To discover the flavours, aromas and delicious taste of Attica’s gastronomy, all you need to do is take a walk around the neighbourhoods of Athens city centre. But if you want to truly immerse yourselves into the secrets of local culinary culture, learn about the evolution of Greek gastronomy through the centuries, and savour the world-recognised as one of the healthiest diets in the world, a delightful culinary tour in Athens by a professional tour guide will absolutely thrill you!

Flavours tell stories; they narrate the history of a place. Companies that offer food walking tours, offer a comprehensive “journey” into the authentic flavours of Greek products and the fascinating history of Athens, the city life, its past and present.

The small group of flavour “explorers” meets in the centre of Athens, where the food specialised, experienced tour guide hands them a map with the walking tour routes and stops, and gives an overview of Athenians’ eating habits. The walk begins, revealing some of the city’s hidden treasures on the way, streets and districts that are off the beaten path.

At the traditional family-run delicatessen you will discover and sample the best local products, such as extra virgin olive oil and olives, feta cheese and excellent wines, oregano, cured meats, honey and spoon sweets. Here you will learn more about the Mediterranean Diet and its extraordinary health benefits.

The walk continues and coming up next, the pastry shop. Sit at the marble little tables and savour the most delicious “loukoumades” (donuts) in Athens, served with plenty of honey and cinnamon. Next stop, the bustling “Varvakeios”, Athens’s historic central food market that is unlike any other in Europe. Here, colourful and fragrant food stalls with local meat, fresh fish and seafood set the stage among animated food sellers, whelping for sales as locals bargain them down. It doesn’t get more authentic than that!

Outside the fish market are the stalls that sell dry nuts, tahini, raisins and countless more healthy treats. Try the traditional pasteli, halva and a great variety of olives. Then, it’s on to the produce market, where the colourful and fragrant selection of fruit and vegetables is truly impressive. Peel a tangerine, smell its intoxicating aroma and taste its exceptionally juicy inner flesh.

At the traditional Greek taverna with the roofed yard, full of flowers and bright colours, you will enjoy authentic local food that is slowly cooked in casseroles, resulting in delicious and juicy dishes. You will absolutely love the pies (onion pie, cheese pie or spinach pie) that are made with homemade phyllo. Here, it’s all about natural local produce and dishes based on old traditional recipes.

Explore the world of Greek cured meats, top-quality and delicious, on Evripidou street – the cured meat specialty spot of the city. Try the exquisite pastirma and sujuk, and any type of cured meat, spicy, aromatic and… gourmet. On the same street you will discover the magic world of spices, herbs, essential oils, dried fruit and vegetables and a vast variety of teas.

In one of the most scenic Athenian neighbourhoods, Psyrri, with its small tavernas and ouzo bars, you will savour the best “bougatsa” in the city, a delicious sweet, cream-filled, crunchy fyllo layered pie. At an elegant shop, housed in a stone building, you will taste this delicacy and witness “live” the extraordinary and masterful preparation process of bougatsa. A food tour in Athens couldn’t possibly omit the “king” of Greek street food: savour “gyros”, a satisfying meld of flavours from warm pita bread filled with seasoned grilled meat, fresh veggies and a traditional sauce. You will totally reconsider the whole notion of “fast food”.

Athens Food Tour will reveal to you the genuine Athens city life, taking you to neighbourhoods and districts of the city, where Athenians shop and snack through the day. You will gain insight into their eating habits, communicate with them and feel that you are part of the local culture. After all, isn’t this the meaning of travelling to foreign countries and different civilisations?

Information: https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attractions-g189400-Activities-c36-Athens_Attica.html