2024 Greece Agricultural Tour

Arrive Thessaloniki

On arrival into Thessaloniki, you will be met and transferred to our accommodation.

Tonight, welcome drinks and dinner at the hotel.

Thessaloniki

Today we depart by coach, firstly we enjoy a city tour of Thessaloniki with our local guide before visiting the Palace of Alexander the Great at Pella. Continuing to Vergina to visit the Royal Tombs, before travelling to the small village of Veria for lunch, which will be local food and wine.

After lunch we look at one of Greece’s most profitable Agriculture industries, SAFFRON, the Gold of Greek Earth as it is called, was among the most popular and valuable spices of the Ancient Civilization. Greek Saffron is one of the highest qualities of Saffron in the world, with Greece being the 3^rd largest exporter in the world. (In Greece Saffron is known as Krokos). 

We visit a Saffron field and meet a member of the Kozani Saffron Producer Co-Operative, which has over 1000 members and was founded in 1971, we will meet with the Agricultural Association of Women to taste tea sweets cooked with Saffron, we then depart back to Thessaloniki.

Tonight, free to enjoy one of the many restaurants in Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki - Meteora

We depart by coach to the Chalastra region to look at Rice production, visiting a local rice farm and meet with members of the Agriculture Association of Rice Producers. After our look at the Greek Rice industry, we will proceed to the Sacred City of Dion to visit the museum of this wonderful Greek sanctuary of Macedonian era dedicated to Zeus. 

After lunch we will be able to look at fruit production in the area before continuing to Larissa, where we will see irrigated cotton and visit Violar sa Cotton Gin. 

On arrival into Meteora we visit a farm that breeds some of the oldest strains of cows, horses, and black pigs in Europe. The cows are the same breed as the ones represented at the museum of Heraklion, Crete as statues, with the breed of horse being from ancient Thessaly, the same type that Alexander the Great would have rode.

Our last stop today is to a small local cheese factory that produces the famous Kasseri cheese, a cheese of this origin. 

Tonight, will be a free night to enjoy Meteora.

Meteora - Delphi

Our day begins with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Monasteries of Meteora, which are situated at the top of a rocky precipice over 400metres high overlooking the town.

We then visit a Feta cheese factory where we will be given a tour by the owner and his son before tasting their locally made yogurt and feta. From Meteora we travel to Mount Parnassos stopping for lunch, here we also try the local high-altitude wines grown on the mountain slopes.

After we visit Thermopylae, famous for the heroic defence by Leonidas and his brave Spartans against the invading Persians, from here we continue to the town of Delphi.

Tonight, free to explore the town.

Delphi - Athens

Today we tread in the footsteps of ancient Greeks, who would descend on the sanctuary of Delphi to consult with the most important oracle in the classical world. With our local specialist we walk the sacred way to the 4^th century Temple of Apollo, viewing statues immortalising the strength of the athletes who once competed in the Pythian games.

Our first agriculture visit today is to the olive forest, with over 1,600,000 olive trees, here we look at olive oil production, sampling olive oil, homemade bread and local oregano.

We continue to Levadia with a visit to the Agricultural Association of cotton, where we meet the president of the Association to discuss the high-quality cotton produced in the area and visit a local cotton farm and wheat farm. 

We then continue on a scenic drive to Athens, the vibrant Capital, with an effortless mix of ancient treasures and modern verve.

Tonight, free to explore Athens.

Athens

Our morning will involve a sightseeing tour to the ancient complex that was once the “Cradle of Western Civilisation”. Along our journey into antiquity, we will have an opportunity to explore the Acropolis with its treasures, Aneus and the Agora, once the haunt of Socrates and Plato. We will dive into culture and see the remarkable displays of an ancient world during a visit to the Acropolis Museum, Hadrian's Arch, and the stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896.

This afternoon is free to enjoy, maybe stroll through the Plaka, people watch in Syntagmo Square, the choice is yours.

Tonight Free.

Athens

A morning visit to the central markets of Athens to look at the local produce, we then visit the Pirgos Vassilisis where we take look at the local wine production of the Attika region before travelling to Cape Sounion, where we will stop on the way for a local fish lunch.

Afternoon return to Athens, free time.

Tonight Free

Athens - Overnight Ferry to Crete

Today we depart Athens to visit the Corinth Canal and the Ancient Corinth site, we enjoy free time for lunch before heading back to the Port of Piraeus to board our overnight ferry to Crete.

Crete

Welcome to Crete, the largest and most populous island of the Greek Islands. Crete is mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. These mountains lavish Crete with rich fertile valleys and are plateaus for extensive farming and water for irrigation for crops. Crete has a strong link with Australia as Australians fought in Crete in 1941 in the battle for Crete.

Our ferry arrives at Chania, Crete around 7:00am. On arrival we will be transferred to a local café for breakfast, we then continue to visit the Agriculture Association of Elafonissos, looking at vegetable production. We will have lunch in a local village, to then travel to Gouves to visit the  olive tree of Vouves, the oldest olive tree in the world, estimated to be up to 4000 years old and is now a protected natural monument. Following this we then travel back to Chania which is a city on the northwest coast of the island of Crete, known for its 14th-century Venetian harbor, narrow streets, and waterfront restaurants. At the harbor entrance is a 16th-century lighthouse with Venetian, Egyptian and Ottoman influences. Opposite, the Nautical Museum has model ships, naval objects, and photographs. The former monastery of St. Francis houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania, this afternoon we enjoy a walking tour.

Tonight, free to enjoy one of the many restaurants along the old port and enjoy the view of the seaside.

Overnight Chania

Crete (Chania)

After breakfast we depart to Lake Kournas, we then visit a local cheese factory for cheese tasting along with local Grappa, we then visit a local Cretan family farm looking at Orange Groves and avocado production, and enjoy a local lunch with the family.

After lunch and a visit to a local vineyard and co-operative winery, we make our way back to Chania, stopping off at the hill before Chania to visit the tombs of Venizelos.

Tonight free

Crete - Chania -Heraklion

Departing Chania by coach we travel to Stravromenous to visit the Australian War memorial and lay a wreath for the Australian Soldiers before travelling on to Helaklion, also known as Iraklio. Helaklion is a port city and the capital of the island of Crete. It’s known for the Palace of Knossos, just outside the city. The huge archaeological site dates back thousands of years to the Minoan civilization and includes frescoes and baths.

Guarding the city’s Venetian port is the 16th-century Koules fortress. Heraklion Archaeological Museum has a large collection of Minoan art.

After visiting a local sheep farm and touring the Messara Valley where we look at irrigation practices and water saving, we arrive at Helaklion where we visit the Palace of Knossos and the city centre.

Tonight, free time to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant to experience local Cretan food.

Heraklion

End of the tour.