Crete: Olive Oil, Soap, Wine, Raki - Flavorful Culinary Journey

Fab experience all round. Plenty to see and taste with a chance to buy some goodies at each location. No admission fees, all included in the price (including lunch). The mini bus i was in could fit 8 passengers (not including the driver) Lovely people, would deffo do again xx

Great experience, tour is very welcoming and you don't feel like a bother 10/10 would deffo go again xx

Great and authentic experience! We had a wonderfull driver, learned a lot about the local specialities and saw so many beautiful places. The tastings were delicous and we had such a good (even completely vegetarian) lunch! Thank you so much!

We booked this trip with Local Trips 4U on spec and the service we received from start to finish was exceptional, we will be using them again in the future. The trip started with a visit to a boutique soap factory, followed by a trip to an olive oil factory and local vineyard for tasting finished off with a delicious freshly cooked lunch at a local village. All in all a perfect day out

The tour provide for a very fun day. The soap maker was more interesting than I expected. It is amazing what that such a small operation has products world wide. The olive oil tasting and winery tastings were fun as well. Lunch was filling and delicious. The rest of the group were entertaining as well.

Had the best time! All of the stops were amazing and we learnt so much, the winery was brilliant too!

Super interesting look at several crafts on the island. Everyone involved was very welcoming and sweet. Very fun way to explore more of Crete than just the coastal cities!

This was a highlight of our 2-week vacation - highly recommended! Our amazing driver, Yanni, provided colourful descriptions of the different spots of the tour, Greek & Cretan history, and life in Crete. We learned so much at each stop and appreciated the warmth and authenticity of the local partners who shared their knowledge. For our group of 8, the tastings were well-organized, delicious, and we never felt rushed. Absolutely worth the ticket price.

My travel agent booked our tour months in advance. At 8:35 pm we received a message confirming our 9:15am pick up for the next morning. 30 mins later, at 9:05pm, we received a call canceling our tour for the next day; giving us zero notice to book something else. This was extremely disappointing considering this was the ONLY tour we booked in Crete. They stated the driver was sick. We understand things happen, but if you book with them, be prepared for them to have no back up plan and KNOW they WILL cancel with no notice.

Our travel guide was great. He was funny and fit our vibe perfectly. Had us laughing the whole time. The soap shop was just perfect and everything we have been looking for. He took us to Leo for a wine and raki experience and Leo just made us feel so at home. And his wine and raki was so smooth. The food was delicious, we had it 2 days in a row. We had the goat and chicken. Both were amazing

The locals were extremely nice people. It was great to see all of the different cultures and meet folks who produce local goods. We expected to actually see soap making, parts of wine production, some olive oil production and more bee keeping aspects. Unfortunately, we were not able to see any of this. Two of the soap makers were out the day we went so we didn’t get to see any soap being made. The bee keeper was good, but only showed us a small hive, let us taste some honey, and explained what the process usually is instead of showing us the grounds. The olive oil and winery were very similar. Both showed us a very small, external part of their business (i.e. a couple olive trees and some crushed grapes), but none of them actually engaged in any of the physical production of their goods. We never even got to see any grape vines in the vineyard. It was great to see the machines and hear about the old methods used to produce their goods, but we expected to see more action. Again, great local owners just not at all what we expected to see.

This was a very fun tour. We first stopped at a bee farm, where the proprietor showed us how to make lip balm from bee's wax. We then visited an olive oil factory and tasted three of their olive oils after a tour the production facility. The last stop was a small family owned wine production factory and distillery. There we tasted 3 wines and a shot of raki. Lunch was then provided before we were returned to our hotel. The tour lasted 6 hours, and we had a great time.

We had an informative and enjoyable day, exploring the local way of life and tasting some amazing produce. Would definitely recommend!

Favorite tour in Crete, especially if you like cultural tours! We go to learn so much about the different products produced from Crete and their history. Additionally, I was able to make purchases for souvenirs to bring back and I liked knowing that my purchases were handmade and supporting local businesses!

The visit to soap factory was interesting but we didn't get to make soap, lovely products. The olive factory is a small business nicely see. The wine tasting was good, lovely atmosphere family run. Dinner was in small taverna chicken and chips white wine or water. Unfortunately the driver did not talk to the tour would have been nice if he gave some i formation.about the island and where we were.

It was great! It was action packed, and kept it moving along! We liked the variety- soap, olive oil tasting, and adorable bee keeper, and a very friendly & welcoming family winery where we tasted 3 glasses & raki. Lastly finishing w a wonderful family style lunch at a nice Greek restaurant!! Yannis was knowledgeable and entertaining providing us w extra treats & water & his humble Greek opinions!!! Very enjoyable meeting people from other countries & sharing stories!!! Highly recommend!

We booked this tour at the last minute and we're so glad we did! Pick-up was easy, as we received a WhatsApp message the night before, confirming pick-up time, location and car reg number. It was a small group tour and there were two other couples in the minivan and they were friendly and we had a really good day after we all broke the ice and got chatting. The visit to the artisan soap factory, Helleo was really enjoyable. Thomas welcomed us and explained how they make soap. Such a lovely place. This was followed by a tour of Politakis Olive Oil Mill Experience. We were shown olive oil trees, machinery, photos and videos, which explained the process of making olive oil. This was followed by olive oil tasting: three oils which were then also mixed with balsamic vinegar. We really enjoyed this and then bought some gifts from their store. We then visited the family-owned winery and we're shown around by the lovely owner. We then enjoyed a tasting of three wines. Chatting with the other guests made this very enjoyable. After this, we went for a fantastic, late large lunch at a local restaurant. Overall, this is one of the best tours I've ever been on. The driver didn't bombard us with lots of facts, which is good as we could relax. Book and enjoy a relaxing day, chatting with other travellers.

Really good tour with soap making very interesting, oil tasting in factory and wine tasing in home setting. Also included a very good lunch in a village restaurant that you would never find if driving.

Beautiful memories from Crete

I had a great time on this tour. The tour leaders/drivers were fantastic. The locations were great, and it was really interesting to see the processes that these businesses use. But out of all that, my favourite had to be Leo, the wine maker, and his awesome collection on display in his winery

A wonderful experience! Our driver Tony was great and friendly and picked us up right on time. The first thing we did was the soap factory, which we loved. Very interesting process to learn about and they gave us a generous free gift of soap at the end. Then we went to the olive oil tour, which was also lovely. Neat to see the trees and learn about the process and taste the olive oil. We also liked the pairings at the end with the balsamic vinegar and the grape syrup, etc. very tasty. The wine and raki was very enjoyable, as well, and really cool to see their old machines as well as the huge squash they had out front! Wine was very delicious. We saw other reviews before we booked about wine not being proper temperatures and not plentiful but we were happy with it, and when we requested a little more of the one we liked (the red -delicious!) they were happy to supply another taste :) The raki was also good. A little snack of cucumber, olives, and crusty bread with tomato was also supplied. Lastly we visited the taverna for lunch, which also served more wine and raki as well as a nice meal! We were very happy to be accommodated for as vegans :) thank you! And thank you for a great Crete excursion, we feel this was a must do experience for Crete.

We had a wonderful day with Tony, who was the perfect guide. He was very informative and we learned a lot about Creatan life and he was more than willing to answer any questions.The content of the tour was great. We learned a lot about all the processes involved in making soap, olive oil and wine. Last port of call was a village taverna for lunch, Tzatziki ,Greek salad , grilled meat and fries, followed by cake. With a glass of wine and a toast of Raki to finish. We would definitely recommend this tour. Clive & Dot U.K.

Very enjoyable tour with personal touches.

This was a really nice trip. All stops were informative and had the pportunity to purchase items. It was a fun group of indivduals and the driver was definitely a positive addition to the trip! If you love food, wine and would like to learn more about the culture and what it has to offer, this is for you.

This was a very fun way to spend our day in Crete. We really enjoyed the visits to the soap factory, the olive oil factory/tasting, and the wine tasting. The trip included what was described as a light lunch .. it was a ton of food and it was delicious! Our driver (I'm sorry I forgot his name) was one of the owners of the company and he was very entertaining. I highly recommend this company!

We had an incredible experience exploring Heraklion with Yanni & Aggeliki. From start to finish, they brought a perfect blend of knowledge, warmth, and genuine care that made the entire day unforgettable. Their deep understanding of the history, culture, and hidden gems of the area truly elevated the experience—they didn’t just guide us, they brought each place to life with stories and insights we never would have discovered on our own. What stood out most was how kind, attentive, and accommodating they were. They made sure every detail was taken care of and tailored the experience so our whole family could fully enjoy it at our own pace. You can tell they are passionate about what they do and truly care about creating meaningful moments for their guests. If you’re visiting Heraklion and want a tour that feels personal, engaging, and memorable, we can’t recommend Yanni & Aggeliki enough.

Wonderful tour, Angela was a great historian and very funny. All 3 experiences and lunch was great. The people who own and run the businesses were warm and welcoming and all the products sampled were too notch. Great Comms throughout the process Highly recommend if in Crete 10/10

What a wonderful way to see how they use everything leftover from making their products. Great time making new friends and memories surrounded with the history of Crete.

I had a great time on this tour. I originally booked for a Saturday, but they informed me two days before that I was the only person scheduled. They offered a refund or alternative dates so I was able to move to Friday and complete my tour. They picked me up on time and I never felt rushed at any location. The businesses we stopped at were all very eco-conscious so it was neat to learn about their processes and see how proud they were of their family businesses. The olive oil was delicious, the wine was fresh, and the food was tasty.

It was excellent! We spent time with local businesses owners and experts in their craft of soap making, olive oil production, and wine making. It was authentic and so comfortable. Everyone feed us local wonderful foods.

Really, really good tour. Very interesting to get to understand Cretans cottage industries, how they operate, the personalities behind the businesses and their attitudes. Meal at the end was awesome too. Recommend.

Long day, but very informative from olive oil soaps to making olive oil and wine and raki tasting. Great traditional Greek lunch to wrap it all up

We had a fantastic day touring with Yanni as our driver! Every stop brought a new surprise and more fun experiences. We also enjoyed having the time to get to know the other travelers on the tour. I would highly recommend this tour!

We were picked up at our hotel right on time and had a private driver. We did meet up with others coming off of a cruise ship in another vehicle. First stop-Helleo where we were treated to a tour of their lab where they hand make olive oil soap. A detailed description of how to make soap and how it is scented. Very interesting! Second stop-the olive oil factory with a tour by the owner. Of course this came with a tasting of their oil and their honey. No one left without making a purchase. Third stop where we saw how they make raki and their vineyard for wine. We sampled raki on our arrival then went to see the grapes. Beautiful! We sampled wine, had home grown veggies and some other homemade raki drinks. All were so good. We did a little Greek dance and then onto a delicious lunch. This was a great day with a terrific guide sampling great wines, oils and finished off the day with an outstanding lunch that was so delicious and plentiful.

The tour was wonderful from pickup at our hotel to drop off. The exposure to how olive oil is produced along with the tasting was both informative and enjoyable. The pottery stop was not expected and was educational and awe inspiring. The raki tasting was enjoyable. The winery stop was very educational. Seeing how a small family farm operates, produces wine & raki, and use all the grapes so nothing is wasted was a highlight. The wine & raki tasting was enjoyable, but learning how to use high alcohol to produce flavorful lower alcohol raki will stay with me as I practice this process at home. Finishing off at an authentic Greek tavern for lunch, wine and more raki was a wonderful experience. Seeing how local Greeks celebrate a birthday, another group at the restaurant not our tour group, was a lot of fun.

Such a fun tour of small family owned businesses. Very informative and a small group setting is always more fun. Learned a lot about olive oil production, Raki production and wines. Also a great visit to a pottery place as well

Operator cancelled last minute. Bummer. Instead, rented bikes and went around town ourselves. Perfect day

We had a wonderful time .Yani was terrific, fun and informative with wine and great food . So worth it ! Small group , lovely people and beautiful scenery. winery, pottery and olive oil experience were all well done.would certainly recommend

Lovely tour! Our guide was wonderful! The tour included local wine and Raki tasting in a very intimate setting. The olive oil tour was informative and the oil was delicious. We enjoyed the pottery workshop, very skilled artisans. But the lunch was the highlight of the tour. The food was delicious and made you feel like someone’s YaYa had welcomed you into their kitchen for a home cooked meal. Worth every penny!

My husband and I took this 6-7 hour tour through an olive oil soap factory, olive oil mill, and grape vineyards with wine tasting. We especially enjoyed the soap factory and olive oil mill. (We purchased many souvenirs.) All three guides were knowledgeable and interesting. At the conclusion of our tours, we enjoyed a typical Cretan meal. Two tour groups were combined together at one table and it was awesome sitting together eating and chatting with people from around the world. We had a great day and we would certainly recommend this tour for adults who appreciate fine olive oils, wine, and good food.

Great itinerary, engaging local farmer & winery family businesses, excellent lunch, reliable transportation and hotel pick up was a real bonus. We also felt the tour was a good value. We would definitely recommend to others.

Overall, I'd rate this as an adequate experience. But not essential. We're wine lovers, but the wine they served wasn't chilled and it was way too hot to drink. So, we didn't really enjoy the wine. However, the raki mixed with honey plus the wine liquor were quite nice. The soap making was suprisingly interesting. The olive oil place was just okay. The included lunch was merely adequate -- the restaurant wasn't very remarkable, and we didn't get to spend time in what looked like a charming village.

What a perfect way to experience Crete. Didn't know we would get to see soap-making, but it was a great experience. The olive oil factory and winery tours and tastings were so interesting, and delicious. The lunch at the end was a perfect way to cap off the day. Our driver Tony was friendly and fun to talk to, and picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. Cannot recommend this experience enough. One tiny thing, wish there was a little more communication in advance. Didn't hear any confirmation, pick-up time, etc. until the night before, after I sent a message thru Viator. Didn't detract from the day at all though, we had an amazing time.

We loved this tour! We were worried this would be just about selling products from the three stops, but it was so much more! As others have said, the passion and genuineness of the makers/farmers we met really stuck with us and gave us such a wonderful taste of what real people are like on Crete! We were only on Crete for a day, but this was the perfect way to get an introduction to the island! Our driver was awesome and told us all about village life and traditions as we drove to our stops. The fellows at the soap company were such a delight! It was quite interesting and I loved their passion! Same with the Olive Oil producer. He was such a delight (and the olive oil was some of the best I’ve ever had - including many tastings in Tuscany!) The wine tasting stop was lovely and picturesque- we enjoyed that as well. The best part though, if I’m honest, was the lunch stop at the small taverna. It was the best lamb we had on our 20 days in Greece! Wish I would have gotten the name so we can revisit on a future trip! (We decided to return to Crete next year for a longer stay of 9 nights because this tour made us fall in love with Crete!)

Great experience and learned a lot about the processes to make soap, olive oil, Raki and wine. Guide was fun and shared much about the Greek/Crete culture. Overall, we highly recommend this excellent tour.

Very good from start to finish, soap making, olive and wine tasting was exceptional. Went on a couple before and this one was the best. Had 8 all together in two vans. Perfect size group.

Our guide was personable and very knowledgeable on a wide variety of Cretan subjects! Tour started with a visit to a boutique soap making business, an Olive Mill, a Winery and then lunch in a village. Enjoyed all but believe the Tour would have been better with a visit to a more main stream Winery since we did not think the wines were high quality.

Great guide Tony Very interesting and informative tours Soap tour was good. Learn a lot about olive process.

Great day with thoughtful planning and tasty experiences Our driver reached out via WhatsApp before pickup, sharing the car details and license plate—very reassuring. He arrived on time, was polite, opened doors, and kept us informed throughout the day with insights about the itinerary, local attractions, and even the buildings we passed. It would've helped to get clearer instructions on how to let him know when we were ready to leave each stop. The handicrafts were lovely—though small ceramic coasters would’ve been easier to pack. The olive grove tour was impressively detailed; we’d have liked more info on how olive oil is graded and what makes it “extra virgin.” Wine tasting was a highlight—fun and informative—but the winery’s hygiene raised some concerns. Lunch at the taverna was delicious and generous. The olives were outstanding! More grilled vegetables would’ve been great for vegetarians.