Chania Area: Cooking Class at a Farm in Stylos Village
About This Experience
Stylos is a village in Apokoronas, inland from the Souda bay road and about twenty minutes from Chania, and this class is run by a family on their own farm. You are welcomed with traditional delicacies, coffee and homemade lemonade before anything else happens, which sets the register for the rest of the afternoon.
Then you walk the garden and gather what the meal needs - the farm is organic and the ingredients genuinely come from a few metres away rather than from a supplier. The cooking is done without electricity, over a wood fire, which is the detail that makes this class different from every other one on this site: the potatoes are fried over flame, the lamb is tsigariasto, and the timing is judged by eye rather than by dial.
The menu runs to tzatziki, dakos, Cretan salad, gemista, tsigariasto lamb, wood-fired potatoes and traditional cheese pies, eaten together afterwards with house wine. There are goats, chickens, lambs and rabbits on the property, which is why families keep singling this one out in reviews.
Five hours, no electricity, no hurry, and a farm to wander at the end of it. It carries a perfect rating across its reviews and it is the most expensive class on this site - those two facts are related.
Highlights
- Cook on a working organic farm in Stylos village, near Chania
- Gather every ingredient from the family's own farm and garden
- Cook without electricity, over a wood fire
- Eat outdoors at a long table with a view across the valley
- Meet the farm's goats, chickens, lambs and rabbits
What's Included
- ✓ Hands-on cooking class
- ✓ Coffee, raki and house wine
- ✓ Full meal of everything you cook
- ✓ A walk around the working farm
Not Included
- Hotel transfer
What to Bring
- Comfortable closed shoes
- Sun protection
Good to Know & Caveats
- Hotel transfer is not included - Stylos is about 20 minutes from Chania by car or taxi.
- Cooking is done over a wood fire without electricity, so the pace is set by the fire rather than the clock.
- The farm is working and organic, and much of the time is spent outside - sun protection and comfortable shoes are worth bringing.
- There are farm animals on the property, which is a draw for families and worth knowing about if anyone in your group would rather keep their distance.
Meeting Point
A family farm in Stylos, a village in the Apokoronas district roughly 20 minutes from Chania. Hotel transfer is not included, so arrive by car or taxi.
What Travelers Say
Rated 5.0/5 by 17 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
Our family absolutely loved this experience! Sofia was an incredible host and we loved spending time at her home and meeting her family! The evening spent preparing the meal, cooking, eating together, and touring their farm was one of our favorite things about our vacation to Crete! The garden is beautiful and our kids loved spending time with the goats, chicks, lambs, bunnies, cats, and dogs! The food was delicious! Sofia is an amazing cook! We learned so much about Greek culture and tradition! Their family is so beautiful and they are sharing their passion with others. This is something you don’t want to miss out on!
— Kate, June 17
Paraskevas, Sofia and family made this the most incredible experience of our trip! They welcomed us with open arms and it was a delight all the way through. They are wonderful humans allowing visitors to get a glimpse into Cretean culture and food. We cooked, we laughed, milked goats, visited family, and danced. If you are considering this experience- take this as a sign to say yes!! Also, we took a taxi and it was fairly easy to do! Have them follow the signs for Veggera once in Stylos!
— Brittany, May 20,
Everything was perfect! We felt welcomed and integrated into a lovely Cretan family for an evening, in a very natural way. The setting is peaceful. The conversations are very enriching on a human level. It was also very interesting to learn these traditional recipes. Everything was delicious, too! In short, the only problem was that I didn't want it to end! :))
— Nancy, August
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this good for children?
It is the most family-friendly class on this site. The garden gathering, the wood fire and the goats, chickens, lambs and rabbits give children plenty to do across the five hours, and reviewing families say so repeatedly.
Is transport included?
No. Stylos is roughly 20 minutes from Chania by car or taxi and hotel transfer is not part of the price. If you need transport included, the White Mountains class is the one to book.
Why is it more expensive than the other classes?
It is the longest of the village classes at five hours, the ingredients are organic and grown on site, and group sizes are small. It also holds a perfect rating across its reviews.
Cooking without electricity - what does that mean in practice?
Everything is cooked over a wood fire. Potatoes are fried over flame, the lamb is made tsigariasto, and the timings are judged by the cook rather than set on a dial. It is the clearest demonstration of traditional Cretan technique on this site.
What is on the menu?
Tzatziki, dakos, Cretan salad, gemista, tsigariasto lamb, wood-fired potatoes and traditional cheese pies, then lunch together with local wine.
