Syros: Greek Island Cooking Class & Villa Feast with Wine

Summary

Greek island flavors hands-on at a 19th-century villa kitchen

You’ll cook classic Greek dishes side by side with locals in a sunlit villa kitchen on Syros. Taste wild herb tea, roll vine leaf pies, share stories over homemade starters and mains in a leafy courtyard—and if you want, sample regional wines and cheeses too. It’s hands-on but relaxed, leaving you full in more ways than one.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed stepping into Villa Maria in Ermoupolis was the way the morning light hit the old tiles—sort of golden and dusty, like something out of a faded postcard. Our host, Eleni, handed me a mug of herbal tea (she said it was wild sage and mountain thyme from Syros itself), and honestly, it smelled like summer after rain. I’m not usually a tea person but this one made me pause. She started talking about how Greek food is really just family stories told through recipes—her hands moved a lot as she spoke, which made it easier to follow her accent.

We got right into chopping and kneading in the villa’s kitchen—no fancy chef hats or anything, just aprons and laughter when someone (me) tried to say “kolokithopita” without butchering it. The menu changed with the season; today we did vine leaf pies stuffed with yogurt and herbs, courgette pie with mint and goat cheese, plus these tomatoes packed with rice and pine nuts. Eleni showed us how to roll the vine leaves so they don’t fall apart (I still messed up my first two). She kept sneaking little tastes our way—smoked aubergine spread on bread that tasted like campfire smoke and walnuts. It’s funny how food can be both new and weirdly comforting at once.

Lunch happened out in the shaded courtyard under some tangled vines. There were plates everywhere—starters, main dishes, even an orange-cinnamon halva for dessert that was sticky and sweet but not heavy. If you want, you can add this wine & cheese tasting; I did, because why not? Turns out Greek wines aren’t all retsina (thank god)—there was a white that tasted almost salty from some tiny island vineyard I’d never heard of. Eleni poured each glass herself and told us where every cheese came from; she laughed when I tried to pronounce “graviera.”

I didn’t expect to feel so at home so quickly—maybe it’s something about the pace here or just how everyone sits together for hours without checking their phones much. Walking back through Ermoupolis after, I could still smell lemon on my fingers from zesting for the milk pie. Even now I catch myself thinking about that courtyard table and how easy it felt to belong there for an afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Traditional Greek cooking class and feast

• Meet at Villa Maria guesthouse
• Enjoy herbal tea with wild herbs
• Learn about Greek culinary tradition
• Start hands-on cooking class
• Prepare starters, pie, salad, main, dessert
• Option for vegan or vegetarian menu
• Share feast in shaded courtyard
• Optional wine and cheese tasting

Top questions

Where does the cooking class take place?

The class is usually held at Villa Maria in Ermoupolis; for small groups it may move to a country home in Finikas (10km away), with transport arranged.

What dishes will we learn to cook?

You’ll make several Greek dishes such as split peas puree, courgette pie with goat cheese, vine leaf pies with herbs, stuffed tomatoes/peppers with rice and pine nuts, plus dessert.

Is there a vegetarian or vegan option?

Yes, you can choose a vegetarian or vegan menu; menus vary by season.

How long does the class last?

The cooking class lasts around 4 hours including the meal afterwards.

Is wine tasting included?

Wine & cheese tasting is optional for an extra €45 per person; otherwise only the meal is included.

Are children or infants allowed?

Yes—specialized infant seats are available if needed.

How do we get to Finikas if needed?

If your group is less than 4 people and the class moves to Finikas (10km from Ermoupolis), transport will be arranged for you.

Will we eat what we cook?

Yes—all participants share a full meal made from what you’ve cooked together in the class.

What’s included

Your day includes a four-hour hands-on Greek cooking class at Villa Maria or occasionally at a country home near Finikas (with transport provided if needed), all ingredients for seven different seasonal dishes prepared together step-by-step, herbal tea on arrival, your shared meal in either a shaded courtyard or garden overlooking the bay—and if you like, you can add an optional wine & cheese tasting featuring local varieties before heading back into town feeling pretty content.