When you arrive at Helleo, you’ll meet Manos, Stelios and their team and get a short introduction to the lab and the soapmaking process. You’ll see the tools and ingredients they use — from their family’s extra-virgin olive oil to herbs, fruits, clays and fragrances — and discover how these become handmade soap. Then it’s your turn. Choose your ingredients, texture and fragrance, mix your blend and pour it into your mould, with the Helleo team guiding you through each step. Your soap is ready to take home at the end of the workshop, together with your personal Soapmaker’s Card and Blend ID. Before leaving, you can browse the Helleo concept store, featuring handmade soaps, natural fragrances, ceramics and other creations made at the lab. And if you’d like to take it one step further, scan your Soapmaker’s Card and submit your creation to the Helleo Soapmakers’ Collection.
A very quaint store with friendly staff! It was informative and we were amazed on how they make the soaps with minimal mechanical tools. If you enjoy all natural soaps made with love this is your place!
What a lovely change of pace! We were able to help make one of their signature soaps and learn more about the overall process. We even got to pick out soundtrack for the workshop from the record collection, we chose Fly on the Wall by AC/DC. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. They’re dedicated to being as sustainable as possible as well. You can tell they’ve put a lot of time, care, and effort into each product they make and the overall lifecycle of it. If they can’t make/grow the products themselves, they try to source them from other local farmers around Greece. Would definitely recommend checking it out!
Such a lovely and unique experience! The soap-making workshop was hands-on, relaxing, and very well organized. The hosts were warm and passionate, and I loved learning about natural soap making and local Cretan ingredients. A perfect activity if you want to experience something authentic and creative during your trip to Crete. Highly recommended!
We had an amazing experience with Helleo’s soapmaking tour in Crete. What makes this experience special is that it’s not just a workshop — it feels like an authentic introduction to Cretan culture, tradition, and craftsmanship. The space is beautifully designed, the atmosphere is warm and personal, and the hosts are incredibly knowledgeable and welcoming. You can immediately feel the passion behind the project. The soapmaking process itself was fascinating, hands-on, and surprisingly meditative. We also loved learning about olive oil, local ingredients, and the philosophy behind natural skincare traditions in Crete. Everything felt thoughtful, high-quality, and genuinely authentic — not touristy at all. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a more meaningful and refined experience while visiting Crete.
Me and my friends had a wonderful experience at this Soapmaking Experience! The guys were totally friendly, welcoming and very explanatory throughout the whole activity. It was fascinating to learn about the benefits of natural handmade soaps and the use of fresh Cretan ingredients. A truly authentic and enjoyable experience for anyone interested in sustainability, local traditions and handmade crafts. We loved Helleo, highly recommended!
Very clean space, really friendly hosts and wonderfully smelling place (obviously!). Also really informative tour about soap. Really makes you want to try it at home. Overall a wonderful experience, thank you guys!
Wonderful experience, very fun business making natural soaps with local Crete ingredients, friendly people, great conversation, inspiring and unique.
The Sustainable soapmaking tour by Helleo was such a unique and inspiring experience - creative, hands-on, and full of heart. The hosts were incredibly welcoming and passionate about sustainability, guiding us through the fascinating world of natural soap-making and sharing their local expertise with warmth and enthusiasm. The location was ideal - peaceful and well situated just outside Heraklion, close to Knossos yet away from the city bustle. We were especially enchanted by the beautiful handmade olive oil soaps - so pure, fragrant, and crafted with the purest ingredients, real care, and purpose. A truly special experience that captures the authentic spirit of Crete 🌿
A truly delightful behind the scenes glimpse at the sensory magic involved in artisinal soap making. It was a pleasure to spend the morning with Zakos, equal parts knowledgeable and amicable--an outstanding guide. The infectious enthusiasm of Stelios and Manos further endowed the tour with notes of inspiration. Both their holisitc take on cultivation/production and its realisation in the Cretan wilds left a mark even their excellent soaps are unlikely to suceed in removing!
A very personalised process led by two very welcoming and friendly owners of this amazing company. We’ve managed to create a new product that they liked and will continue producing for commercial purposes
The guys at Helleo were so welcoming and passionate with introducing us to their world of natural, handmade soaps. It was very cool to experience the process whilst having a go at creating a small batch, playing around with different high quality, locally grown plant ingredients. The location as well is also quite close to Knossos so tying the two activities together is highly recommended. After as well, they were even so lovely to assist me with recommendations for the rest of my trip in Greece! It was so greatly appreciated, thank you again!
Really insightful experience learning about the natural ingredients that make up these wonderful soaps. The team were really friendly and generous. Overall a really worth while visit
These guys rock! I got curious and stopped by their lab after hearing about them, and honestly didn’t expect what I saw. Even though soap sounds kinda old-school, helleo lab is one of the freshest places I’ve ever been. Not just the space (which looks awesome btw), but mostly because of Stelios, Zachos & Manos — super chill, friendly guys, always up for a chat and some laughs. Really enjoyed my time there, the tour was fun and interesting, and I’ll definitely swing by again just to say hi and get some good vibes!
This is a great experience for anyone who loves local products, plants, and natural soaps! Manos, Stelios and Zachos are enthusiastic and very knowledgeable in their craft - it was so interesting to see how they create high quality soaps using traditional ingredients and methods. It was a perfect opportunity to buy some gifts to bring home! It's only a short drive from Heraklion city and from Knossos, so don't miss it!
I visited Helleo Lab for a soapmaking tour and i was kind of surprised! Manos, Stelios, and Zachos were incredibly welcoming and they sharing their inspiring philosophy of sustainability. It was really nice hearing their story on how it all started and how they managed to combine farming with soapmaking. Watching them create beautiful natural soaps from their family's olive oil was fascinating. Ι left also with a few freshly made soaps that smell divine! If you’re in Heraklion or plan to visit Knossos Palace which is nearby, i would highly suggest you to visit them!
The guys that run the place are super friendly and nice. Instantly likeable :) Wish you guys all best, your soaps rock! The course is a nice introduction to soap making, was super informative and very interesting till the end. I would go again just to see the guys P.S. We are still waiting for Manos (hope its spelled correctly) to arrive :)
I am really enthusiastic about the handmade soaps. The selection is beautiful, the scents are pleasant, and you notice the quality immediately. Everything seems to be made with love and great care. The service was also very friendly and warm. You can tell that a lot of value is placed on natural and high-quality products here. I would love to come back and can absolutely recommend the shop.
The Helleo laboratory space is very beautiful and tidy, it has a special aesthetic that inspires you. The tour of the premises is informative and you understand how pure and special soaps they make. Manos, Stelios, and Thomas are very friendly and hospitable, you feel like at home. Anyone who visits Helleo will have a unique experience.
Very good, very welcome. The team is very nice and welcoming. We feel good in the shop, the smell of soaps is indescribable. A very good experience!
Great visit! The 3 artisans who run the workshop are passionate and exciting! They transmit their knowledge with pedagogy and enthusiasm. We witnessed the manufacture of soap, could smell the different ingredients harvested on their farm or at neighboring producers, touch the products... The price is very competitive for the quality of the welcome and explanations. We recommend!
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