Flavours of Northern Greece

A delicious (and extensive) breakfast awaits! All products here are locally sourced so there will always be an array of mouth-watering home-made dishes on offer, including traditional pies and confits.

This morning you will learn a little of the history and culture of this lovely village. You'll discover why there are so many fine mansions here and hear a little about the magnificent Saint Nicholas Church.

Your midday break will be accompanied by a high quality 'tsipouro'. This is a strong distilled spirit, usually offered as an aperitif, and accompanied by olives, fresh onions, cucumbers and various local meze (nibbles).

This afternoon you'll visit the Arcturos Environmental Sanctuary, a short distance from the village. Brown bears, which have been rescued from poor captive conditions, live out their remaining years in this natural environment.

Dinner this evening very much depends on the weather and season! Enjoy an atmospheric dinner 1500m above sea level - this was a noble Nivestian (from Nymfaio) activity, particularly when the weather was good. Locally sourced food, cooked with meraki (an combination of love and skill), in breathtaking surroundings. 

This morning you'll disappear off to the nearby forests for a spot of truffle or mushroom foraging & afterwards, learn how to cook a heavenly delicacy.

A new taste experience today - Greek coffee with a spoon sweet, a sweet preserve, served on a spoon as a gesture of hospitality in Greece.

This afternoon will be a VIP wine tasting at the Alpha estate, the biggest winery in Greece. During the wine tasting session you'll sample more than 14 different wines!

This evening's dinner will be at “Kontosoros” Restaurant/Taverna. The late Nikos Kontosoros - owner and chef - had been running one of the best restaurants in Greece off the tourist trail but just a stone’s throw away from where you will be staying. His wife and daughter have now taken over the taverna, determined to protect his unique approach to re-inventing traditional Greek recipes. Dinner at Kontosoros makes for a truly unforgettable tasting experience. 

Later this evening you may wish to go star-gazing - it can be quite an experience up in the mountains, with almost non-existent light pollution. You'll have assistance from a local stargazing club.

This morning's food workshop concentrates on local herbs and spices or pie making (season dependent) and, for your midday break, you'll enjoy the fruits of your labour - a piece or two of local pie and a cup of herbal tea. Not to worry though if the results aren’t as expected - there will be a 'proper' one available just in case!

A spot of free time to have a wander around the village before a mid afternoon visit to Domaine Karanika and dinner (a variety of mezes).  Domaine Karanika produces the finest quality sparkling wines in its organic/ biodynamic vineyards in harmony with nature & has received plaudits from many wine connoisseurs.

This evening you have the chance to learn how to move to the rhythm of Greek music and celebrate life the way Greeks do with a Greek dancing lesson!

Depart for Kastoria and your new accommodation for the next two nights- Orologopoulos Guesthouse. The old mansion of the Orologopoulos family (the first elected mayor of Kastoria) was built in the 19th century & has been lovingly restored. It's located in the historical district of Doltso and gives the feeling of travelling back in time. 

Enjoy tsipouro and mezes before heading off on your guided tour of Byzantine Kastoria. The Belgian historian Henri Grégoire once said “if the Byzantine tradition is ever lost, the city of Kastoria is enough to recover it.” The tour will take you from the Neolithic era, through classical antiquity, the Byzantine era to modern day Kastoria and you will round off this fascinating afternoon by having dinner by the lake. Kastoria is known for its traditional dishes with fresh seasonal ingredients, like pork hock, pork or boar with plums and raisins, sarmadakia (stuffed cabbage roll) and sundried tomato rissoles. 

Return to your guesthouse to freshen up before seeing Kastoria by night (first drink is on the house!)

Breakfast is traditional at the Orologopoulos Guesthouse and Sideris, the owner, takes great pride in his homemade pies and local cheeses. After breakfast you'll depart for the Prespa Lakes, the two highest tectonic lakes in the Balkans. 

Your guided tour will take you to the northmost Greek village of Psarades, where you’ll catch a boat to hermitages and retreats with frescoes painted on the steep rocks.

Following your visit you can relax and enjoy a local herbal tea or a Greek coffee with spoon sweet before visiting the watermill in Agios Germanos.

Out of 20 watermills in Prespes’ region, the watermill in the village of Agios Germanos is the only one which has been fully restored. This is a “living monument” of the region’s industrial heritage and produces flour, which in turn enhances and supports traditional occupations in the village and the cultivation of organic cereal crops in the surrounding area. 

Dinner this evening will be in Mikrolimni village by the Small Prespa Lake at a traditional taverna, run by a family that takes visitors on a simple, yet delicious local produce trip.

This morning you will leave for Thessaloniki, arriving around lunchtime. Time therefore for a frappe coffee with “Koulouri” (traditional Greek pretzel with sesame seeds) or “Bougatsa” (a warm and crunchy pastry like a custard pie.)

This afternoon is devoted to the 'Thessaloniki City Secrets Tour'. You'll be taken to the thriving food and culture spots of Thessaloniki. Throughout the tour you will enjoy stories about Greek culture, customs and traditions and immerse yourself in local life, while taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the different areas of the city. 

Your farewell dinner will be at one of the most authentic restaurants in the city overlooking Thermaikos bay, renowned for its beautiful sunset views.

After dinner you might like to partake in an evening stroll along the longest esplanade in the Balkans to get a feeling of the urban pulse, while merging with the locals. A way to live and breathe the greatest city in Northern Greece.

Breakfast at your hotel with locally sourced produce. You will then be taken to the airport or you can choose to extend your stay in the city or nearby.