Naxos Farm Experience: Make Traditional Cheese with Giannis

Roll up your sleeves and make cheese the way Giannis's grandfather did

A 3.5-hour class at a working farm near Naxos where you make traditional kefalotiri cheese under instruction from Giannis, following methods unchanged for generations. The experience includes a tour of the farm, animal milking, a tasting of farm cheeses with wine, and breakfast. Private transport from your accommodation is included, and children from age 5 are welcome.

The experience

What does it take to make cheese the traditional way? You'll find out at Giannis's farm, 7 km from Naxos town and 2 km from Gerontoelia, in the shadow of what locals claim is the world's oldest olive tree. The farm has passed through Giannis's family for generations, and after a walk through the property and time spent milking the animals, you move into the cheese-making itself. Giannis teaches you to make kefalotiri using the exact process his father and grandfather used: no modern shortcuts, no industrial methods, just the traditional steps that have worked for decades.

Once the cheese is made, you taste it alongside other traditional Naxos cheeses, paired with wine from the farm's own vineyard. Breakfast (cheese, bread, eggs, fresh fruit) rounds out the morning. Private transport picks you up from your hotel and brings you back, so the only thing you arrange is showing up ready to work.

What’s included

• Private transport from your hotel.
• breakfast with cheese, bread, eggs and fresh fruit.
• instruction in traditional cheese-making.
• animal milking.
• tasting of farm cheeses with wine from the vineyard.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 16:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (17 to 75 years) · Youth (13 to 16 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Naxos luxury transport

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to work with your hands and learn a skill you can't pick up anywhere else. The appeal is in doing the work yourself, not watching someone else do it. The 3.5-hour length fits a morning or early afternoon without eating up your whole day on the island.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 16 years); Child (5 to 12 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I make during the cheese-making class?

You make kefalotiri, a traditional Naxos cheese, using the same methods Giannis's family has used for generations. Giannis walks you through each step, and you do the work yourself under his instruction.

How long does the whole experience take?

The farm experience runs 3.5 hours from start to finish, including the farm tour, animal milking, cheese-making, and the tasting with breakfast.

Is transport included, or do I need to arrange my own way there?

Private transport is included. Pickup happens from your hotel or accommodation in Naxos, and the driver brings you back after the experience ends.

What's included in the tasting after we make the cheese?

You taste the kefalotiri you made along with other traditional cheeses from Naxos, accompanied by wine from the farm vineyard. Breakfast (cheese, bread, eggs, and fresh fruit) is also part of the experience.