“Take cooking classes and explore Athens”
8 Day Greek Hospitality Experience and Homemade Cooking Holiday in Athens, Attica
Ippokratios Politia, Greece
Greece Cooking Vacation
Experience genuine Greek hospitality. Spend a week in Athens and live in a peaceful forest villa among pine trees, see the best of Athens in comfort, cook and taste homemade recipes. This is what you'll get if you book this cooking holiday in lovely Greece. Plus, you will get all the recipes sent to you by email so that you can cook them at home for your family and friends!
Meet the instructors
Alexandros
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Highlights
- 10 hours of cooking
- All recipes will be sent by email
- Enjoy the services of a private driver
- Experience the best of Athens in absolute comfort
- Explore the Royal Tatoi estates, the former Greek royal family’s summer retreat
- Magnificent Greek island-hopping cruise to the Saronic Gulf
- Daily breakfast and 7 meals at restaurants and the villa
- 7 nights accommodation in forest villa
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
7 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 8 participants
Airport transfer included:
Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
13:00
Check-out Time:
12:00
Facilities
- Fireplace
- Kitchen
The 300-square-meter villa sits in a fenced two acres of land and it is arranged over two wooden floors and an underground floor. All four bedrooms, three on the first floor and one to the underground floor, have forest views, there are two bathrooms in the house, a spacious fully equipped kitchen and an airy living room with a white marble fireplace and large windows taking in natural light and relaxing views to the forest.
Program
Day 1: A warm welcome - experience Athens by night
On arrival, you will be collected from the airport, transported to your accommodation and given time to settle, while your host prepares a light lunch for you.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a leisurely drive to the cosmopolitan city of Athens and visit Lycabetous hill with magnificent 360 views, over the twinkling lights of Athens city below. There, you will also enjoy a welcome dinner in full view of the floodlit Acropolis. A great start to a fantastic week!
Day 2: Visit the Acropolis, the Acropolis museum and Athen’s hidden gems
You have experienced Athens at night. After breakfast, you will set off for the city center and see in daylight what is still the most impressive ancient site in all of Greece. From the vantage point of the mount, marvel at the view of the whole of Athens spread before you like a shimmering white carpet.
Visit the Acropolis museum and enjoy a leisurely walk through Monastiraki. There, you will enjoy the traditional Greek meze.
Later, visit Thiseio and Plaka, Athen’s oldest flea markets, which are lively until today, taking in the sights, aromas and the Hellenic atmosphere. You will see lots of little street stalls selling handmade crafts, as well as specialty sweet shops, coffee shops and tavernas and have as much time as you like at Ermou Street, a paradise for those who like to shop. Taste the real souvlaki with dinner at Thanasis restaurant before you return home.
Day 3: Unrevealing the secrets of homemade beef burgers - visit Stavros Niarchos Foundation in the evening
After an enjoyable homecooked breakfast with fresh eggs from the villa’s farm, enjoy a relaxing walk through the forest to arrive at Kostas taverna nearby. There, you will be welcomed by Kostas, the taverna owner, who will put on his apron and will show you step by step all the secrets to making the most delicious beef burgers, which will after be slowly cooked on charcoal. You will also make aromatic tzatziki and fresh Greek salad.
Enjoy this lovely meal you helped prepare together with Kostas and your host. But leave some space for the dessert that follows. Ekmek kataifi, you’ve never tasted anything like this before. Back to the villa to rest and relax.
In the evening, visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, where you can enjoy an indoor guided tour and attend one of the shows. It could be a theatrical play or opera. Enjoy a fancy gelato at Kiffisia (one of the most expensive suburbs of Athens) before you return home.
Day 4: Cooking and dining with your host. Relax to the views of Lake Marathona
Enjoy your breakfast and get the day started with a tour to the food market for gastronomic geeks. Get the true feeling of the Greek gastronomy and all of its riches, while wandering among colorful stalls filled with fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, meat and all kinds of the freshest food that Greece can offer. Pluck ingredients and get your five senses into a game full of color and flavor!
Return to the villa for your second cooking lesson with your host, featuring tomato lentil soup and “fearless phyllo” cheese pie made from scratch. A taste sensation to enjoy together with your host for lunch later. While dinner is cooking, you are free to enjoy the day as you like. You may choose to spend a relaxing morning at the villa or enjoy a forest walk around the premises.
In the evening, enjoy a drive towards Lake Marathona, constructed by the American company Ulen & Co and works like a water reservoir supplying the town of Athens with drinking water. Enjoy a coffee or a sweet at Fragma café with stunning views over the lake. Light dinner at home.
Day 5: Explore the Royal Tatoi estates - enjoy a rustic country picnic - learn how to cook the most delicious stuffed vegetables and Frigania dessert
After breakfast, your host will introduce you to the magic and history of the Royal Tatoi estates, the former Greek royal family’s summer retreat, laying 35 kilometers outside Athens and only four miles away from your villa. Venture along a forgotten tree-lined driveway, revealing a magical place frozen in time. See the official summer residence of the royal family, that witnessed many important events, such as the birth of George II in 1890 and Constantine I swearing-in Eleftherios Venizelos' government in 1915. beckons us back into the modern Greek History, revealing the world of the Greek Royal family. Close your eyes and listen to the story of the family who once lived here, their privileged, yet sad ending story, which led to the return to democracy in 1974.
Enjoy a rustic country picnic before you return home. After a rejuvenating day out, back to the villa to cook with your host Alec a traditional light dish full of vitamins, colors, and great aromas! You will be cooking traditional stuffed vegetables and Frigania dessert. Alec welcomes questions, as he is proud to share his knowledge and experience of Greek cuisine.
Later, enjoy the food you cooked, alongside local wine, and homemade dessert to add that final sweet flourish.
Day 6: Greek island-hopping cruise to the Saronic Gulf
Today, after breakfast, enjoy a relaxing drive towards the southwest suburbs of Athens. Weather permitting, from the port of Piraeus, endeavor to the beauty of a Greek island-hopping cruise to three magnificent islands of the historical Saronic Gulf, Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. You will discover the rich history, nature, traditions, authentic local cuisine and cosmopolitan lifestyle of these sparkling gems of the Saronic Gulf.
The complimentary lunch buffet is an exceptional experience with an array of tempting authentic Greek and International specialties. There are many optional menu choices, on requests, such as vegan and vegetarian. And, of course, each glorious island destination opens your appetite for a taste of local cuisine and delicacies. A live orchestra sets the stage for celebration with dance and music, highlighted by a Greek folk dance show as the sun sets over the sea and your cruise ship enters the harbor.
Day 7: Brunch at Kifissia - farewell dinner at Kostas taverna
Wake up at your own pace today and enjoy a morning coffee at the villa, followed by a scrumptious brunch at Kifisia, one of the oldest and most beautiful suburbs of Athens. Kifissia has been a summer retreat for wealthy Athenians and philosophers since Roman times due to its cooler temperatures and abundant greenery.
Today, the area’s leafy streets, picturesque parks, upmarket boutiques, and excellent restaurants have made it one of the most popular and exclusive areas to live in and a refreshing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city center. You will have some free time there to enjoy the shops and then you will go to Kostas taverna and cook a farewell dinner to enjoy later altogether. The menu might include:
- Greek fish soup with trahana, garlic sauce, and octopus salad or
- Beef Stifado with rice, feta cheese folded in phyllo pastry with honey and green aromatic salad
- Warm dumplings with honey and walnuts or orange pie
Day 8: Departure day
This morning, enjoy a lovely traditional breakfast, maybe a walk to the forest. Your driver will take you to the airport or port in good time for your departure.
Included excursions
- A leisurely drive to the cosmopolitan city of Athens
- Visit Lycabetous hill with magnificent 360 views
- Visit the Acropolis museum
- Enjoy a leisurely walk through Monastiraki
- Visit Thiseio and Plaka, Athen’s oldest flea markets
- Visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to enjoy an indoor guided tour and attend one of the shows (play or opera)
- Enjoy a drive towards Lake Marathona, Athen's water reservoir
- Explore Royal Tatoi estates, the former Greek royal family’s summer retreat and enjoy a rustic country picnic
- Greek island-hopping cruise to three magnificent islands of the historical Saronic Gulf, Hydra, Poros, and Aegina
- Visit Kifisia, one of the oldest and most beautiful suburbs of Athens
Instructors
Alexandros
Alexandros Marathias is a retired bank manager in his late 50s. He is a very kind Greek gentleman with an extraordinary personality, living on his own in this beautiful forest villa. He is a handsome man, he loves cooking and knows Athens like the back of his hand. He will take great care of you and drive you safely to the best of Athens. He lives at the stone guest house next to the villa and he will prepare for you daily breakfast with fresh eggs from his farm and he will be onsite when needed.
Location
The villa is located in Ippokratios Politia, an affluent area at the north suburbs of Athens, sitting at the foot of Katsimidi mountain. Flooded with pine trees, the air is fresh, blended with pine and forest smells.
Features
Activities
- Boating
- Cooking classes
- Shopping
General
- Fireplace
- Kitchen
- Lounge
- River
Services
- Local market
- Tour assistance
Food
This culinary vacation can be catered for halal and vegetarians.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 10 hours of cooking
- Services of a private driver
- All recipes sent by email
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Activities as stated in the itinerary
What's not included
- Additional days in Zakynthos Island
How to get there
Recommended Airports
ATH
Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport)
31 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Athens International Airport (ATH). Kindly send an inquiry to Villa Spiros if you need further information regarding how to get there.
GPS
38.188891, 23.793864
Airport: Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport)
Airport transfer included: Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos Airport)
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 15% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookCulinaryVacations.com. All major credit cards supported.
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