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Athens Food Tour

Culinary Secrets of Downtown Athens

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On this 5 1/2-hour food tour, we’ll dive into the heart of downtown Athens, itself a vibrant microcosm of the city’s rich gastronomic diversity, its ancient and modern histories, and a meeting point for culinary traditions from all across Greece.

ABOUT

There’s something undeniably timeless and appealing about downtown Athens: older gentlemen eating bowls of thick, creamy yogurt draped in honey and walnuts, queues of locals lining up for proper souvlaki done in the style of northern Greece, and the smell of fresh ground coffee that wafts over neoclassical Kotzia Square. It is clear that in this part of town, life is lived by the bite.

On this tour we will explore the culinary backstreets and secrets of downtown Athens, in search of the soul of this historic yet always vibrant city. We’ll visit an old-school dairy bar and a hidden gem of a loukoumades joint. We’ll sample souvlaki, and a kebab made according to a recipe brought to Athens by refugees from Constantinople. The food tour will explore the hidden seafood eateries of the stoa, the arcades that are among downtown Athens’ most unique architectural features. There will be artisanal cheeses and honey and even a few sips of homemade spirits, accompanied by an unforgettable bite in the center of the main fishmongers’ market. At once rough and beautiful, ancient and modern, the culinary backstreets of downtown Athens live on and tell the story of this city in a way few other landmarks can.

*The afternoon tour features stops for meze, live music, fine wines and artisanal ice-cream replacing the morning tour stops inside the central market. Otherwise the experiences are the same.

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DETAILS

  • Group Size: 2-7
  • 5.5 hours
  • Monday - Saturday 9:30am
  • Monastiraki Square - Syntagma
  • Culinary Backstreets
    Price: Adults x $140

Dietary

Some stops can be altered for vegetarians, but not for vegans. Can accommodate pescatarian and gluten-free diets.

Mobility

Easy, flat terrain and stroller-friendly. Includes market visits that can be crowded at times. Children welcome.
REVIEWS
This was my first visit to Athens, or for that matter my first visit to this part of the world.... Read more Read less
Best way possible to explore and discover Athens!... Read more Read less
If you imagine the most exciting food adventure of your life, that's this!!!... Read more Read less
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the current travel restrictions or requirements in Greece? You can read the full travel regulations by location for Greece here. Starting June 15th, 2020, there will be no quarantine requirements for guests entering Greece. Our cancellation policy is extremely flexible to deal with changes in travel plans. Please contact us for specific questions on travel restrictions.
What is included in the fee? In addition to your Culinary Backstreets guide, all food consumed on the walk – almost a dozen different edible specialties – are included in the price. A limited selection of alcohol is served on the walks and is included in the price.
Why is the Culinary Backstreets tour more expensive than some other walking tours? Our approach is different than most tour companies. Each of our culinary walks is the outcome of considerable research. We work with academics in the field and our own team of experienced professionals – both guides and local journalists. Our ongoing publishing of articles, from restaurant reviews to features about the intersection of food and culture, constantly feeds new material into the culinary walks, so they evolve and constantly improve. Though costly, we believe that this is how to create the quality experiences we strive for. We practice honest tourism and would never accept a free lunch or any sort of commission. On the contrary, we are proud to know that the money spent during the culinary walk goes to support businesses that we believe in, helping to preserve the social and cultural fabric of the cities we love so dearly.
How does the payment process work? Once you have made a reservation, we require the full fee to be paid in order to complete the online booking. Our online booking system uses Stripe to process secure payments.
What is your cancellation policy? 90% will be refunded if given 1 week notice prior to walk and 50% will be refunded if given 72 hours notice or more. Less than 72 hours is non-refundable.
Are your walks public or private? How many people are on them? Our walks are 2-7 people and are open to the public. If you would like to do a private walk, you can book it for a supplement by selecting book entire excursion. If it is not available on booking, we may be able to arrange one for an additional fee. Please contact us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com for more information.
Can I get a discount if I join more than one walk? Yes, we offer a 10% discount to those who join more than one walk. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.comif you’d like to join multiple walks.
Are your walks suitable for people with food allergies? This can vary based on a number of factors, including the food item in question. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com to discuss your situation before booking. The Downtown Athens walk can accommodate participants who do not eat fish, seafood, or pork. Dairy and nut allergies can also be accommodated. Participants with allergies to raw tomato, raw onion, raw garlic, mint or bell peppers can join this walk.
Are your walks suitable for vegetarians, pescetarians and vegans? This walk can be altered for vegetarians and pescatarians, however, we do not recommend this activity for vegans.
Are your walks gluten-free? Our Downtown Athens walk can be completely modified for gluten-free route.
How physically demanding is the walk? TThe walk is about 2KM (1.25 miles) of fairly flat terrain, broken up into almost a dozen stops. The streets and sidewalks of Athens are quite well kept but we do recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes.
Can children join the walks? Of course! We offer a 50% discount to children ages 12 and under, and we charge $25 for children 6 and younger.
Can you pick me up from my hotel? How will I return, once the tour is over? Our tour prices don’t include transportation to and from the tour. If you book a tour, you’re responsible for arriving to the pre-arranged meeting spot on your own. Once the tour is over, we will help you get an authorized, safe taxi to your hotel, or provide directions on public transportation, if you’re interested in that.
How much food will I get to try? This is really up to you. We generally make between 9 and 12 eating stops on our walk and try to include some breaks from eating along the way. The price includes as much food as you’re open to trying. We offer a suggested portion size at each stop and you can take our recommendation if you’d like. Our walks often involve street food and sharing food.
How are you dealing with COVID-19 risk on your walks? We have reinforced our commitment to safety with new guidelines to assure maximum safety of our guests on our walks in terms of social distancing and hygiene while maintaining the quality of the experience. For more details on our precautions, read here. Our routes have been altered during this period of time to ensure the safety of our guests, guides and community. Our cancellation policy is extremely flexible to deal with changes in travel plans.

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Guests

Adults
Age 13+
Children
Ages 7-12
Children
Ages 6 & under
Culinary Secrets of Downtown Athens
Adults x $140
Total
Fee includes everything consumed on the walk.
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