Know someone heading to Greece who loves wine? A bottle is gone in an evening. An afternoon at the winery where it's made, tasting grapes they've never heard of with the family that grows them, is the part of the trip they'll talk about. Here are experiences in Crete, Athens and the Peloponnese you can book for someone else, with the full price shown upfront.
How to give an experience as a gift
- Pick the experience and a date. Check their travel dates first, or ask casually which days they're free.
- Book a place for everyone going. Many experiences charge less for children, and some let them in free.
- Pass on the details. The booking confirmation email has everything they need to find the place.
- Plans changed? Move the date. From the booking page you can switch to another available date at no cost, up to the deadline shown on the experience.
Crete: for the serious wine lover
8-wine tasting at Diamantakis Winery (€40 per person). Four of the winery's best-known labels side by side with four experimental wines, led by the in-house sommelier, plus a cellar tour and a cheese platter. The winery sits in Kato Asites, on the slopes of Mount Psiloritis.
5-wine tasting at Efrosini Winery in Dafnes (€20 per person). An organic winery with a particular focus on Liatiko, Crete's native red grape. A good pick for someone who'd rather go deep on one variety than taste a bit of everything.
Crete: for a couple
Vineyard picnic at DAF Wines in Dafnes (€65 per person). A short walk through the vines to a quiet, shaded spot, a basket of Cretan food and a bottle of their choice. Book a late-afternoon slot and they'll catch the sunset over the vineyard.
Wine and food pairing at DAF Wines (€49 per person). Cretan cheeses, vegetables and dishes, each matched with one of the family's wines.
Wine tasting and Cretan lunch at Digenakis Art Winery (€69 per person). Five wines with a full Cretan menu, regular or vegan, a few minutes from the Palace of Knossos, in a winery that doubles as an art gallery. Easy to pair with a morning at Knossos.
Near Athens
Wine tasting at Liepouris Winery in Keratea (€35 per person). A family winery founded in 1935, a short drive from Athens airport, best known for Savatiano, the classic white grape of Attica. A good first or last afternoon of a Greece trip.
Wine and olive oil tasting at Liepouris Winery (€50 per person). Wines and the family's extra virgin olive oil, close enough to Cape Sounion to finish the day at the Temple of Poseidon.
For the food lover
Cretan charcuterie and cheese tasting in Galatas, near Heraklion (€30 per person, minimum two). Four of the Kassakis family's handmade cured meats with four local cheeses and a glass of Cretan wine.
6-wine tasting with local food at Diamantakis Winery (€30 per person). Six wines with Cretan cheeses, olive oil and small plates, and the basics of pairing explained as you go.
Traditional pie-making in Arcadia (€70 per person, minimum two). Pick greens in the garden, roll out pastry by hand and bake a pie in a wood-fired oven, in the mountain village of Psari in the Peloponnese. Three hours.
For olive oil fans and makers
Olive oil tasting at Sparta Gourmet near Sparta (€24 per person, minimum two). A food chemist explains how olives become oil and how to tell a good one.
Soap-making workshop at Athos Workshop in Angeliana, near Rethymno (€40 per person, minimum two). An off-grid family workshop where you learn about Cretan herbs and make your own soap with organic olive oil.
Small gifts under €20
- 5-wine tasting at Diamantakis Winery, Heraklion, €15. Children go free.
- 3-wine tasting at Efrosini Winery, Heraklion, €15. Children go free.
- 5-wine tasting with Cretan bites at DAF Wines, Heraklion, €18.
- Winery tour and 6 wines at Oraia Gi, Pieria, €10. An organic winery looking out to Mount Olympus.
- Olive grove visit at Lilanto Estate, Evia, €10.
FAQ
Can I book for someone else?
Yes. You book and pay, choose how many people are going, and pass the confirmation on. If the date stops working for them, you can move it from the booking page at no cost.
Do they need to know about wine?
Not at all. Every tasting is guided, and the people pouring explain what's in the glass and how it was made.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Each experience page shows the final price for your group, including any child discount, before you pay.
What if they don't drink?
Go for olive oil, the soap workshop or the pie-making class in Arcadia. Or pick a tasting where the designated driver can still enjoy the food.