Cretan cuisine is supreme
Heraklion, the capital of Crete, may clearly be a place of history and culture, but it is also a city of flavours. In the narrow streets of the city centre, in the markets, in the kafenia (traditional coffee-house), and in the modern restaurants, you will discover a land that honours its gastronomic tradition and is creatively evolving Mediterranean cuisine.
Heraklion is part of the UNESCO Creative City Network in the Field of Gastronomy, as an ambassador of Cretan cuisine and of the excellent products of the Cretan land. From olive oil and wine to herbs, cheeses, and fresh vegetables, the philosophy of the Cretan diet expresses the momentum of the place. It is simple, authentic, and deeply connected to nature. At its restaurants and small meze taverns, you can try flavours such as pilafi (fluffy rice cooked in stock), chochlii (snails), apaki (marinated and smoked pork), kalitsounia (small savoury or sweet pies) and dakos (rusk-based salad), all prepared with respect for the ingredients and tradition.
Follow the gastronomic routes of Heraklion from the bustling city market to the surrounding villages, where tradition meets creative cuisine. Wine tourism is booming, with wineries open to visitors in the vineyards of Peza, Archanes, and elsewhere, offering wine tastings and authentic hospitality experiences.
Heraklion is a city that celebrates flavour in every season — at local product festivals, cooking workshops, and outdoor festivals, where music, wine, and people become one. Come and taste the Cretan way of life in all its glory.
Heraklion is part of the UNESCO Creative City Network in the Field of Gastronomy, as an ambassador of Cretan cuisine and of the excellent products of the Cretan land. From olive oil and wine to herbs, cheeses, and fresh vegetables, the philosophy of the Cretan diet expresses the momentum of the place. It is simple, authentic, and deeply connected to nature. At its restaurants and small meze taverns, you can try flavours such as pilafi (fluffy rice cooked in stock), chochlii (snails), apaki (marinated and smoked pork), kalitsounia (small savoury or sweet pies) and dakos (rusk-based salad), all prepared with respect for the ingredients and tradition.
Follow the gastronomic routes of Heraklion from the bustling city market to the surrounding villages, where tradition meets creative cuisine. Wine tourism is booming, with wineries open to visitors in the vineyards of Peza, Archanes, and elsewhere, offering wine tastings and authentic hospitality experiences.
Heraklion is a city that celebrates flavour in every season — at local product festivals, cooking workshops, and outdoor festivals, where music, wine, and people become one. Come and taste the Cretan way of life in all its glory.
