We are so excited to bring a new destination to our travelers this year: Crete, the island with everything!
Both weeks of this tour booked quickly directly from our interest lists (which is why it’s important to join those), but we want to introduce you to the local who will be leading our travelers through their adventure in Greece. Mirsini Iliopoulou is a professional guide passionate about her homeland of Crete.
Meet Mirsini
After getting her psychology degree, she left Greece to travel, work and study in the U.K. and Spain for a decade. But home beckoned her back. Her parents were getting older, and she was interested in doing something outside of her work in counseling and mental health. “I wanted to do something new and fun, so I took a course to become a guide in Greece, which is an intensive two-year program. I did hiking tours, food tours, all while studying history and archeology and exploring this new path. It happened organically. I love rediscovering Crete and when I returned, I had a whole new perspective,” said Mirsini.
She enjoys the relaxed pace of life, proximity to nature, and good food and wine on Crete. Mirsini lives in the picturesque coastal town of Rethymno (one of our stops on the tour) and often spends time at her village in the mountains helping out with the family orchards which have cherries, apples, walnuts, etc.
Cherry picking season in Mirsini’s village
Mirsini was a natural choice to partner with us to plan these tours because she loves to focus on the people and experiences of Crete, just as Onward Travel does in our small group tours. “I was away for a long time before I realized I wanted to come back to my roots. I want to share the sense of community we have in Crete with our travelers,” said Mirsini.
That’s evident from the trip’s itinerary which begins in Chania on the west side of the island. Mirsini says it’s the most cosmopolitan city on the island, with lots of restaurants and small shops. It’s the most picturesque part of the island, but it has a lot of history as well. Our group will go on a walking tour of the city and sunset boat ride from a port that dates back 500 years.
Evening in Chania
Artisanal Adventures
Mirsini is most excited to introduce her favorite artisans to our groups. From artisan bakers to monks who make olive oil and wine to knifemakers, who are an important point of reference in Crete, we will learn how these people are linked to the history of the island. “There are just a few people still making knives in an artisanal way. The knives in the Cretan culture demonstrate pride and resistance, and our travelers will get to take one small knife home with them,” said Mirsini. They will also get the opportunity to make a mosaic, which is an art form that endures through centuries. We’ll learn age-old techniques to create our own masterpieces.
Hometown Heroes
Mirsini is excited to share her hometown of Rethymno with our groups. “On the way, we’ll visit the archeological site of Aptera which provides amazing 360 degree views of the valley, sea, port and mountains. It’s majestic! We’ll talk about the different city states of Crete and the ancient history of the island as we take in the breathtaking views,” said Mirsini.
Ancient theatre of Aptera
View from the archeological site of Aptera
And we have more artisans for you to meet there! First, you’ll visit a famous phyllo master who is 88 years old. His son and grandson mostly run the business now, but he still prepares baklava pastry meticulously.
We’ll visit yet another family business, the workshop of a musical instrument master who still creates the three-stringed, pear-shaped Cretan lyra in the laborious traditional way. “One of the things Crete is famous for is music. This workshop has collaborated with some of the most famous musicians on the island making instruments for them and influencing the history of music. We’ll meet the son who will show us the different instruments, how they are made, and hopefully play some music for us!” said Mirsini.
Organic Olive Oil
Our groups will be a little early for the olive harvest which starts at the end of October, but it will be a real treat to visit an organic olive oil estate and experience a professional tasting. “Two different families press their olives at this estate and everything is done to their own philosophies, and they have completely different ways of doing it,” said Mirsini. We will also stop to pay homage to one of the oldest olive trees in the world, the Ancient Olive Tree of Vouves, which is somewhere between 2000-4000 years old.
Ancient Olive Tree of Vouves
A Day of Baking and Foraging
As we head closer to Mirsini’s grandparents’ village, we will meet yet another family business up in the mountains. They have a small hotel and restaurant with amazing views of the valley and the mountain known as the birthplace of Zeus, according to Greek mythology.
“We will bake bread just like the ancient Minoans would do in a wood-fired oven with Cretan yeast. The process hasn’t changed, and there’s something very magical about it,” said Mirsini. “While the bread rests, we will go for a walk in the woods to forage for herbs and plants which have extensive culinary and medicinal uses. Women typically have the role of foraging, although the father of the family will lead us on this adventure.”
Medicinal herbs and greens
The Heart of Creative Ancient Civilization
As our group makes its way to Archanes, we will stop in Margarites, one of Mirsini’s favorite villages on Crete because it is a traditional and notable pottery center.
“We’ll visit a traditional potter who has been creating his entire life while his wife does conservation of ancient pottery. They join forces and create pottery that is modern, yet follows the ancient techniques,” said Mirsini. “At Kerameion, the ceramics are fired in a wood-burning kiln, which is like a celebration when it’s fired up.” The pottery is made to be functional – to serve water and wine, to store olives, fruit and honey, household items or flowers.
Food & Wine of Crete
We will meet many families along our journey through Crete, including a brother-sister duo who will lead us in a traditional hands-on cooking class featuring lamb, roasted for hours in a wood-fired stone oven, stuffed vegetables and grape leaves or dolmades, savory cheese pies and more.
We will dine at some of Mirsini’s favorite restaurants, and as with every Onward Travel tour, you’ll have time to dine and experience the local culture on your own. Just don’t get caught in the local “traffic”!
Traffic in Crete
The last family we will meet in Crete own a biodynamic winery in the wine-making region of Archanes, and we’ll learn about their processes and taste a full range of their delightful wines. “This family-owned business is one of the best wineries in Crete, and I am excited to share these unique wines with our travelers. The wine here is quite dry and fruity. It’s not at all like Spanish or French wine, it’s much lighter. You may have never tasted anything quite like it!” said Mirsini.
Wines of Crete
The Cretan Connection
This journey to Crete includes getting to meet the artisans and families that have a history on the island as well as influence its future. We want our travelers to have a connection with the people, the history, the culture and the land. “For me, it’s important for our travelers to not only observe life here on Crete but get their hands into making things. I want them to experience the culture I will interpret for them. But rather than just sharing information, these travelers have a unique opportunity to experience Crete in a very special way,” said Mirsini.