Wine Tasting in Crete: 7 Premium Wines in Mountain Villages

Seven wines, olive groves, and a cellar tour in the Cretan mountains

A wine tasting activity in Crete where you taste 7 premium Cretan wines or 4 exclusive wines paired with local cheese and delicacies at a vineyard surrounded by olive trees. Your guide drives you by minibus from your hotel to the village, leads you through the vineyard and open-air wine museum, then walks you through the cellar before the tasting begins. The experience lasts around four hours and includes water, paximadi and olives during the tasting.

The experience

Your driver picks you up by air-conditioned minibus within 15 kilometers of Hersonissos and drives into the mountains to reach a working vineyard. The route takes you away from the coast and into villages where the vines grow. Once there, a professional guide walks you through the vineyard itself, then through an open-air wine museum built on the property, and finally down into the cellar where the wines are stored. This sequence (the vines, the history, the production) frames what comes next.

The tasting happens at a table surrounded by olive trees. You choose between two options at checkout: either 7 premium Cretan wines, each one explained by your guide so you understand the grape variety and the terroir it comes from, or 4 exclusive wines paired with selected Cretan cheese and six Cretan delicacies. Both tastings include water, paximadi (hard bread) and olives. The guide stays with you throughout, walking you through each wine's character and how the indigenous grapes express themselves in the glass.

The minibus returns you to your hotel at the end. Minimum age is 18 years old. The activity runs in all weather, so bring layers or rain gear depending on the season.

What’s included

• Minibus pickup and drop-off within 15km of Hersonissos.
• air-conditioned transportation.
• guided vineyard, open-air wine museum and cellar tour.
• either 7 premium Cretan wines or 4 exclusive wines with cheese and delicacies.
• water, paximadi and olives during the tasting.
• personal local driver and guide.
• insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Premium wine tasting, seven stopsGuide in English · No fixed timeTransfer is included from Kokkini Chani to Malia; not included from Heraklion, Sissi and Milatos (20€ per person, paid to the driver). Personal local driver/guide, private: only your booking. Lunch is not included, but time to stop for lunch is provided. Pickup is included.

Exclusive Wine TastingGuide in English · No fixed timeTransfer is included from Kokkini Chani to Malia; not included from Heraklion, Sissi and Milatos (20€ per person, paid to the driver). Personal local driver/guide, private: only your booking. Lunch is included, featuring selected Cretan cheese and 6 Cretan delicacies. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayLast departure this season: 31 Oct

AgesAdult (18 to 95 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Eye travel

Is this one for you?Choose the 7 Premium Wine Tasting if you want to explore the full range of Cretan indigenous grapes with detailed guidance on each one. Pick the Exclusive option if you prefer a smaller selection paired with local cheese and delicacies in a more intimate setting among the olive trees.

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Top questions

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's the difference between the two wine tasting options?

The 7 Premium Wine Tasting focuses on the full range of Cretan wines with professional guidance on each one. The Exclusive Wine Tasting pairs 4 wines with selected Cretan cheese and six local delicacies, creating a more intimate pairing experience under the olive trees.

Does the price include pickup from my hotel?

Pickup and drop-off are included if your hotel is within 15 kilometers of Hersonissos. Pickup from Heraklion, Sissi or Milatos is not included in this activity.

What happens during the vineyard tour before the tasting?

Your guide leads you through the working vineyard to see the vines, then through an open-air wine museum on the property that explains Cretan wine history and production, and finally into the cellar where the wines are stored and aged.

Is lunch included in this activity?

Lunch is not included. The tasting comes with water, paximadi and olives, but no full meal. The Exclusive Wine Tasting option does pair wines with cheese and delicacies.

How long does the whole experience take?

The activity runs for around four hours from pickup to drop-off, including the vineyard and cellar tour, the tasting, and travel time to and from your hotel.