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Crete harbor

OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 4, 2026

Crete

with Chef Ana Sortun

Join Oldways and Chef Ana Sortun and immerse yourself in Cretan culture, and return home with new knowledge, new ingredients, new dishes to cook, and unforgettable memories. As we explore from east to west, from the sea up into the mountains, visiting food and wine producers, artisans, restaurants, cultural sites, small towns and larger cities, you’ll learn that the legends of the healthy Cretan diet are true. One of the great pleasures of traveling is getting to know a place as well as your fellow travelers.

Crete harbor

What You’ll Love about Your Week in Crete

A group of people dining at tables in a restaurant, engaged in conversation and enjoying their meals.

What You’ll Love about Your Week in Crete

A week in Crete is pleasure from start to finish. Oldways has been coming to Crete for thirty years, and we are always so happy to return – experiencing old and new pleasures. We’ll be traveling with Chef Ana Sortun, learning from her and seeing this beautiful island through her chef eyes. The food of Crete is a wonderful representation of the Mediterranean Diet – we’ll be meeting producers, cooks, and chefs who will help us to know and appreciate the special qualities of the ingredients and preparations of Cretan cuisine. History is important as well. We’ll visit Knossos, the center of Minoan civilization, the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, and tour the old town of Chania. We’ll be in the mountains, by the sea and in cities and the countryside; we’ll be staying in two lovely 5-star hotels; and, of course, we’ll be enjoying meals together in traditional and modern restaurants. We hope you’ll join us!

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Day by Day

A clear blue sky dotted with a few fluffy white clouds.
Day 1

Wednesday, October 28

Check in at the Megaron Hotel, looking out at Heraklion’s harbor. Unpack, rest or take the short walk toward the center of town and get your bearings, discover a favorite spot or stop for coffee. In the early evening, we’ll welcome you on the rooftop of the Megaron Hotel with a glass of wine for an introductory session to the week, and an introduction to your fellow travelers. We’ll walk to the wonderful Peskesi Restaurant for our Welcome Dinner.

Day 2

Thursday, October 29

We’ll start the day at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and then visit Knossos Palace, the center of Minoan civilization and capital of Minoan Crete. After our guided exploration of Knossos, we’ll make s short drive to Archanes for lunch at Kritamon, a restaurant that features very local foods and dishes. You’ll have free time before a wine and cheese tasting at the hotel in the evening.

Black Sea Region & Istanbul, Turkey
Day 3

Friday, October 30

You’ll be able to catch up on sleep or find your favorite bakery in Heraklion before we enjoy Chef Ana’s cooking demonstration. Afterwards, we will leave for a late lunch and the afternoon at the Peskesi Farm, not too far from the city. After a long lunch, we’ve left the evening free for you to explore the Heraklion restaurant scene on your own.

A table covered with white cloths, elegantly set for a formal dining occasion
Day 4

Saturday, October 31

We’ll check out of the Megaron and en route to Chania, we’ll visit a women’s cooperative outside of Heraklion, to learn about traditional sweet cheese pies. We’ll arrive in Rethymnon en route to Chania. First, we’ll stop to watch the last workshop that makes hand-rolled phyllo and then enjoy lunch at the beautiful Restaurant Avli. After lunch, we’ll leave for Chania and check-in at The Chania Hotel.

Day 5

Sunday, November 01

Today is one of those “pinch-me” days. First, we’ll start with Chef Ana’s Spice Presentation, always a highpoint. Then, we’ll travel up into the mountains south of Chania, to visit the farm, the gardens, a local honey producer and a local cheese maker at Dounias, a traditional taverna. We’ll finish with a special Dounias lunch. You’ll be free for dinner on your own in Chania.

A woman walks through a narrow city alley, surrounded by tall buildings and cobblestone pavement.
Day 6

Monday, November 02

We’ll start our day with a guided tour/exploration of the Old Town, including visits to the Market and the Synagogue. After touring, you’ll have free time for more exploration and have lunch on your own. We’ll meet in the afternoon for a presentation about the connection between food and pottery in Minoan culture. Our evening features a different take on the food of Crete, Chef Dimitris Malandrenis of Matzĕnta Kuzina del Sol marries his Cretan heritage with his love of North Latin American flavors.

Day 7

Tuesday, November 03

Our last full day in Crete together features visits to two businesses we love: Biolea’s olive oil and Manousakis Winery. We’ll start at Biolea, learning about the olive harvest and how olive oil is made. We’ll travel to the Manousakis Winery, not too far from Chania, for a winery visit and lunch. After some free time in the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a Farewell Dinner together at Salis on the old Venetian Port.

A narrow street lined with vibrant buildings featuring wooden doors in various colors.
Day 8

Wednesday, November 04

Departures for the US or additional travel on your own.

Your Accomodations

We will be staying in two hotels during our week in Crete – the Megaron in Heraklion and the Chania Hotel in Chania.

Photo Courtesy of the Megaron Hotel

Megaron Hotel

The GDM Megaron is an exclusive five-star hotel ideally located in the heart of the business and shopping district overlooking the old harbor and within walking distance of the Archaeological and Historical museums. The hotel’s unique architecture and modern interior achieve a subtle blend of luxury and intimacy not easily forgotten.

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Photo courtesy of The Chania Hotel

The Chania Hotel

The Chania Hotel is a passion project that breathed new life into a historic city landmark. Once called simply “Chania Hotel”, this fifties beauty patiently remained silent until its recent, complete renovation into a fascinating 5-Star hotel. Nestled in Chania city center, right in the heart of 1866 Square, this sustainability-focused hotel is, fittingly, the exact spot where the vibrating youthful city meets the old port. Rich in tradition, the hotel’s rooms are decorated with vintage photos of the region, while the communal areas and suites feature distinctive names that reflect its historic symbolism.

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Meet the Chefs/Experts

Chef Ana Sortun
Chef Ana Sortun

Our tour is led with Chef Ana Sortun of Oleana Restaurant and Sofra Bakery & Café. Hailed as one of the country’s “most creative fusion practitioners,” Chef Ana Sortun was named the Best Chef Northeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2005 and has been lauded as “deeply inventive” by the New York Times, and “a culinary genius” by Boston Magazine and in Saveur. In 2016 and 2017 she was a James Beard semi finalist for Best Chef, general excellence.

Trained at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine de Paris, Sortun opened Moncef Medebs Aigo Bistro in Concord, and then honed her skills at 8 Holyoke and Casablanca in Harvard Square. She opened Oleana in 2001 where her creative take on the rustic-traditional cuisines of the Middle East and her interpretation of the flavors of Turkey continue to receive rave reviews.

Ana and her business partner, Executive Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick, opened Sofra Bakery & Café in 2008. Then, in 2013, Ana, with chef Cassie Piuma, opened Sarma, a Turkish-style meze tavern.

Siena Farms, owned by Ana’s husband, Chris Kurth and named for their daughter, provides produce to the restaurants and underscores her commitment to fresh ingredients and healthy food. Ana is also involved with Oldways Preservation Trust which fosters good health by supporting the cultural food traditions of the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Flight information
to Travel Destination

Flight information
to Travel Destination

As we will be staying in two cities in Crete, we suggest that you fly into Heraklion (our starting point) and fly out of Chania (where the Culinaria ends). The airport codes are HER for Heraklion and CHQ for Chania. Connections to Crete are easily made through the Athens Airport, and it is also possible to make connections through other European capitals.

Pricing & Registration

Pricing & Registration

Crete

Please click below to register using our online registration form, which includes instructions for how to submit the form and deposit to Oldways.

Prices are based on rates of exchange, taxes, and other costs as of the tour publication date. We reserve the right to correct errors and changes, and to increase program prices to cover increased costs, tariffs, and taxes received after prices are published and to reflect currency fluctuations.

  • Price per person is $6075 with double occupancy.
  • Single supplement is $800
Register

Trip Insurance

Accident Insurance

Oldways has procured accident and evacuation insurance for all Culinaria participants while traveling on one of our Culinarias with an Accident & Health policy from The Hartford. Click here to view Oldways Certificate of Accident Insurance.

Please let us know if you need more information about the insurance.

Travel Insurance

While we cannot offer travel insurance for the cost of the trip or your air travel, here are three widely used travel insurance companies:

Allianz

Travelex

Travel Guard by AIG

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