Wine & Olive Oil Tasting Tour – Half Day

Mountain Giouhtas is located west of Archanes, about 10km south of the city of Heraklion. Its maximum altitude may not exceed 811m, but it holds a prominent place in mythology and the hearts of the Cretans. It is located in a unique landscape surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. For the ancient Minoans it was a sacred mountain, mainly because of its shape: from the northwest, the mountain looks like a human face looking at the sky. According to the legend, Zeus is buried there. After all, the mountain got its name from him, since Giouhtas comes from the Latin Jupiter, that is Zeus.

After getting acquainted with your guide and following a short briefing, we will follow the provincial road that leads to Spilia village, there we will have a unique olive tasting experience that will give you a better perspective of the islands largest agricultural industry which is olive oil production. Once our olive oil tasting is completed, we will start driving towards the highest peak of Giouhtas, following the dirt road through a beautiful pine forest, on the east side of the mountain. There, the small church of Christ the Lord is located, built in 1443. The view to the valley of Archanes, which is a vast vineyard, Psiloritis, Dikti and Heraklion, is amazing! You will also have the opportunity to search for herbs and observe the imposing vultures, that find refuge on the steep cliffs.
Then we will drive to the winery, where you will have the opportunity to experience a special wine tasting at the Fabrika Wine Experience, tracing step by step the process of winemaking, maturation and bottling of wine, while also getting acquainted with traditional wine making processes and tools such as the great cement tanks that hold the must during the fermentation period.
After the tour through the winery, and the wine tasting experience is completed we will drive back to the hotel where the excursion will conclude.