In the fertile ravine of Mylopotamos on Kea Island — also called Tzia — the Aristaios family cultivates and produces a large variety of handmade products using traditional recipes. At the Aristaios store you will find fresh fruit and vegetables, wild capers and caper leaves, local olive oil and olives, the local wine of mavroudi variety and tsipouro, handmade trahana, and pasta from acorn flour.
You will also find traditional liqueurs such as the liqueur of basil, fruit in syrup, marmalades, and on-the-spoon sweets — especially the one made with “ampourkouna” figs. Also: sun-dried tomatoes and figs, wild island herbs, spatholado, thyme honey, and pasteli. Local cheeses include kopanisti, xerotyri, and xinotiri, alongside handmade sausages, louza, and fresh wood-oven baked paximadia and pita.
The food tour at Aristaios begins with an interactive pasteli presentation — an ancient delicacy of honey and sesame seeds — guided by passionate experts. You then hike a scenic path to a meticulously restored water mill, where timeless machinery evokes the ingenuity of ancient craftsmanship.
The walk continues through Aristaios’s cultivated fields, olive groves, and production areas, pausing for tastings of local wines carefully selected to showcase the distinctive flavours of Kea Island.
Food & Flavor Discovery Walk
- Farm Walk: Follow the food path through Aristaios’s cultivated fields, olive groves, and production areas while learning about each product’s story and journey
- Producer Tastings: Stop at each production point to taste the freshest possible version of each Aristaios product — honey, preserves, cheeses, herbs, and more
- Artisan Food Culture: Experience the philosophy of Aristaios — that each product tells the story of Kea’s landscape, season, and the family’s connection to the land
Conclude your day with a local cuisine meal served in a garden adorned with fragrant orange trees, accompanied by traditional music — each dish crafted with locally sourced ingredients unique to the region.
