When you take a vacation on an island, you no doubt expect to find fresh seafood. When you vacation on a Greek island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, you certainly expect plenty of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Undoubtedly, you can find all this in Santorini, Greece. But Santorini’s gastronomy is more than simply a few expected genres of food. It has something to offer all its own. Whether you come to Santorini for a cooking vacation or simply to sample the food that our local restaurants have to offer, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you find here.
Local Produce
Santorini is well-known for the volcanic eruptions that shaped the island and formed the famous Santorini caldera. What’s less known is that the volcanic soil left behind, makes the island ideal for growing a wide variety of fresh vegetables. Some of the local produce that thrives in Santorini are: white eggplant, large cucumbers, capers, cherry tomatoes, and the yellow split peas that make the popular Santorini dish ‘Fava’.
Farming is also a popular trade throughout Santorini. You may even be able to enjoy Faros Market, an organic farmers market located in Santorini and run by a local farmer. In many Santorini restaurants, you can expect fresh, local, and organic produce thanks to the resources of the island.
Wine
Local Santorini producers are very proud of their wine, and there are lovely wineries and vineyards throughout the island. Santorini’s famous Vinsanto wine is made with Assyrtiko grapes. These grapes are indigenous to Santorini because of the rich volcanic ash soil, and they produce a lovely, rich in taste white wine. Among the many wineries worth visiting in Santorini is Art Space Winery, located in a cave 8 meters below the surface of the earth.
The pumice walls of the cave are 6 meters thick to insulate the wine no matter the time of year. True to its name, Art Space also contains an art gallery full of art from talented Greek artists.
Restaurants
Most restaurants in Santorini are created for tourists and typically populated by tourists. This is especially the case of Fira and Oia in Santorini. At these restaurants, you will find both customary Greek cuisine, but also unique local specialties that you won’t find anywhere else. Deep-fried tomato-keftedes, fava, and dishes with white eggplant are all unique to the island of Santorini in Greece. However, you can find a variety of different types of restaurants in Santorini Greece.
Kyria Niki’s in Fira is an excellent grill house while Ginger boasts the “best sushi in the world.” Ochre in Oia Santorini has one of the best views of the sunset available on the island. You can even find traditional breakfast food at Corner Crepes and Waffles.
Cooking Classes
Of course, if you are on a cooking vacation (culinary holidays), you can’t miss the opportunity to attend some of the cooking classes here in Santorini Greece. Many of the cooking classes available in Santorini also offer tours and wine tasting. You can learn to cook specific Santorini dishes or improve your cooking overall, pairing tastings with the taste of Vinsanto wine.
When you arrive in Santorini Greece, after having booked your accommodation, ask the hotel staff about local cooking classes and one day cooking events, to complement your gastronomical inquisitiveness along with sightseeing, chatting with the locals, enjoying fresh ground Greek coffee, visiting museums and a host of many other interesting things to do while enjoying the rest of your holiday on the stunning island of Santorini.
The rich gastronomical experience of Santorini is reason enough to visit, but rest assured that many more pleasurable moments are to be discovered. You can book an apartment or hotel room in Santorini, so start planning your trip today. Delicious food, produce, and culture that can’t be found anywhere else await you in the Greek island of Santorini, Greece.
