On our last full day we met Yannis Ninos- a chef with the ultimate respect and deep passion for Greek culture through food.

Our tour was beyond expectations. Yannis took us to the paces in Athens that are not just incredible food but tell the stories of the Greek cultural over the ages. His knowledge of the city and how people live and communicate was beyond anything I could have gotten in a book, online or on a standard sightseeing group tour. My only regret is that we couldn’t eat more. We experienced each part of the city over the afternoon and our little four person group felt like old friends meandering through a city we knew well.

We tasted honey, olive oils, pies, cheeses, meats ... all in ways I’ve never experienced. As someone who loves food and particularly Greek food, I walked away with a new level of appreciation.

If you do ONE THING in Athens - make sure you dedicate time to Yannis. Even better if you make this your first stop (even before the Acropolis). He’s not only a delight to spend the day with but your palette will change forever. Even my 11year old daughter who loves Starbucks and penne with butter was blown away by how delicious each stop was.

Just remember to pace yourself. We lost one to over consumption too early on!