fresh seafood, olives, herbs and produce. One day, enjoy a sunset visit to the seaside Temple of Poseidon.
Next, continue to Crete, the largest of the Greek Islands and ancient home of the Minoan civilization, which dates back more than 3,500 years. Crete is also famous for having one of the world’s oldest, tastiest and some say healthiest cuisines. Highlights include flavorful olives, tender artichokes, wild greens, vine-ripened tomatoes, freshly made dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and the purest olive oil, perfect for dipping Cretan rusks, the delicious, twice-baked breads. Stay at a luxury resort and enjoy a private tour of Chania, with its elegant mix of cobbled alleyways, waterfront promenades and distinctive minarets, the result of both Venetian and Turkish occupation. Stroll through Old Town and visit the spice market in the cross-shaped central agora and the Turkish bazaar. Also enjoy a private cooking class focusing on Cretan cuisine, followed by a visit to Rethmymnon, famous for its old Venetian quarter located on a narrow peninsula dominated by a massive castle known as Fortessa. Also enjoy a visit to an olive oil producer, local wineries and nearby picturesque villages.
Continue to the fascinating Palace of Knossos, built by King Minos during the height of Crete’s great Minoan civilization, en route to the airport for your flight to Istanbul, where you will enjoy a private transfer to the Four Seasons Hotel at the Bosphorus for three nights. Enjoy a full-day private city tour, visiting sights such as the Aya Sofia (Hagia Sophia), the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and its beautiful tiled Harem, and ancient underground cisterns. Take a Turkish cooking class and learn to prepare local specialties such as vegetables stuffed with rice, a variety of eggplant dishes, kebabs, grilled cheeses, stewed artichokes, and spicy feta dips. Also take a tasting tour of Istanbul’s top markets (such as the vibrant Spice Bazaar, where the neat, conical piles of everything from pistachios to cherries will delight cooks and photographers alike) and specialty shops. There will also be time to shop for carpets, jewelry, textiles and ceramics at the Grand Bazaar.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1
Arrive Athens
Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights. Private afternoon city tour
Day 2
Athens
Morning private cooking class. Afternoon city touring including markets
Day 3
Athens
Morning private cooking class. Afternoon sunset visit to Temple of Poseidon
Day 4
Athens – Crete
Private transfer to airport for flight to Chania, Crete. Private transfer to resort for 3 nights
Day 5
Crete
Private tour of Chania
Day 6
Crete
Private cooking class followed by tour of Rethmymnon and villages
Day 7
Crete – Istanbul
Private tour of Palace of Knossos if time permits en route to airport for flight to Istanbul. Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights
Day 8
Istanbul
Full-day private city tour
Day 9
Istanbul
Morning cooking class. Afternoon tasting tour of markets and specialty shops
