Program

Day 1

Arrival and transfer to Thessaloniki at a hotel of your choosing.
Thessaloniki is the second most populated city of Greece; it is called by Greeks the ‘co-capital’ of Greece and is named after Alexander the Great’s sister. It is a unique city, much unlike any other in Greece. Century-long harmonious cohabitation of many different ethnicities and cultures has given the city a one-of-a-kind character and a sense of diversity and multiculturalism. Thessaloniki has been and still is the place where the eastern culture meets the western; this blend of mindsets and cultures bestows the city with a completely unique feel, making it vividly stand out. Monuments from the byzantine era abound in the city, most of which are included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.
The people of Thessaloniki are friendly and hospitable, choosing to view life in their own particular way. They value honesty and transparency and they prefer to go about their business in a nonchalant, easy-going manner.
Due to the fact that the largest university in Greece is situated here, the city has a significant youth population, which provides it with a vibrant and lively feel. You can grasp the juvenile pulse of the city merely by having coffee in one of the numerous cafeterias around the city. If, on the other hand, you are keener on a night out, you can always enjoy a glass of wine while savoring the beautiful view of the Gulf of Thermaikos from one of the many beautiful bars facing the seafront. The overall night-life of the city is very active, with bars, cafes, restaurants and many other options in every corner of the city.
The city of Thessaloniki always has something interesting and original to offer; the vast variety of projects, activities, events and actions taking place and being organized in Thessaloniki has fairly given the city the title of the most enchanting city in the Balkans.
The city of Thessaloniki can be a gastronomical heaven for gourmet lovers; countless taverns and restaurants can satisfy even the most demanding customers.

Suggested hotels (or equivalent):
Tourist 3* – A listed historical building houses a modern and central hotel of the city
Anatolia 4* – A renovated hotel, in the center of the city, on Via Egnatia
City hotel 4*sup – A modern hotel at the heart of the city center that provides all comforts
Holiday Inn 4* – The best choice for those who want the guarantee of an international chain and a hotel in the center of the city
Makedonia Palace 5* – A hotel situated on the seafront and next to the center of the city
Mediterranean Palace 5* – It is located next to the traditional Ladadika in the center of the city with an exquisite view of Thermaikos gulf.

Day 2

Transfer to the facilities where we will have our classes directly after breakfast. And the class begins.
First day Cooking Class
Introduction to the culinary history of Thessaloniki, with a welcome Greek coffee and handmade delicacies of the area.
The cuisine of Thessaloniki
Today we will learn famous recipes from the area, we will discover the favorite ingredients the locals use to prepare their family and festive dinners. We will talk about aromatic herbs, spices and we will prepare traditional recipes.
Directly after class we are ready for a tour at the historical center of the city, as for walking about small and large streets. Return to the hotel.

Day 3

It is time for traditional Greek pie. A visit to a traditional shop is the best way for someone to learn how to make your own “filo” dough and stretch it using the traditional Greek pie technique.
End of class. You can taste the pie you made before we leave for “Ktima Gerovasilliou” winery in Epanomi. Mr. Gerovasilliou is considered the father of Malagouzia wine. Malagouzia is an old, indigenous Greek variety which, at some point, was on the verge of extinction. We will try Greek recipes that you will accompany with production wine.

Day 4

Greek cuisine is never-ending.
Second Day of Cooking class
We will start our cooking lesson outdoors by visiting the nearest open market to buy our fresh ingredients.
Ancient Greek Cuisine
In this unique cooking lesson we will discover the aromatic and nutritious recipes of the cuisine of Ancient Greece. We will reproduce recipes written in ancient times and we will discover their unique way of combining honey, vinegar, aromatic herbs and spices.
Depending the season we will choose between fresh fish from the market, vegetables, pulses, honey from the region, fruits and nuts to prepare our ancient recipes.
Our lunch will consist of what you made. You can have free time in the evening to relax or you can optionally visit Vergina what was the former capital of the Macedonian nation. Here lies the tomb of King Philip (father of Alexander the Great). On the way back you can enjoy a Greek dinner at a tavern in Methoni.

Day 5

Third day of Cooking class
Thessaloniki was and still is a crossroad of civilizations that influenced the unique cuisine of the area.
Sephardic cuisine
The city of Thessaloniki housed a major Jewish community, mostly of Sephardic origin who influenced the local cuisine for centuries.
Today we will prepare dishes from the Sephardic cuisine and we will travel through taste in the history of the gastronomy of Thessaloniki.
You will have free time in the evening to visit the city and get to know it better, enjoy a walk on the waterfront, taste “mezedes” (Greek snacks) and enjoy some nice Greek coffee in one of the many cafés in the city.

Day 6 (optional)

Fourth day of cooking
The Cuisine of the holy mount Athos
Today we will explore the monastic cooking of the monks of Mount Athos. Recipes that have been well preserved for centuries and excluded meat will transfer to you the knowledge of how to pair fish, shellfish, pulses and greens with aromatic herbs, tomato sauces, and lemony sauces e.t.c.
After class and just before afternoon, a car will be waiting to take you to a traditional farm where you will learn how to make “dolmadakia” with grape leaves.

Day 7

The last day of Greek cuisine. Revision of what you have learnt while you prepare “mezedes” that you will try.
Fifth day of cooking
The Greek Meze platter
In this cooking session we will prepare a variety of small dishes, known as <> to accompany the best ouzo brands of the area or the finest wine selected from wineries of the region.
Our recipes can be fish or meat oriented, depending your dietary preferences. Some of our recipes: Poached mussels in lemony sauce, Taramosalata(fish egg salad), Feta cheese baked with aromatic herbs and chili pepper, Meatballs from Smyrna cooked in a n aromatic tomato sauce e.t.c .
Free time in the evening.

Day 8

The week has gone by so quickly. The classes were intensive. We hope they bear fruit and that you return full and satisfied by the result and the recipes and that you also try them at home.

Package Dates

The packages are available upon request for any week starting from March 1st until December.
The package includes:

• All transfers according to schedule
• Accommodation for 6 nights
• Daily breakfast
• Guided tour and wine-tasting in “Ktima Gerovassiliou” winery
• Visit to a traditional Greek pie production shop
• Visit to “Mariannas Grape Leaves Farm”

Price:
If a schedule does not respond to your needs, it can be modified

COOKING PACKAGE

COOKING PACKAGE THESSALONIKI

(7 days)

From:

**INDIVIDUALS/*1**

**GROUP/*2**

**GROUP/*3**

**GROUP/*4**

599€

545€

498€

–

*1 MINIMUM PAX REQUIRED 04 | *2 MINIMUM PAX REQUIRED 08

*3 MINIMUM PAX REQUIRED 14 | *4 MINIMUM PAX REQUIRED 20 plus

All of our packages are flexible in that you can either add or remove days.

You may also combine some of our excursions of your choosing, creating your own packages.

Entrance fees for museums and archeological sites are not included in the price

MAAS, meet and assist us, and U just request and we organize for U