FOOD & HISTORICAL TOUR (Full Day)

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 11:11:01 +0000

This is a special food tour combining historical sites and food tasting, designed and conducted by an archaeologist, tour guide and cook! Keep in mind that most food tours are not given by licensed guides and never include visits to archaeological sites.

We will try several local delicacies but there is no way we could try the entire Greek cuisine in a few hours…!

Step 1

We will start by getting to know the city and its history, we will discover a hidden creek dating back to ancient times near the street of the souvenir-shops, we will talk about the ‘Greek eye’ aka ‘evil eye’ and from there we’ll head to a beautiful traditional kafenío.

Step 2

We will take a look at old artifacts on display at the kafenío, we will talk about the history of Greek coffee (who came up with it after all?) and we will have our coffee prepared in an almost obsolete traditional way. It is served with a loukoumi sweet on the side!

Step 3

We return to Monastiraki through the street of the gyros restaurants, a renowned Greek street-food (or not) that we will talk about, and then we’ll taste a koulouri in front of the Flea Market.

Step 4

Passing from the ancient Library of Hadrian, we will get to the market of Ancient Athens, namely the Agora. We will visit the best-preserved temple in Greece, the Stoa of Attalos and its beautiful concise museum, which will allow us to talk about the everyday life of the ancient Athenians and their eating habits, and we will see where souvlaki began!

Step 5

Wandering the streets of the Flea Market, we will drink the Greek raki mixed with honey.

Step 6

Then we will enter the off-the-beaten-track quarter of Psirri. Discovering this neighborhood we will try the bougatsa with feta cheese and cream fillings.

Step 7

On our way to the spice shops area, we will encounter two historical Orthodox churches, and then we’ll have the chance to smell and buy natural soaps, also made from olive oil.

Step 8

Our next stop is an old shop with traditional cold cuts and different kinds of cheese, where we will try a variety of those.

Step 9

A few meters from there awaits a well-kept secret of old Athens: a traditional subterranean tavérna. Our next destination is the Vegetables and Fruit Market and of course a tasting of the world-famous Greek olives!

Step 10

Right across the street, we have local herbs (rosemary, oregano and more) and that’s when we enter the Fish and Meat Market aka Varvakios, an experience for seasoned travelers.

Step 11

From there, we arrive at a shop with products from Greece’s largest island: Crete. We will get acquainted with local pasta products, the dakos rusk and the delicious traditional xinochondros. We will try Greek sodas such as the gazoza or the more peculiar masticha.

Step 12

Walking on Eolou Street, one of Athens’ oldest commercial streets, we will try a traditional sweet called loukoumades served with honey and cinnamon.

Step 13

Then we’ll pass from the City Hall Square, where one can see an ancient avenue lined with tombs. We will stop at a famous coffee shop, where you will get the chance to buy fresh-cut Greek coffee and have a look at other local products.

Step 14

A few steps further we will finally have the opportunity to prepare our very own tzatziki sauce and taste it with the traditional souvlaki, which is chunks of meat wrapped in pita bread.

Step 15

Passing from Omonia Square, with the biggest fountain in Athens, we will arrive at our last stop: a traditional pastry shop! Here we can taste the best original Greek yogurt, the anthogalo (literally ‘milk flower’), the rizogalo (rise pudding) or the galaktoboureko (dessert of semolina custard with phyllo).

There is no best way to finish our tour in Athens and to look back at what we’ve seen and tasted in this rich in history city!

Omonia Square – Your Guide in Greece