Private Tour

Authentic Greek Cooking & Foraging Experience in Syros with Maria

Overview

Available languages

English

French

3 hours

Mobile ticket

This immersive cooking class in Syros is ideal for travelers looking for authentic culinary experiences with locals. Forage wild herbs and greens on a guided walk with a professional chef. Learn about traditional Cycladic cooking techniques and local ingredients. Prepare an authentic Greek meal in a local home using foraged herbs, organic produce, and ancient grains. Enjoy a personalized, seasonal menu paired with local Greek wine.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Cook with local ingredients in Maria's home in Syros. Depending on the season, your culinary journey begins with a walk near Maria’s home, where she will teach you how to identify and gather wild herbs and greens. Maria will share her deep knowledge, both historical and scientific, about these plants, including their uses in herbal medicine and how to incorporate them into unexpected, delicious recipes. Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, return to Maria’s home kitchen to transform these wild plants, along with organic vegetables and legumes, into a memorable meal. This hands-on Syros cooking experience is guided by Maria, who will share cooking techniques, nutritional insights, and personal stories throughout the process. You’ll prepare a unique, traditional Greek meal that goes beyond the usual Greek dishes, featuring local cheeses, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Since meat was traditionally used sparingly, the focus is on vegetable-rich dishes enhanced with small amounts of meat. This immersive cooking class in Syros is ideal for travelers looking for authentic culinary experiences with locals.

Sample Menu

starter

Seasonal peasant's salad decorated with wild flowers

or Wild rock samphire salad with carrots and beetroots and "petimezi" sauce

main

Fava

“padremeni” (yellow split peas topped with onions, sun-dried capers, and tomatoes) or Patates adinaktes (potatoes cooked in red wine with coriander)

main

Tourlou

(seasonal vegetables baked with chickpeas) or Fresh black-eyed peas or Melitzanes dellagratsiano (a local version of moussaka with eggplant)

dessert

Semolina halva with saffron or A homemade sweet

dessert

Greek wine

What‘s Included

Alcoholic Beverages

Private cooking class and foraging experience with your host Maria

Options

Cooking class and dinner

Cooking and lunch (in French)

French Translator: This option includes a French translator.

Cooking class and lunch

Reviews

5.00

17 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Villa Maria’s Kitchen-Best place to learn Cyclades islands cooking.
Daniel H,,Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was our favorite experience in Syros. Elisa made this class memorable with very short notice. She even taught us how to prepare her own zucchini bruschetta recipe. The cooking class was clear, concise and the food was outstanding. I am looking forward to make the dishes for my family. I also recommend the wine and cheese pairing with Cycladic island wines and cheeses. Dinner, wine, cheese and dessert were all served on a lovely private rooftop balcony. We never felt rushed and the conversation was lively. Villa Maria’s kitchen is the place to learn and experience heart felt Greek cooking with Elisa. P.S. Thank you for sending me the recipes.
Go see Maria 🥘
katyc781,,Oct 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Maria is an old soul and a wealth of knowledge. Her home is clean, intimate and we learned a lot. Her house is about 20 min from port. The ingredients were fresh. Our whole visit was fun and she is delightful.
Greek cooking and spiritual rest
Rebecca H,,Oct 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
An absolute magical experience. Maria was incredible and gave us so much in the way of information, positive energy and cooking. The food was amazing as well. We left feeling full spiritually and physically. Highly recommend this experience.
The definition of delightful
Amy N,,Oct 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a very special afternoon at Maria's home. The day was filled with history, smells, tastes, textures.....and of course love. (you'll see) We learned so much not just about the region and their use of ingredients in cooking but also about healthy choices and a simpler way of thinking about food. The perfect weather added to the al fresco lunch on the patio. This vegetarian menu was beyond delicious. We enjoyed seconds (maybe thirds) and left with full bellies and happy hearts. Maria knew it was my birthday and surprised me with a delicious dessert as well. This was the perfect way to wrap up our 2 week trip around Turkey & Greece. Thank you ladies!
An exceptional culinary experience and Greek culture exploration.
Navigate28031508414,,Aug 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Maria is a master chef and natural/herbal remedy specialist. This class is a must for anyone who lives or visits the island of Syros. She makes cooking easy for the novice or experienced home cook a like. She is unselfish with her recipes and makes the entire day pleasurable. You would be hard pressed to find a better chef like Maria to learn from, especially with her knowledge and skill in the kitchen.
Authentic Cooking Experience with a Ton of Soul
dnaDani,,Jun 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Maria was an amazing person and a very talented chef. We learned so much from her about ingredience, food preparation, and adding love to what you cook and eat. The whole experience was wonderful. We sat outside her cute home, at a beautiful table, with all the incredible food we had prepared together. We had great conversations, great wine and great food. SO glad we did this. We love getting to know the culture of where we travel, Maria is the real deal!
Great Lunch with Maria!!
Jack T,,Oct 4, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Maria was an excellent speaker and gave us delicious recipes/meals!! Very authentic lunch!! Her passion for healthy living and eating was clear!! She stayed in contact with us through what’s app as we came in by cruise ship!! The Mandela salad was a very special moment! Glad we did it and would do it again!!!
Fun, informative, and so so tasty!
A585KGdaniellem,,Sep 29, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My husband and I took Maria's cooking class while on our honeymoon a d had a fantastic time. Due to the dry season we were unable to go foraging but Maria sourced fresh ingredients from around the island. We learned so much about the herbs and other plants of Syros. It was exciting to learn all of the medicinal uses of the plants and smell and taste how different each plant is based on different preparations like grinding, sun drying etc. Maria is so warm and friendly and reminded us to bring love and appreciation into our cooking. We'd definitely recommend this experience!
Wonderful Hands-On Traditional Greek Cooking Class with Vegan and Gluten-Free Options
P912JJrebeccaw,,Sep 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My fiancé and I had an amazing time at Maria's cooking class! She was engaging, attentive, and incredibly informative. She made sure to accommodate my gluten-free diet, and we made delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes. We learned about local herbs and cooking techniques, and the food was incredible. Highly recommend this class for a fun and hands-on experience!
Maria’s Cooking Class!
837maddyc,,Sep 17, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did Maria’s cooking class as a family and had the best time! We learned about the native plants and herbs, how to make traditional greek meals, and enjoyed a big feast at the end of the lesson. Maria sent us the recipes after and we have already started cooking them at home. I couldn’t recommend her cooking class experience more if you are in Syros! :)