All Itineraries are tailor-made to suit the specific requirements of syllabus, budget and stamina. Please let us know Exam Board, options and modules – we can then discuss how best to incorporate prescribed Literary/Visual/Material Sources.
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Day 1

Introduction to Greek Cuisine Upon arrival in Athens, students settle into their accommodation before beginning their culinary journey with a hands-on Greek cookery workshop. Working with a local chef, students learn how to prepare authentic dishes using fresh Mediterranean ingredients. Typical recipes may include traditional Greek salad, souvlaki skewers and classic filo pastry desserts. This practical session provides an excellent introduction to Greek food culture, highlighting the importance of fresh produce, seasonal ingredients and healthy eating principles that have their roots in the Mediterranean Diet.

<Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

 

Day 2

Food Production and Local Specialities After breakfast, meet your guide and depart for a morning visit to Athens Central Market, where students experience one of Greece’s most vibrant markets.

<One of Athens’ numerous street markets – Courtesy Dr Kerry Phelan

After lunch, head to the New Acropolis Museum, students will discover exhibits exploring ancient kitchens, cooking utensils, storage vessels and dining customs, offering a unique insight into the foods of Ancient Greece. Beneath the Museum lies part of the excavated city, showcasing houses with the unique andron (men’s dining room) and couches on which they reclined to eat. Also, a thematic display section “Inside the Kitchen” can be viewed. More domestic artefacts are on display in the ancient Agora Museum, if time allows.

 

<Andron from House Theta – the oldest in the excavation late 5th Century BC Courtesy Sarah Thomason

They will learn how staples such as olives, olive oil, honey, bread, figs and wine formed the foundation of the Ancient Greek diet and how many of these ingredients remain central to Greek cuisine today. After that, end the day with a visit to the Acropolis.

<Athena’s Olive Tree in the forecourt of the Erechetheion on the Akropolis Courtesty Dr Kerry Phelan

Day 3

The Island of Pistachios After breakfast, check out meet your coach and depart for Piraeus, take the ferry to the island of Aegina, famous throughout Greece for its pistachios. A guided visit to a working pistachio farm provides insight into agricultural production,

cultivation methods, sustainability and food processing. Students learn how this premium product has become an important part of the local economy and export market.

<Jason Richard on Unsplash

Visit the local fish market, followed by an interactive cooking experience in a traditional seaside taverna, learning how to prepare and serve the freshest catch of the day. Don’t miss the harbourside floating fruit and veg market. Return to Athens, meet your coach and depart for Nafplio

 

<Photo by Sarolta Balog-Major on Unsplash

<Jonas Magnusson. GNU Free Documentation License.

Day 4

Exploring Traditional Greek Food Industries After breakfast, check out and meet your coach, depart for a visit an olive oil farm to learn about olive cultivation, pressing techniques, quality control and tasting methods. Olive oil was highly prized in Ancient Greece, where the olive tree was considered a sacred gift from Athena.

< Courtesy Sarah Thomason

Continue to a local apiary and museum. Students learn about the importance of honey through the ages, hive management, pollination, sustainability and honey production before enjoying a tasting session.

Meet your coach and depart for Athens airport to check in and get ready to fly home.

< CCrissean Plain – The largest continuous olive grove in Greece originally dedicated to Apollo
Paul Stephenson Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

 

<Courtesy Sarah Thomason

Feel free to contact us to tailor your own tour. 01342 324727