Tour, Tasting and Grape Harvest at Yiayia’s Tastes

The cottage industry “Yiayia’s (Granny’s) Tastes” was founded in 2006 in the beautiful village of Mirtia (Varvari) near Heraklion, Crete. Built on a love for the Cretan diet and local traditions, it produces high-quality speciality foods from purely traditional recipes — raisins, petimezi, xinohodros trahana, and assorted sweets — made to the most modern hygiene and safety standards.

Explore the picturesque lanes of the village, visit the ‘Nikos Kazantzakis’ museum, and delve into the workshop and facilities. Learn firsthand about Cretan products and the secrets behind traditional recipes, then taste award-winning products in the showroom.

During the grape harvest season, immerse yourself in the harvesting and raisinization process while enjoying panoramic views of vineyards and olive groves stretching to the Cretan Sea.

Grape Harvest and Tasting Experience

• Cottage Industry Tour: Explore the Yiayia’s Tastes workshop and discover handmade traditional Cretan products near Heraklion, Crete — rusks, jams, dried fruit, petimezi, and sweets
• Product Tasting: Taste a selection of award-winning Yiayia’s Tastes products and experience the authentic flavours of the Cretan diet in their most traditional form
• Grape Harvest: Participate in the seasonal grape harvest in the surrounding Heraklion vineyards — picking the fruit that becomes traditional Cretan grape products like raisins and petimezi