Greece: Evia Culture and Cuisine Tour

Greece: Evia Culture and Cuisine Tour -September 2010
Website and Bookings: www.evia-cuisine.com

“Since prehistoric times, the sun-blessed Greek land generously offered its fortunate inhabitants an exceptionally good quality of produce, so that they could develop the nutritional need of the human body into a sensitive science and art”
T. Tolis, Greek chef, Introduction to Greek Cooking: Traditional Recipes




Evia (Eubeoa), the second largest Greek island after Crete, is home to New Zealand born Naturalised Greek Annie Apgar and New Zealand ex-pat. Jude Collins. Annie has lived in Greece for almost thirty years and for the past twelve has been leading tours specialising in showing visitors the unknown areas of her adopted country. For the past ten years Jude has been living between Greece and New Zealand. She spends the European summer working for an English tour company leading tours worldwide. Combining their expertise they have put together a tour that will highlight the best Evia has to offer. Inhabited since prehistoric times it is rich in cultural history and, with food being of a higher standard than is found on the more popular tourist islands, has long been a favourite haunt of more discerning Greek holiday makers.

September is the perfect time to visit. The temperatures are in the twenties celsius, the hillsides are covered in flowering aromatic herbs and it is time to harvest the local grapes, olives, fruit, figs and honey. Traditional methods of farming, harvesting and preparation are proudly adhered to by the local co operatives and the food is always fresh, seasonal and locally sourced.

” Nothing is more perfect than eating freshly made Greek salad, grilled herbed lamb souvlaki and drinking the local wine whilst gazing down the valley watching the moon rise over the sea” says Jude





Annie and Jude, with the support of the local community, have organised a Cuisine and Culture tour to enable those travellers, who wish to experience Greece at its best, the opportunity to discover Evia’s cultural and culinary heritage. Accommodation has been arranged in family run hotels, meals in local seaside tavernas and throughout the tour local villagers and artisans will demonstrate and prepare local specialties. In addition, Evia is home to unique Neolithic monuments, medieval castles and neoclassical buildings and their tour includes visits to these unique sites. Renowned local food historian and journalist Linda Makris will enrich visitors’ knowledge of the history of Greek food and its preparation.  Photo of Raptei Village see right.  Walking is an option and will enable the traveller to sense the countryside at its seasonal best. Crocuses and cyclamen grow wild; caper berries on ancient plants cling to the sides of centuries old buildings. Everywhere grape vines, olive and fruit trees burst with produce and the smell of wild thyme, oregano and rosemary fill the warm air.

Having made your own way to Athens the tour begins with an evening meeting at an included hotel. Next morning, Annie and Jude will guide you on a walk through ancient Athens, beginning with a walk up Philippapou Hill with splendid views of the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora (market). You will stroll past the Byzantine church of Agios Dimitrios, around the hill of the Pnyx and the Aeropagus from where St. Paul addressed the Athenians finishing in Monastiraki (the Turkish quarter). Be sure to visit the Acropolis and the new Acropolis museum before joining the rest of the group on tour. For those with an interest in cuisine the Athens Agora (central market) on Athinas Street is an exciting place to visit.

Transferring via the hotel to the port of Agia Marina the group makes its way to Evia by ferry to stay at the Delfini Hotel Photo:  view from the hotel on left in Nea Styra, on the Aegean Sea. The journey to Evia takes approximately one and half hours.





Day three takes you to see structures that are unique to this corner of the world. On top of Mt. Ochi and in other parts of southern Evia (Eubeoa), 23 megalithic buildings known as the “Drakospita” or Dragon houses are preserved in relatively good condition. Their builders and purpose are unknown as is their date of origin which ranges from 13th C BD to 3rd C AD. A Sinus rise orientation indicates a religious/ celestial purpose not just one of lodging. Photo: Mt Ochi-Killindri quarry with Roman Columns

The nearest site to Nea Styra will be visited where there is access to the ancient quarries from which these huge rectangular stones were sourced.Photo:  Dragon House





The next day the village of Raptei is visited for cheese and pita (wild green and cheese pie) cooking demonstrations and tasting. Greek cheeses are amongst the finest in the world and many varieties have been accorded protection under the European Union’s Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) provisions. Spiridoula, having milked her herd of goats grazing on the herb and wild green covered local hills, will demonstrate the making of traditional soft cheeses. Latterly she has been sending her milk to the local cheese co-operative so this is a special insight into what could become a dying art.


This demonstration can be followed with a walk down through the surrounding hills passing through several small villages to the beautiful beach of Limnionas where local specialties will be offered for lunch.

Leaving Nea Styra the tour makes it’s way to Karystos, the Southern Evian port.

This ancient city combines perfectly the sea and mountains and has a very rich history. Many monuments such as the Venetian Castle “Castello Rosso/ Kokkinokastro” and the Bourtsi Fortress, the Archaeological Museum, St Nicholas church and Roman ruins, show the power and importance of the port during the history of Greece.

Linda Makris an authority on the history of Greek food and cooking utensils will discuss and demonstrate during this fifth day of the tour.

Photo:Karystos one stop hardware shop The next day after a demonstration by Vangelis of the ancient art of hand making Pastelli, the local delicacy made from thyme honey and sesame seeds, the group transfers to the village of Mekounida.





An easy optional walk starts at a Roman aqueduct below the medieval Castello Rosso – Red Castle- so called either from the colour of its stone or its bloody history finishing with a visit of the castle precincts. The Killindri quarry can be viewed from the aqueduct. Lunch follows at the lovely mountain village of Mili.



Wines from the local organic winery, Montofoli Estate may be tasted in the afternoon portion of the tour. The evening offers an optional sunset cruise on a small fishing boat to a tiny island in the bay of Karystos where you will sample the captain’s own wine and mezedes.

The last full day of the tour is again spent in the Karystos region, firstly visiting a workshop where the local granite is processed. This can be followed by an easy two hour coastal walk to Mamari taking in views of the mainland, the Petalli islands and the mountainous Cycladic island of Kea.


The picturesque fishing village of Marmari which has been chosen for lunch, houses one the best seaside tavernas in the area. Our hostess invites the group into her kitchen and will demonstrate how she prepares a variety of local seafood dishes for lunch. This could include the catch of the day which may be stuffed squid, grilled sardines and other local delicacies.



The last day concludes with a transfer from Karystos to the port of Marmari and a ferry journey back to Rafina, the nearest mainland port to Athens from Evia as well as Athens International Airport

The tour will appeal to those with a love of fresh, seasonal food prepared by traditional methods, to those who want to experience a part of Greece steeped in unique archaeological history and to those who wish to help preserve these ancient arts. To all of the above will be added the warm Greek hospitality.

Website and Bookings: www.evia-cuisine.com