Traditional food tour & olive oil tasting in Kalamata

Visit local family-owned food and pastry shops, learn old stories and feel the authenticity of the locals.

Maria, our passionate food lover and local host, will be waiting for you at the beautiful central square of Kalamata, Vasileos Geogiou Square, (Πλατεία Βασιλέως Γεωργίου) in front of the Statues (Agalmata) of the Messinian war Heroes of 1821.

After a warm welcome, you’ll set off on your gastronomic experience with a leisurely stroll around the streets of this magnificent coastal city.

Many times, you can find the tastiest local products in the most unlikely places of a town you visit, where you’d never think to look. Together we’ll discover a traditional Workshop, literally hidden in the tiny alleys of the city.

With a reputation that precedes it, not just in Messinia, but also in delis around Greece for its quality home-made Messinian products, it stays true to its authentic ancestral recipes, preparing two of the most iconic local treats daily.

The local women working at the Workshop will show how to make one of the oldest delicacies of Messinia and Mani, using the simplest of ingredients, flour and olive oil. Then you’ll get to see how the second delectable local recipe is made, full of aromas, flavour and lots of honey!

And while enjoying this staple of the Spartan warriors and satisfying your sweet tooth in the healthiest of manners, you’ll also learn about its long history and inextricable link to the local tradition.

Ascending towards the historic centre of Kalamata, you’ll marvel at the two-storey neo-Classical buildings and discover this city’s rich past, as well as the long history of ancient and more contemporary Greek gastronomy.

Upon entering the shop, the aroma of the exquisite herbs and spices wafting through the air will transport you to the top of Mt. Taygetos, the local mountain.

You’ll get to taste homemade glyka tou koutaliou (spoon sweets), black Korinthian raisins and other products of the Messinian and Greek land, discovering their nutritional value and their importance in a well-balanced diet.

It’s time for your morning coffee! And what’s better than a hot traditional Greek coffee prepared by Giorgos, who’ll reveal the secrets to its proper preparation. You’ll find out all about the origins of this type of coffee, how it got its name and how it has become a part of the Greek tradition and temperament.

Have you ever heard about the most popular Greek coffee custom? Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon and you’ll be delightfully surprised.

The ideal way to feel like a local is to visit a traditional Greek coffee shop and ouzo tavern.

Right in the heart of the city, under the shadow of an age-old plane tree, flavoursome Messinian appetizers - mezedes are waiting for you to discover them.

Revithokeftedes (chickpeas patties), kolokithokorfades (courgette flowers), anchovies, eggplant dip with fresh basil, olives, local cheeses and so much more are waiting to take you through a mouth-watering journey filled with Mama’s flavours!

Especially when paired with ouzo, tsipouro (strong local spirit) or local wine and the good company of locals, the experience becomes even more authentic!

Whether this is the first or umpteenth time visiting Messinia, olive-oil tasting is a must, given this is the birthplace of olives and olive oil. You’ll take part in a quick yet fulfilling olive-oil tasting with a professional and certified olive-oil connoisseur.

You’ll find out all about the Koroneiki variety and its unique features, and will taste different quality olive oils. This tasting will be enough for you to realise just how superior this olive oil is from the common olive oils in the market.

This is also the ideal place to buy authentic Kalamata olives in different packages, as well as Greek honey and selected products made by small producers across Greece.

Did you know that in antiquity, Messinia was one of the largest wine-producing areas in the Peloponnese? Or that its wines carry the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and the Protected Designation of Origin Indication (PDO), due to their excellent quality and features?

Find out all the local varieties, including Fokiano, Roditis, Malaguzia and Moschofilero, as well as how they are combined with foreign varieties to produce excellent white, rose and red wines through a short wine tasting along with Mr. Giannis!

A light yet filling lunch will conclude your gastronomic experience and spoil your senses, in one of the cosiest Coffee Shop-Cum-Ouzo Taverns in the heart of the city.

The menu is mainly based on traditional and lesser-known recipes from Messinia and Mani, which are hard to find anywhere else.

The Mediterranean diet unfolds in all its glory: healthy, seasonal comfort food prepared with passion and an extra dash of artistry, made with ingredients from local farms and small Greek producers, slowly cooked in herbs and olive oil. 

You’ll also get to taste a classic Messinian dish and find out its interesting history, but we won’t spoil the surprise. Join us to discover it first-hand! We can guarantee that you don’t have to worry about dinner, as there’ll be no room left for anything else!

To make your visit even more memorable, here are some tips:

• Wear comfortable shoes and a hat, as you’ll spend quite a bit of time outdoors.
• Notify us of any special dietary needs (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, flexitarian, etc.)
• Notify us of any allergies (e.g. food allergies, allergies to bees, etc.)