WINES, GODS & STARGAZING PRIVATE TOUR
Chania, Crete
From May to November
230
4 Hours
Food & Wine Tour
Private Tour
Highlights
- Learn how ancient Greeks used the stars for mythology and to predict upcoming seasons.
- Explore the night sky with telescopes while our resident astronomer points out different constellations and planets.
- Indulge in mouthwatering recipes slow cooked in traditional ceramic pots.
- Visit a local awarded family-run winery for a 4 glass local wine tasting
- Thirty percent of your tour costs go to supporting small-scale rural businesses in local communities.
Dive into Ancient Greek Mythology, Astronomy, and Gastronomy
Tour snapshot
Do you know your Zeus from your zodiac? Dive into ancient Greek mythology and astronomy (along with some ancient recipes) on your own private star-studded, food-fueled adventure! Crete is one of the best places for stargazing, and we’re going to pair the sky with our stomach as we learn to read the constellations before digging into a traditional Cretan meal. Best of all, it’s all for good, supporting a local winery
Local impact — How you help the local community by joining this tour:
- Rural tourism is promoted as we support local economies and deep-rooted traditions that don’t generally benefit from tourism.
- All of the food you sample during your tour is sourced from local villages, farmers, and stock-breeders of Crete.
- Traditional ways of cooking are supported that could be lost if not preserved.
Full Itinerary
Crete isn’t just beautiful by day — it’s also gorgeous by night! And we’re going to soak it all up on this private evening tour that doesn’t look out over the water, but up into the sky.
On this Crete tour, we’ll go stargazing and search out constellations and the Milky Way, with our own personal astronomer who will show you how to seek out stars through a telescope and with the naked eye. Don’t worry, you don’t need any knowledge of the sky — this tour is for all levels, from wannabe astronomers to experienced sky scanners!
We’ll pick you up just after sunset from your accommodation, and drive to a family-owned awarded winery in the Apokoronas region.
Once we arrive, we’ll have a tour in the courtyard of the winery, the botanical garden, and then to the production and storage area of the wines, to learn all the secrets of production and bottling. Then have a tasting of 5 different wines accompanied by delicious Cretan rusks and olives from their garden.
With our astronomer, we will travel back in time to the Mythology of the constellations that are connected to the wine. From Dionysos to Ikarion and Stafylos, we weave with the thread of mythology the constellations of the summer sky. Weather permitting we will observe planets like bright red Mars, Saturn – the lord of the rings, and other beautiful treasures of the night sky through a powerful telescope.
Our Astronomer will explain what we’re seeing when we look at the stars, what a constellation is, how to recognize them, and how to read a sky map. You’ll learn about the ancient cultures that used the stars in their mythologies, and how the night sky would be read to predict upcoming seasons.
Your intergalactic experience will end with a mouthwatering dinner under the stars, slow-cooked in ceramic pots just as Cretans did in ancient times. We’ll dig into authentic Cretan dishes (both meat and vegetarian options) featuring locally farmed products as we discuss ancient Greek mythology and its connection to the sky above (after all, most of the constellations with which we’re familiar come from ancient Greece!). We’ll finish it all up with a delicious dessert before leading you back to your hotel.
Don’t forget to ask your local guide for more hints and tips on how to get the best out of your trip to amazing Crete.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, transportation to and from the venue, three-course dinner, 4 glasses of wine/wine tasting (fresh orange juice for children)
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips and gratuities for your guide