Naxos Farm & Wood-Fire Cooking Class: Cook with Grandmother

Collect eggs, pick vegetables, cook over fire, dance Greek-style

A farm experience and wood-fire cooking class on a family-owned farm near Melanes village, where you collect eggs and seasonal produce, then cook traditional Naxian recipes with the family's grandmother. The afternoon includes lunch, local wine and raki, Naxian cheeses, and optional traditional dancing and plate-smashing; the farm is 10 minutes from Naxos town with parking and easy access.

The Experience

The farm sits a short drive from Naxos town, near the village of Melanes. You start by meeting the animals—chickens, rabbits, pigs, peacocks—and collecting that morning's eggs yourself. From there you walk through the olive groves to learn how the trees are tended and taste the farm's own extra virgin olive oil, then move into the potato fields to see the famous Naxian potato growing, and sample whatever seasonal fruit is ripe on the trees. This is not a tour of the farm; you are gathering the ingredients for lunch.

In the afternoon you cook over a wood fire with the family's grandmother, preparing dishes from what you just collected. The menu includes a Naxian omelet, zucchini balls and tzatziki, fried potatoes, mixed vegetables roasted in the wood oven, a main dish like briam or gemista, Greek salad, and fried yraviera cheese wrapped in filo with honey and sesame. You eat together with local Naxian wine and raki, and taste a variety of Naxian cheeses. If you want to, the day ends with traditional Naxian dancing and plate-smashing.

The whole experience runs about four hours. Coffee and tea are included, and there is a large parking lot at the farm. The farm is accessible and welcomes service animals.

What’s included

• Farm animal interaction and egg collection.
• olive grove and potato field walk with tastings.
• seasonal fruit sampling and extra virgin olive oil.
• wood-fire cooking class with grandmother preparing traditional Naxian recipes.
• lunch with Naxian wine, raki, and cheese variety.
• coffee and tea.
• large parking lot and easy farm access.

Good to know

Infant seats availablePets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Perivoli Naxian Farm Experience

Is this one for you?You cook the food yourself over the wood fire rather than watching a demonstration, which means you leave knowing how to make these dishes at home. Book this if you want a hands-on afternoon where you gather the ingredients and prepare lunch together, not a tour of someone else's kitchen.

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Top questions

What animals will I see and handle on the farm?

The farm keeps chickens, rabbits, pigs, and peacocks, and you collect the day's freshly laid eggs as part of the experience.

What will I actually cook in the wood-fire class?

You cook traditional Naxian recipes including a Naxian omelet, zucchini balls, tzatziki, fried potatoes, mixed vegetables roasted in the wood oven, and a main dish such as briam or gemista, finishing with fried yraviera cheese wrapped in filo with honey and sesame.

Is the farm close to Naxos town, or do I need to arrange transport?

The farm is 10 minutes from Naxos town by car, and there is a large parking lot on-site; you will need your own transport to reach it.

What local foods and drinks are included?

Lunch includes Naxian wine, raki, a variety of Naxian cheeses, and all the dishes you cook together; coffee and tea are also provided.

Can I do the cooking myself, or do I watch the grandmother cook?

You cook together with the grandmother over the wood fire, preparing the dishes from the ingredients you collected earlier in the day.

Is there dancing and plate-smashing, or is that optional?

Traditional Naxian dancing and plate-smashing are offered at the end of the day if you want to join in; they are not mandatory.